Author: Lena Sins
EN Version
You are More than the Number on your Report Card
But our education system often acts as if numbers can determine our intelligence, our potential and our future. Those who get good grades fit into the school system and others are labelled as unadaptable.
Grades seem fair, after all, the same exams and assessment criteria apply to everyone. But this is where the problem lies. Every pupil is different. There are students who can memorise school material quickly and others who can think logically and critically. But there are also pupils who find it difficult to solve factual problems or interpret poetry. Nevertheless, everyone is judged according to the same criteria.
Grades are not the best measure of real learning. Education researcher John Hattie found that self-assessment of one’s own learning has one of the greatest influences on learning success. However, this is precisely where grades fail, as they do not provide any opportunity for reflection, but only deliver a rigid assessment.
According to Hattie, direct feedback also has a high impact. However, a grade alone does not tell you why something was wrong or how you can improve. Constructive feedback is much more important than a number.
Another problem: grades often promote superficial memorisation instead of real understanding. Hattie’s research shows that deep thinking and critical questioning are much more effective than simply repeating facts. Yet our school system often rewards exactly the opposite.
Last but not least, there is the social aspect: co-operative learning increases learning success. However, if pupils only work for individual grades, this creates competitive pressure rather than team spirit. A better assessment method should therefore also take collaboration and social skills into account.
I wanted to know how pupils feel about school grades and whether they could imagine being assessed without grades. Out of 33 students surveyed, 12 per cent were in favour, 21 per cent said no and 67 per cent were not sure. I think this result shows that there are still students who are not satisfied with the current grading system or who see room for improvement.
The other survey results showed that grades play an important role for many students, but can also create considerable pressure. The average rating for the importance of grades to a student’s future is 7.61 (scale 1 (not important) to 10 (extremely important)), indicating that many students see grades as critical to their career opportunities. However, some rate their relevance lower, which indicates that grades are not the only success factor for everyone.
The assessment of the stress caused by grades is interesting: With an average rating of 8.79, many state that they feel under a lot of pressure. It is particularly striking that 19 people gave the highest stress rating, 10. This shows that the grading system is a major psychological burden for many.
Opinion seems to be divided on the subject of grades as an indicator of knowledge. Some agree that grades reflect actual knowledge, while others are more sceptical.
Grades may reflect part of your academic performance, but they don’t define who you are or what you can do. There are so many factors, such as perseverance, social intelligence and creativity, that cannot be measured. Don’t let a grade make you feel insecure, it doesn’t determine your worth or your potential. You are more than what is written on your certificate.
Cover image by: Tri Le from Pixabay
Edited by: Richard Mayer
