Failure is impossible for high school students! (No, really)

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/momentsofmotherhood/failure-is-impossible-for-high-school-students-no-really-2410739/

This article talks about a school that has thrown away the A-F grading system.  And has gone over to giving students Incomplete instead of an "F."  If you look at a college grading system, this is what is used as well.  You can chose to get an I in the class and work on the class for the entire next semester.


If you look at this from a perspective of Tony Wagner, author of The Global Achievement Gap, I believe he would say that this is getting students more ready for college.  Because if there is a possibility that students will give up if they get an "F," then it is not worth it to give it.  Instead, allow them to learn it later by giving them an "I."

I think that it is possible that this is babying the students, so a thing that I would add to this is individual break-down of grade with an overall grade.  For instance, give them a grade on such things as their respect towards each other, their overall attitude, etc.  Give them an A-F and if you give them an F tell that just because they got an F does not mean that they are a failure.