After talking with the administrators on Monday and the class on Wednesday I still do not understand what the big deal is with getting rid of grades. I see where the research challenges the idea behind grades and sees it as a punishment but I think grades still play an important role in schools. The research says that teaching for self motivation instead of for getting a good grade will help improve test scores and that in turn this will help with NCLB. This is the part where I get lost because I don't see how high school kids working for their own self satisfaction is better than for a grade. I think a more effective way to go about it would be to find a way to motivate them through the grades, not that this would be easy but I think we're jumping at a radical idea if we say we should just get rid of grades all around because they're nothing but a big punishment.
I'm not saying that this is a terrible idea I'm just not totally convinced yet. I understand that part of teaching is being open to new things/tactics similar to this and that teachers need to e flexible but I would just like to see this researched a bit more before I walk around backing it up.
Philosophy of Education
13 years ago
1 comment:
I definitely agree with Sam on this one! I don't understand how getting rid of grades is going to motivate students more. From what I experienced with grades, it is what motivates me to study and learn and do well in class. If I didn't have grades then I would just let everything fall by the wayside because it wouldn't really matter. You can't just expect kids to want to learn a subject on their own. If a student doesn't like math then they aren't going to try very hard in Calculus if they don't have to. But with a grade they have to at least pass the class so they will be motivated by what grade they have to do more work and do better in class. Like Sam, I'm not completely sold on the idea of eliminating grades.
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