Are Grades Any Good?

Throughout our class today we discussed grades, and how grades aren't the most important thing in a class. If you are learning and trying your best then the grade shouldn't decide your future.

Every parent wants to boast that his or her child is “a straight A student,” “at the top of her class,” or “on the honor roll.” What generally determines this? Grades of course. Report cards are the first means of measuring a child’s progress through school. Doing “well” in school is measured by a series of letters on a piece of paper: A is great, B is ok, C not so great, and D or F? You’re grounded! Some parents reward children for good grades adding additional value to each letter. 

Are those letters that meaningful?

Studies have shown that there are three main effects of giving students grades First, their interest in the learning the material is lost. Second, they come to prefer easier tasks. Not because they’re lazy, but because they’re rational, and are focused on the grade and not weather they like the material or not. After all, if the point is to get an A, your odds are better if you avoid taking risks. Third, students tend to think in a more grade oriented, and forget what they learn when grades are involved. Students who are lucky enough to be in classes where they don’t get letter or number grades are more likely to want to continue learning the material, more likely to want to challenge themselves, and more likely to think deeply.

In our class: An American Studies I'm not sure how the grades work yet, but from what we have had so far our teachers unlike many others at our school (New Trier) are not focused and concerned about our grades. The two teachers are interested in us learning the material and wanting to See, Think, and Wonder about everything that we talk about. 

I believe that having a class like this is an advantage because at New Trier every student is always worrying about their grade and other people’s grades. No one really cares about what they are learning anymore all we care about are the letters on the pieces of paper. And being at a high school that is so competitive and very grade oriented it is hard to enjoy what you are learning. It is safe to say already that I have learned more in this class so far then possibly all of my other classed combined. 

Why have grades? Do they help or hurt the students?

Please let me know what you See, Think, and Wonder...