Students sign up for specific courses expecting a defined curriculum and a foundation for learning. Classes of the same subject can all be taught completely differently, it is all based on the teacher. From a variety of workloads to unique grading systems, inconsistencies in coursework for the same class creates an unfairness in learning for students.
Imagine this, two students by the names of John and Alex are both in a freshman English class. John’s teacher uses a balanced curriculum with a reasonable amount of work, while Alex’s teacher gives out double the amount of work and grades a lot harsher. By the end of the year, their grades look nothing alike, despite taking the same class.
According to Fitchburg State, a well crafted curriculum creates consistency, benchmarks for learning and a clear outcome. Without a curriculum, students are left behind in learning and are not ready for the next level. This is exactly what happens in the scenario, John’s class was given a well-balanced workload and because of this, they were all ready for that next step in their learning career. Whereas Alex’s class might not feel so good for the next step as they had to do extra work that didn’t translate to learning.
Having the same coursework allows for better results and more collaboration. A study done by the National Institutes of Health shows that studying in groups leads to higher test scores and a higher GPA. If John is writing an essay while Alex is cramming for a test, they could never study together. Consistency across classes makes collaboration both possible and effective.
Some students argue that work should be given out by the teacher, not the class. If this were to happen, it would be unfair to students. One class would be buried in work, while the other would not have enough work. Neither is fair and both harm students in the long run.
In addition to workload, grading is another major inconsistency that varies among teachers. A study done by the University of North Dakota states that over 15,000 teachers all grade in a different way. This shows that grades reflect the teacher’s style rather than the student’s skill. A shared grading system throughout teachers would make grades fair and accurate.
Overall, inconsistencies in the same class create unequal opportunities, limit collaboration and produce unfair grades. If schools want to give every student a real chance to succeed, they must commit to equality in classrooms. Education should never be based on luck, it should be a guarantee.
