"Scaling" Grades

We are required to curve our grades. No more than 30% of the class is allowed to get an A, and at least 20% of the class have to get C+ or below.

I don’t give to many A-grades, so that’s not a problem; but I feel it a bit unfair to demote B-grade students to C-grades, just because I need to fill the 20% bracket.

So this afternoon, even after I’ve made the grades known to the students, I was called up by the office to tell me that I have to adapt the grades. So in at least three of the five modules I teach, I had to force the grades of some students down. It’s not difficult – I merely reduced the lowest B-grade students’ grades to fill the 20% C and below bracket. Still, it feels a bit strange to have to change grades just to make the “profile” look pretty. Of course there might be other reasons, which I don’t understand. I often need to remind myself that I’m a guest in a foreign country and my ways are not their ways.

Needless to say, I expect some students to come and complain to me now that their grades have suddenly dropped. Luckily I have the “system” to blame as the scapegoat.

In the meantime I've come down with something. I have a fever and am coughing. I think the rain episode eventually caught up with me.