The Grading System Is Bad
The Grading System is Bad by Kok Hiew Lam of AL2
Students who get A’s, couldn’t apply the knowledge and yet, 'on paper' still look more educated than the student who earned failing grades and even if the student could apply the knowledge. Generally speaking, grades do not accurately indicate how much a student has learned in a class. Assessments too should be based on real world application of the knowledge and skills, rather than how well students can memorize information and answer questions on a test. Ways to demonstrate knowledge gained is by grades. On paper this seems to be an awesome idea to be able to put an exact symbol to demonstrate a student's development. But does the grading system help our students? No, as there are several reasons why the grading system should be eliminated.
The grading system does very little now, but creates competition, stress, and loss of innocence. This is because when students are graded, students tend to compare among their friends. Weak students get depressed when being reprimanded by their teachers. On the other hand, stronger students are at constant pressure to strive even harder although they are no longer capable, just to impress those around them. Students are also a victim by parents whom often forget that all children have the different capabilities, they push their children off the limits thus causes children to be stressed out just to meet their parent’s requirements. When students are stress, their self esteem is low. When this happens, it does NOT encourage the student to work hard but causes them to give up instead! Think twice, should the education authorities really enforce competition among children?
In addition, the grading system does not encourage students to study for the pursuit of knowledge. By nature, most of us are curious and inquisitive. In school, we are educated out of that curiosity because the
Students who get A’s, couldn’t apply the knowledge and yet, 'on paper' still look more educated than the student who earned failing grades and even if the student could apply the knowledge. Generally speaking, grades do not accurately indicate how much a student has learned in a class. Assessments too should be based on real world application of the knowledge and skills, rather than how well students can memorize information and answer questions on a test. Ways to demonstrate knowledge gained is by grades. On paper this seems to be an awesome idea to be able to put an exact symbol to demonstrate a student's development. But does the grading system help our students? No, as there are several reasons why the grading system should be eliminated.
The grading system does very little now, but creates competition, stress, and loss of innocence. This is because when students are graded, students tend to compare among their friends. Weak students get depressed when being reprimanded by their teachers. On the other hand, stronger students are at constant pressure to strive even harder although they are no longer capable, just to impress those around them. Students are also a victim by parents whom often forget that all children have the different capabilities, they push their children off the limits thus causes children to be stressed out just to meet their parent’s requirements. When students are stress, their self esteem is low. When this happens, it does NOT encourage the student to work hard but causes them to give up instead! Think twice, should the education authorities really enforce competition among children?
In addition, the grading system does not encourage students to study for the pursuit of knowledge. By nature, most of us are curious and inquisitive. In school, we are educated out of that curiosity because the