So we did the "socialist classroom" experiment...

[Ben No.3]

When talking about socialism, I often hear people bring up the "socialist classroom": a teacher redistributed the marks equally, and in the end, everyone lost motivation and grades fell endlessly.

 

Well, my philosophy course (consisting of about 15 people) tried this. For us, it worked brilliantly.

 

Let me say that while many (a bit more than half, others mostly liberal in the European sense) are certainly left wingers, anyone but me and one other girl is social democrat at max. It's lonely on the far left... the point of saying this is to show that this wasn't a bunch of socialist and communists trying to prove a point.

 

 

Now, grades go from 0-15, 15 being the best. Before the experiment, the class average grade was between 10 and 11, with some below and very few spikes.

 

Now, about came the socialist redistribution. First, we averaged at 11.6. After that, 9.7. Now, it became apparent that the "socialist order" created a dependence on one another. No one could be good unless everyone was good.

 

And this lead to people helping one another out. The concept of only learning for yourself proved no longer viable. So people started helping each other a lot in class, and while I did not participate I know quite a few learning groups formed. Next test, everyone got around an 12 (11.78 I think). Yesterday, we received oral marks (which, in subjects like history, politics and also philosophy make up 50% of the total mark and is based on class participation). We ended up all getting a 14, which is the highest average the teacher ever gave a class.

 

 

It appears, the "socialist classroom fails" concept is a myth.

 

With the eatern holidays, the experiment comes to an end. I think we can declare it a success.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Ben No.3

[Barothmuk]

That's not socialism

[Ben No.3]

That's not socialism

Distributing marks according to ability and need would require a much more complicated system.

 

Besides, the point was to test the myth of te "socialist classroom", that is often brought up

[majestic]

 Yesterday, we received oral marks. We ended up all getting a 14, which is the highest average the teacher ever gave a class.

 

Heh. I just realized that I still haven't grown up. Heh. *chuckle*

 

Sorry. It's a good skill to have. Really. Just not sure if a teacher should be the one teaching you.

 

*snort*

[Ben No.3]

 

Yesterday, we received oral marks. We ended up all getting a 14, which is the highest average the teacher ever gave a class.

Heh. I just realized that I still haven't grown up. Heh. *chuckle*

 

Sorry. It's a good skill to have. Really. Just not sure if a teacher should be the one teaching you.

 

*snort*

[Guard Dog]

One-trick-pony

 

[Blarghagh]

Snark: What do they say exceptions do to rules again?

 

Non-snark: What's the timeframe and socio-economic status of your classroom? Are you representative of anything? Does it have any statistical outliers? How's class motivation? The way you describe it, it sounds like there was a directed effort towards making it work rather than an actual experiment to see what would happen?

 

I don't actually care, but neither should you since as an experiment it looks meaningless, especially without a control group.

[JerekKruger]

I don't actually care, but neither should you since as an experiment it looks meaningless, especially without a control group.

 

Pretty much my thoughts. I don't know what research has been done on this sort of thing in the past, so I have very little idea what effect it would have, and this experiment doesn't really change that.

[Hurlshort]

Breaking news: Teamwork helps students do better.

[HoonDing]

Stealing kids' lunch money is socialism, no?

[Blarghagh]

Personally, remembering my school days I would have likely tanked such an experiment by myself. I'm an incredibly effective killjoy. :D

[Guard Dog]

It sounds to me like a class I wouldn't have to work too hard in.

[Blarghagh]

Philosophy class?

[Vaeliorin]

Philosophy class?

I got an A in the only philosophy class I ever took (it was required as a computer science major for some bizarre reason) without doing any of the reading, so...

 

What I learned is that getting good grades in pretty much any of the humanities is easy as long as you can figure out what the teacher wants to hear, and are a competent bull****ter.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

This new alt is trash, you need to up your game.

 

 

Philosophy class?

 

I got an A in the only philosophy class I ever took (it was required as a computer science major for some bizarre reason) without doing any of the reading, so...

 

What I learned is that getting good grades in pretty much any of the humanities is easy as long as you can figure out what the teacher wants to hear, and are a competent bull****ter.

That's pretty much every class in my expereince.

[Vaeliorin]

 

Philosophy class?

I got an A in the only philosophy class I ever took (it was required as a computer science major for some bizarre reason) without doing any of the reading, so...

 

What I learned is that getting good grades in pretty much any of the humanities is easy as long as you can figure out what the teacher wants to hear, and are a competent bull****ter.

That's pretty much every class in my expereince.

 

It's not really possible in STEM classes (or at least wasn't when I was in college.)  You can't exactly BS your way through a calculus or organic chemistry exam.

[Guard Dog]

At the risk of going OT have you guys noticed over the years the posting habits of the self proclaimed "socialists" and "communists"? Even the ones that were not trolls they seem to have a single minded devotion to their favored socioeconomic philosophy. It's all they ever talk about. Every topic they start, nearly every word they write range from the rantings of a zealot to the pleadings of a preacher trying to "convert" everyone to their faith. Don't get me wrong. We all love to argue over politics and economics but we also talk about sports, booze, women, men, movies, games, and day to day life. We have had a few (maybe more than a few) "true believers" along the way and it seems to me they can discuss nothing else. Real one-trick-ponies. I don't mean this as a criticism, merely and observation.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Guard Dog

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

There's at most 5 here now, counting Ben, to be very generous and that doesn't describe any besides Ben.

[Guard Dog]

Well I'm also thinking of names from the past like Lord of the Flies, Humodor, Nur Ab Sal, Yushaa (substitute socilaisim for islam) and that one girl that used to rant about how we're all gonna die.

[Gorgon]

Socialism is a lot of good intentions, sometimes it goes horribly wrong,  but it is just that. The needs óf the many outweight the needs of the few and all that. 

[rjshae]

I see a couple of dependent variables here that may bias the results. First, if the students are aware of the experiment and are motivated for it to succeed, it will work the first time. Second is the presumed maturity level of the participants, which allows them to cooperate for mutual success without succumbing to competitive desires.

[Orogun01]

I don't know what the **** are they going on about...as someone who was actually taught at socialist classrooms we don't believe in equal distribution. Teachers would do everything it took, from beatings to threats to actually teaching you. Tense environment but you got **** done.

Really, it seems like a paradox since every class I had in the US was so much softer than my elementary school back in Cuba.

[Hurlshort]

School is about equity, anyways. Equality is overrated.

[Gromnir]

School is about equity, anyways. Equality is overrated.

school.  school?  our goals as a student and as a student-athlete has always the same, regardless o' the level o' education.  socialist classroom?  bah. we subscribe to the robert e. howard school o' education and make no apologies for it.  

 

 

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited March 23, 2017 by Gromnir

[Ben No.3]

Well I'm also thinking of names from the past like Lord of the Flies, Humodor, Nur Ab Sal, Yushaa (substitute socilaisim for islam) and that one girl that used to rant about how we're all gonna die.

Wait , what?