Extra credit is the opportunity for students to get credit or bonus points when they complete any assignment in any subject without it negatively affecting those who do not do the work. It is when students are given a chance to earn extra points by doing some stuff or work that is outside the typical curriculum of a class.’ Extra credit has both its pro’s and con’s. I believe extra credit does help a student in a positive way.
It is beneficial for a student who would like to go above and beyond their classmates by doing extra work. Extra credit motivates a student. Speaking from experience, when I hear that a teacher is offering extra credit I am automatically intrigued. I would do almost anything if it would help boost my grade at all. Extra credit increases a student’s motivation. It allows the student to do the extra work on their own terms just to earn a few extra points.
In my personal experience, I find myself and many of my peers going above and beyond our class’s material or required work just to earn extra credit.
My class is really competitive with grades that anytime extra credit is offered, everyone jumps at the opportunity to earn those few extra points. Not only does extra credit help motivate a student, it also helps students learn the class’s material or subject in more creative ways. It is a great system that allows a student to bring up their grade while still learning about the subject in another way other than by doing the required work in the classroom? For example, I have received extra credit opportunities where I had to help create test questions for my class’s test and to provide the answers.
By doing so, the extra work that I did, helped me and my teacher by showing my understanding of my class’s materials and lessons. Extra credit allows a student to learn the content of a class’s subject in creative ways such as making them do a short report or making a PowerPoint of what they learned. Students get a second chance when extra credit is offered.
They are given the opportunity to make up for loss of points on exams, tests, or assignments that they did not do so well on. I strongly believe extra credit really does help a student in these cases. There are days where students are not always at their one-hundred percent and may slack off. I have had a first-hand experience with this type of situation. There was this one day where I was not prepared at all for a class. Little did I know, there was a pop quiz and I knew nothing about it. My grade went significantly down and I was upset. I asked for extra credit and the teacher offered the whole class the extra credit. Asking for the extra credit allowed me to pick up my grade. It was a second chance for me to be able to increase the percentage of my grade on that pop quiz by doing simple extra work. Extra credit is a way for students to earn points for doing extra work outside of the required work without harming the grades of those who decide on not doing the extra credit.
It enhances the grades of those who really need it. I only find extra credit beneficial and fair if the extra credit is offered to the whole class and not just for an individual student. Giving the opportunity to the whole class allows them to increase their grades by doing work that is not required and does not count against their grade if they decide on not doing it. Extra credit enhances the lessons taught in the classroom. It also helps the students learn in a more creative way. It helps the students that are struggling with the subject. Extra credit is seen as being a big opportunity for any student to get a second chance. Extra credit gives an extra boost and increases the motivation of a student. Extra credit is beneficial and is good for all kinds of students.