The scale that your DD is being graded on seems like it should be mastery grading, but in reality, teachers teach as they were taught, and they grade as they were graded. Different teachers include a variety of things that aren't scores indicating level of mastery, like class participation, homework completion, and even behaviors.
Case in point, my third grade DD is getting letter grades for the first time this year. First report card comes home and her lowest grade is in reading. This kid reads on at least a middle school level. Well, her teacher docks points for lateness, and my daughter turned in several reading logs late. As a teacher myself, I'm personally not keen on this, and wouldn't do it in my own classroom.
However, I think it's important that my daughter understands that school, like many other systems in life, is a game, and that if you want to be successful within the context of the game, you need to play by those rules. We're very open with her about our expectations of her, but grades at this age aren't super-meaningful, and we try to convey our feelings about that.
Good luck with your meeting today!
