Hi Class,
I am all for eliminating grading students to find the best
way to educate. I was never a straight A student; in fact I figured out how to
get B’s and C’s and do the least amount of work possible. Alfie Kohn writes in
the article, “From Degrading to De-Grading” that grades reduce student’s
interest in learning, grading reduces student accomplishment levels, and that grades
reduce the quality of thinking in student work. The author goes on to say that grading a
student is a waste of time and it really does not measure what a person knows.
The idea is to eventually move away from traditional grades and have a more constructed
way of providing feedback. It will be more time consuming but if a student
understands what they did wrong or what they can do better next time then
performance levels will go up.
I would like to teach in an atmosphere where every child
listened to what they could do better next time and really make a better effort
and improve their skills. The goal is to teach “authentic assessment” which is not
abolishing grades but “eliminating the process of gathering information about student
t performance – and communicating that information to students and parents.
Rather, abolishing grades opens up possibilities that are far more meaningful
and constructive.” (Kohn, 1999) It seems like a great idea, as I sit here on my
couch thinking about how I’m going to change the future.
Thanks Alison
Hi Alison,
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like there are much more constructive and encouraging ways to assess students' performance than just with traditional letter grades. This is especially true of grade-schoolers who aren't yet competing for spots in prestigious colleges where quantitative grades are necessary for comparison. One hears frequently how little time teachers have both in and outside the classroom, so qualitative assessments are probably (unfortunately) very time-consuming for over-burdened teachers. If states/school districts prioritized it and eased teachers' burdens a bit help offset the additional time requirement, it seems like it would really promote a healthier & happier learning environment for the students.
Melissa