Extra credit. It can boost a student's grade, and encourage participation, but can also cause a student to slack off on their homework and tests.
Extra credit opportunities are provided in many high schools throughout America. This can end up being more harmful than beneficial, especially if extra credit in classes is unlimited or opportunities for extra credit are given out too frequently. Some teachers give out extra credit as an award for in class participation, such as answering questions, while others will provide special assignments with the incentive of boosting a student's grade a few points.
One of the problems with giving out extra credit is that some extra credit opportunities are just simply too easy, they require little effort on the student's part. A very common extra credit opportunity in schools is having the student purchase tissue and supplies for class use, and in return the teacher will add points to the student's grade. Since when is going to the store and purchasing items for the class considered work? Students will be getting into the mode where if they blow off a test it will be okay, they'll just bring in a pack of markers or write an extra last minute paper to boost their grade. So for the students who actually do their work and study for tests, they'll end up getting the same grade as another student who decides to do every extra credit assignment offered. Some people may think the points received from extra credit don't make much of a difference unless a student is at a borderline grade to begin with, but this is not necessarily true. Some teachers offer extra credit on a weekly basis, which ends up being enough extra credit to jump a student's letter grade. With all the extra credit given out in classes it's hard to see how anyone could fail.
High school is supposed to be preparing students for college and for the future, but many colleges don't offer extra credit. Many people consider extra credit to be a good thing, especially students benefitting from it, but really all it does is provide a crutch for even the most unmotivated individuals to just get by.
