How Important Are Grades?

Do Grades really matter? It is a tough question to answer. I would like to reassure that there is no reason to panic about the grades. But I also know that it will be a tough sell. Let us examine why it is not a straightforward answer.

The existing system of assessment for learning entails the standardized tests. Therefore, the overall school performance in the United States depends on how many students know how to fill out the 'bubbles'. The actual level of knowledge does not get evaluated the way it should. Instead of tapping into the knowledge base, the tests focus on 'key words' and superficial information. In fact, the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) program cuts back the funding for the schools if the students do not meet the standardized examination requirements. In order for the schools to maintain the funding, they have to ensure that students are acquiring the test preparatory skills. As long as they can deliver that minimum level of performance, they are guaranteed to get good grades and all parties will remain happy. Such test result translates into commending for the policies set up by the government, improves the school's funding and rating, and on a personal level it is rewarding for the student. A good transcript ensures admission to a better school or program. However, the hidden truth is that we are restricting their quest for knowledge. We are teaching them that it is okay to not know what won't be included in the exam.

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The implication of the current education system can be twofold; short-term and long-term. I have already described how the short-term goal takes priority. While we are busy praising ourselves with these achievements, the long-term and more desirable results sit on the back burner. There is no way for us to keep track of these high performing students to find out how many of these "A" graders actually make it big in real life. How many of them are pursuing higher degrees later in life? I guess, nobody really knows.

Again, ideally grades should not matter. But in reality, it does; at least, for the time being. The current system contradicts the whole idea of teaching. It aims at mastering the skills of test taking only and not ensuring depth of knowledge. Moreover, the teachers are forced to spend most of their time in feeding the students with the information required for the tests. How can the system be proper without a comprehensive mode of learning and subsequent evaluation? To make it worse, we say that grades do not matter because ultimately it is about how knowledgeable you are and how morally good you are. Well, you get to that conclusion only when you get a chance to prove yourself. If you get eliminated now based on the grading system, how will that moment in the future be realized?

It is time for us to wake up and reform the education system. It is not surprising to see our students lagging behind in the competition when it comes to higher education and professional studies. The immigrants or foreign students undoubtedly get the upper-hand because they undergo more rigorous educational methods. It is not that our students cannot do it. They are denied that benefit. For us to be able to produce well-educated, well-rounded future citizens, we need to restructure the current education system. It is up to us to make conscious efforts to bring about the changes. Only then we can do justice to our children. We cannot say on one hand that the grades do not matter, and, on the other hand, punish them for not getting good grades. When we can ensure that no matter what the outcome is on paper, our students are coming out knowledgeable with good moral characters, and the students are also given the guarantee that in fact, true knowledge does get rewarded, only then can we say that grades actually do not matter.