What is a grade really worth?

Hi Everyone,

I have never really thought about what a "grade" really does to a student.  I just knew "A's" were what should be achieved for because it showed you knew the material and were a "good student."  "B's were pretty good.  "C's" were OK, but who really wanted to be considered "average."  And "D's" and "F's" definitely a no-no.  After reading this article it has given me much to think about.

According to this article grades have many negative side effects.  The top three listed include:

1.  "Grades tend to reduce a students' interest in the learning itself."  Research shows that when people are rewarded for doing something they tend to lose interest in whatever it was they were being rewarded for.

2.  "Grades tend to reduce students' preference for challenging tasks."  According to this concept "the more pressure to get an A, the less inclination to truly challenge oneself."

3.  "Grades tend to reduce the quality of students' thinking.  Given that students may lose interest in what they're learning as a result of grades, it makes sense that they're also apt to think less deeply."

The article goes on to say that "Wise educators realize that it doesn't matter how motivated students are; what matters is how students are motivated."  Meaning the real motivator for students to achieve high grades should lie within themselves based on what motivates them to achieve - the how.  There are countless ways to motivate people.  It is as individual as the student.  The article continues to say that "teachers who can give a child a better reason for studying don't need grades.  When the curriculum is engaging, when it involves hands-on, interactive learning activities students who aren't graded at all perform just as well as those who are graded."

"Helping students forget about grades is the single best advice for creating a learning-oriented classroom and getting students involved in devising the criteria for excellence."

This article had some valid points and gave some good suggestions for other ways to measure a student's performance such as "writing narratives, portfolios, having student led parent teacher conferences, exhibitions and providing other opportunities for students to show what they can do."

I understand what this article is trying to convey but I do not know if I totally agree with it either.  The traditional way of grading has its advantages too, but they were not even addressed in this article.  No matter what way is decided to assess a student's progress there will always be pro's and con's. There is no perfect way except to try and get a good overall view of how the student is performing, which includes test scores, projects, presentations, as well as the ability to interact socially with the teacher and other students.

Thanks for reading.  I always enjoy hearing your thoughts on these topics as well.

Sheila 

Kohn, Alfie.  From Degrading to De-Grading.  Retrieved from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/fdtd-g.htm