Rubric. Culmination. When did these become words?

[Noah930]

OK, not literally. But in reference to my grade school kids, these words--"rubric" and "culmination"--are used more than frequently (kind of like "bespoke" in the car world). What's wrong with "criteria" and "graduation?". Those were the words we used when I was a kid.

[masraum]

weird. I don't know that I've heard rubric before. I've heard culmination, but not used in reference to school.

[RANDY P]

Rubric from what I seen is a set of criteria with with varying degrees. poor OK exemplary, etc. etc.

rjp

Originally Posted by RANDY P

Rubric from what I seen is a set of criteria with with varying degrees. poor OK exemplary, etc. etc.

rjp

^^^
This.

I use them, because the kids are now asking for them and the administration wants us to. This was new to me when I started hearing it when I went back after a couple years off. Of course I resisted at first because, hey I'm old and I don't like change.

But I tried it and found it actually helps with grading because it provides a disciplined, repeatable, and data-driven methodology for evaluating written work. It's also nice to refer to when a student wants to contest their grade on their paper a week after you graded it and can't remember because you just spent that week reading the deathless prose of 150 undergrads and you just want to claw your eyes out.

(I have a stack of papers on my desk waiting to be graded. Ugh.)

[pavulon]

Just what we really needed. Another buzzword to describe something destined to fade.

[KFC911]

That first one.....

I will look at you like a puppy and tilt my head

Woof.... not in my world!

[ckelly78z]

This post must be the culmination of this thread, which was Rubric !

[fastfredracing]

I had to buy the book to solve the rubrics cube

[Nickshu]

Add "sustainability" and "transparency" to that list.

[id10t]

Rubric yes, 'cause I work in education and use 'em. Good for grading fairly across all students.

Vocabulary is good, but I'd struggle to use culmination when some other word would do....

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I miss George Carlin.

[recycled sixtie]

Culmination comes across as being a bit stuffy and would think it would more likely be used by an English or Canadian person. Culmination has been around a long time. Rubric got attention with the Rubric Cube. I will add to the word collection and say this is an erudite thread. Well done to the OP.

[KFC911]

^^^^

Originally Posted by KC911

I will look at you like a puppy and tilt my head !

[MBAtarga]

Too bad the game/toy was named Rubik's cube - after the inventor instead of rubric....

[wilnj]

While rubric seems a strange word to use and looking up the etymology (sorry, origin) of the word didn’t help, I can see the value in having them.

By publishing the rubric when giving the assignment, the teacher can avoid those bizarre conflicts with the student’s parents who insist that their child deserves a better grade because of all the artistic talent evident in their child’s science project despite the project not providing any evidence of knowledge of the subject.


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[Noah930]

My point in the OP, was why did we decide to use these words when we used to (and still do) have words that worked just fine? In place of rubric, use criteria. In place of culmination, use graduation. It's what we did when I was a kid 3 decades ago.

And even though we now call that ceremony when you finish school "culmination," we also still call the evening class celebration "grad night."

[fastfredracing]

Because big words make you sound fancy

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Noah930

My point in the OP, was why did we decide to use these words when we used to (and still do) have words that worked just fine? In place of rubric, use criteria. In place of culmination, use graduation. It's what we did when I was a kid 3 decades ago.

And even though we now call that ceremony when you finish school "culmination," we also still call the evening class celebration "grad night."

What I find weird is how many graduations kids these days seem to have. I was born in 1970. I had 1 graduation in school, and that was at the end of the 12th grade. It seems these days kids graduate kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, Jr HS and then HS. WTF?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Because big words make you sound fancy

That's exactly it. Someone wanted to make their graduation sound fancier than everyone else's, and then everyone else thought "that's cool, we'll do that too!"

[LEAKYSEALS951]

After my culmination, we went to a friend's natatorium, where there was a celestory event of little inhibition, but much rumination, fornication, and libation.