Roberta Borkat's A Liberating Curriculum

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In the Newsweek article “A Liberating Curriculum,” Roberta Borkat offers an example of a new grading program. Students now want to receive higher grades, but not do any homework or participate in class. Borkat writes how she has wasted over twenty years of her life grading papers and preparing lessons. She regrets how she has caused in convenience to over a thousand students. Borkat was enlightened on this when she was verbally attacked by one of her students. She had accused this student of plagiarism and upset him. Borkat has developed a plan to increase student’s happiness. All students will receive a grade of “A” after the second week of class that they are enrolled in. The students will be free and happy to do whatever they want to…show more content…
Some say knowledge is the most important thing, and that we should encourage hard work and perseverance. Borkat believes we are a democracy, and we should give all students the same grade in college. Borkat's colleagues believe that teachers have a responsibility to the significant works of the past. She once thought that introducing students to great poets and playwrights was a precious gift. These students gained knowledge from reading and learning about famous people from the past. The writings of most authors today are meaningless. The writers of past eras have been replaced by magazines and television. After all, there bodies are dead so why shouldn’t there ideas be dead also. Professors want to convey plenty of knowledge to today’s students. It is the duty of teachers to preserve the cultural heritage of the students. Most of our students have no desire to take some of the courses in college, but take them just to fill graduation requirements. Some job schedules make it impossible for them to attend more than thirty percent of classes. These students never have any study time or time to do homework. Other students want at least a “B” grade, but do not want to attend class. Borkat’s new plan would guarantee both examples of these students a grade of

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