Boyd’s lesson: Follow directions
This is in regards to the opine of Alan Langstraat of Selma and the letter “Teacher broke sacred trust.” (June 23)
Robert Boyd of Fresno City College is an excellent teacher. Students earn their grades, grades are not given. Structure and the ability to follow directions are of utmost importance when trying to achieve a good grade, and later in the workplace.
In the letter, which was a response to a “Valley Voices” piece, a teacher is decrying a grade his child received from Mr. Boyd due to failure to follow directions. If students do not follow explicit directions of format, they deserve the grades they receive.
A math problem may be factually correct in its answer, but credit may be withheld for failure to show work. A well-written paper could also receive an F if the teacher requests a report written in Modern Language Association format and the student presents a paper in American Psychological Association or Chicago Manual of Style (all forms of documentation in report writing).
The point is the student failed to follow directions and deserved the grade she was given. Fresno City College administrators backed the grade given by Mr. Boyd, as do I.
Greg Rodriguez, Clovis
This story was originally published June 26, 2016 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Boyd’s lesson: Follow directions."