Learning versus Good Grades

Scenario: It takes a student 9 hours to master the required material for a test, but as often happens, but only 3 are available. How should he approach those 3 hours?

Option #1: Do a general overview of the material, hitting on as many main points as possible.

Option #2: Pick a small amount of the material, and gain a mastery of it, neglecting all else.

Choosing option #1 leads to a better grade on the test in most cases, but usually nothing is retained, so no actual learning has happened. Option #2 leads to actual learning, but most likely a poorer grade on the test.

Therefore, the student must choose between learning and a good grade! Obviously, it is ideal to have enough time to master everything. However, this scenario instructs us not only how to use limited time, but also how learning should be approached generally.

One of the best commentaries on home-schooling is that the student doesn't move on from material until he has achieved an 'A', or better yet: mastery. Classrooms render this ideal virtually impossible to achieve for every student (generally, by no fault of the teacher).

Parents of institutionally schooled children (public or private) must take from this that it is their responsibility to educate their children. The institution is inherently incapable of doing so.