Most teachers refuse to offer extra credit for students on the grounds that it would be unfair. This, however, assumes that fairness relies on equality. It shouldn’t. It should rely on equity*.
See, not all students can ace, or even pass that chemistry class. Not all of them can somehow compose an essay in less than an hour and still earn an A+. Some, no matter how hard they try, how many all-nighters they pull, hours they study, will have low grades, because that area simply isn’t their strength. Not everyone is talented at a certain thing, or academically smart. And not all people need extra credit—but some do. Why should those who do be denied it simply because those who don’t need it, don’t want it, or don’t ask for it?
They shouldn’t. They are trying. They really are. When that isn’t enough, though, they need to find other ways to make up for it, and if they’re willing to make the effort, why not let them? That’s how the real world works: you missed work, or aren’t being as productive as you ought to be? Take some home, or do overtime. You’re given the chance to make up what you missed, and you’re expected to take it. If students aren’t allowed extra credit anyway, they could get used to accepting their failure—and is that what we really want from our students?
According to high school teacher Sarah Sorge, “It [extra credit] motivates students to handle new knowledge on their own terms”. It also boosts self-confidence and work ethic, she says. Students are meant to learn. Why else are they sent to school? Part of learning is experience, and these experiences need to be the kind that will prepare them for the world outside of their test papers-- for the world that takes place in offices, over emails and video conferences, where the bills need paying, mouths need feeding, and the only way to do that is with a job. They need to know how to handle it if they are falling short of their boss’s expectations. More than that, they need to know how to actually succeed in their respective careers, how to work with people and be able to contribute ideas. If extra credit can give them the dedication and self-esteem to do that, then why not?
Many students today are unmotivated. They stare at brightly lit screens all day, tap text after text after text, chat after chat after chat. When they actually show a willingness to go beyond the requirements and better themselves and their results, why shouldn’t we reward it? Why shouldn’t we encourage it?
An article on the DailyGenius website suggests applying extra credit not only to additional projects, but also to additional exercise (outside of school sports), volunteering, and extra reading. Another article on Dixie Sun News, the online newspaper for the Dixie State University, explains that many students receive extra credit for learning to take advantage of resources a school has, or for going to awareness talks. Aside from encouraging them to work harder, extra credit can be used to nudge students in directions they wouldn’t normally go, where they might unexpectedly find enjoyment. They might find a cause they didn’t realize they supported, or a sport they have a passion for, or that their academic grades improve from using resources they hadn’t felt the need for. In this way, extra credit can develop students’ personalities and lifestyle, not just their grades.
There’s no reason not to allow extra credit. Let’s teach our students that you don’t need to accept failure; you can persevere, and you can make up for your shortcomings. Let’s teach them their passion, their dedication—they amount to something.
*in economics, equity refers to distribution of resources based on need, rather than equality, where resources are distributed in the exact same amount no matter what the need.