http://www.kamaliacademy.com/no-letter-grades-in-black-homeschooling/
By: Emma Viens February 6, 2018 // 12:20 PM
St Mark’s current grading policy inaccurately represents our learning. In the majority of our courses we are being assessed based off of our performance on tests and quizzes rather than what we actually know. This excessive amount of emphasis that is being placed upon our exams is detrimental to our academic success due to the inconsistency between classes and various other factors that are outside of our control. Our grades should reflect our genuine knowledge of a given topic, and although in theory assessments should do that, in all actuality this is not the case: “We lose too many talented and intelligent people by defining intelligence through tests that are wholly inadequate and constricting” (Tait). The grading policy here at St Mark’s is in dire need of a reconstruction.
To ensure fairness, maintaining consistency between courses is crucial. A disputable issue among students here is whether or not it is fair for some teachers to offer extra credit and test corrections while others do not. Teachers allowing students to turn in extra credit in order to increase their grades gives these select few an enormous advantage over those who are not able to benefit from these same policies. Grades from a class that does not offer test corrections will be statistically lower, while the classes that do, in theory, should be significantly higher. This is deceptive because in this situation, the student that finishes with the higher grade may not have actually performed better on the test, resulting in inflated grades for the class that is allowed corrections. Test corrections enable students to see which specific areas need work, and serve as an excellent way for one to learn from their previous mistakes. The classes without the option to complete corrections are also missing out on the whole learning aspect behind them and all the benefits to our learning that they provide.
Equal preparation and the allotted time given to complete our exams are other factors of testing that must remain consistent. Much like the time given in preparation of an exam, the set time to actually complete one also must not deviate. All classes should have an equal amount of time to complete their exams. Clearly one class having additional time for testing is inequitable. Students who are able to benefit from extra time can take longer on problems and can likely even go back and check their work. Alternatively, students who are not able to benefit from extra time will be far more rushed, and most likely unable to go back and double check that everything is correct. With the freedom to move at a slower pace as well as being able to revise their work, the students granted this extra time should perform considerably better than those who are not, yet again resulting in inflated grades for the students convenienced by these inconsistencies.
Obviously, exams are going to remain a part of school, as they should. It would be unrealistic to expect all tests and quizzes, in say a math course, to be removed. Realistically, how else can you assess one’s knowledge in a class structured in a manner as is math. I am not suggesting exams should be eradicated from classes completely, merely that if this is the way we are going to be evaluated, measures are being taken to guarantee that every student has an equal chance of reaching success. Assessments are already constrictive enough without any further inconsistencies, and these additional flukes diminish their reliability that much more. Although it sounds nonsensical, a solution to these problems across the board is to simply get rid of grades. As it is, “grades don’t provide adequate information. If the purpose of grades is to convey a student’s accomplishment, adequacy, excellence, compliance, effort and/or gain in learning, then they fail” (Blum). Grades as a whole, are just as inconsistent and unreliable as exams. Teachers grade in all sorts of fashions. Some emphasize homework and class participation while others rely solely upon tests and quizzes. In addition to having their own unique teaching styles, varying teachers also have vastly different standards and expectations for their students. Some teachers are known for being more lenient graders while others are notorious for how difficult they can be. Although we can ensure more consistency and fairness on exams, these little inconsistencies between classes are what make all the difference in the long term. They make it impossible to develop a system that is entirely accurate and reflective of one’s legitimate understanding of a given topic. The only way we can achieve this is by getting rid of grades as much as possible. If St. Mark’s were to be rid of its traditional grading system and the standard point breakdown over a window of time, and instead had teachers evaluate their students at the end of a quarter using their discretion, grades would overall be far more accurate and indicative of one’s genuine knowledge and understanding. Eliminating grades is also an ideal way to shift student’s fixations on grades and change the overall mindset of doing what pleases the professor and instead promoting students to do their work for them. If students start coming to school for themselves and are driven by their desire to learn rather than their desire to get good grades the overall dynamic of school would transform drastically.
Teachers understanding that all minds work differently is imperative. Some individuals excel on assessments, while “others just think differently to the straitjacket dictated by ‘one size fits all exams” (Tait). To put it simply, some people are just natural test takers. However, much more commonly we have got the people who really struggle on assessments. This could be because of stress, test anxiety, or even one of the inconsistencies mentioned above, and despite having, and consistently demonstrating a strong understanding of the material prior to the test, for whatever reason these people are just unable to show their knowledge on an exam. It is because of this we need to move away from the traditional, formal way of learning and adapt to a style complementary to students with minds working in divergent ways. Students would be more willing to take academic risks and would allow themselves to relax and focus on their learning and growth as a scholar.
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Works Cited
Blum, Susan D. “Ungrading.” The Significant Learning Benefits of Getting Rid of Grades
(Essay), Inside Higher ED, 14 Nov. 2017,
www.insidehighered.com/advice/2017/11/14/significant-learning-benefits-getting-rid-grades-essay#.WiHjRlBToXV.email.
Tait, Peter. “'Intelligence Cannot Be Defined by Exams'.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media
Group, 17 June 2015,
www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationopinion/11678216/Intelligence-cannot-be-defined-by-exams.html.
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