STUDENT VOICES: Does the grading system

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(The grading system) is based on a specific type of person and how they work because some people don’t work well with strict deadlines. If you’re having a down day, you’re screwed over by the grading system.”

Alison House, senior

DESIGN BY Alicia Mainjeni Sarah Kluckhon

A lot of the time I’ll be doing really good in a class and I’m putting in a lot of effort, but maybe I have a bad day and I mess up my test. That can drop my grade by a lot.”

Jonah Schmieg, senior

“In places where there are clearly defined rubrics and standards for what grades mean, I think we’ll see more consistency.”

How grading affects student motivation

According to a study done by REL Northwest, test scores can morph into a reflection of students’ attitude, motivation and focus, which are influenced by the grades they feel they are defined by — a positive feedback loop. However, this presents challenges when the grades do not accurately represent a student or their work.

Osei said that grading is authentic feedback that has the potential to be either effective or ineffective at helping students succeed.

“Having a robust system to provide students feedback on their work is really important to school success,” Osei said. “I am being very intentional about the word ‘feedback,’ because certainly, that is what grades are. However, I don’t think all grades are necessarily effective feedback. There are going to be disparities because you have different people using their own understanding and making a determination around the value of somebody else’s work.”

According to junior Mae Turman, the grades she receives affect her motivation toward schoolwork.

“When I get a good grade, I am excited about what I am learning, and when I get a bad grade, I am more disappointed in myself,” Turman said. “However, it does encourage me, because if I get a bad grade, I am motivated to study more and try to get a better one.”

Earle said, that although grades are effective and motivating for getting work done by a deadline, they make students only focus on the letter they receive — not their own learning needs.

“Grades make school less about learning and more about memorizing facts,” Earle said. “Knowing I will get graded on course material helps me learn it faster, but puts stress on learning it in a course-set time frame. If grades were not a thing, I would be able to focus more on classroom discussions. I would be able to take my time to learn new things.”

Source: The Education Trust Infographic By Alicia Mainjeni, Sarah Kluckhon

Do students do work to pass/get an A, or learn the material?

24 students — to learn the materials