Oct 10: Entrance Slip

This week’s reading highlighted the complex impacts of grading and percentages on student learning and its implications for educators. As a student bird, I resonate with many of the article's points. During high school, my enthusiasm for learning often fluctuated based on my grades. A high score on a test would spark excitement for future topics, while a poor grade could leave me ashamed and discouraged. This experience reflects how grades can serve as a currency, influencing how students may perceive their worth as individuals. Furthermore, my motivation was closely tied to whether assignments were graded and their weight in the overall assessment. As the article notes, teachers often emphasize the importance of material based on its testability. This may lead students to prioritize learning that is directly tied to grades as I did. Consequently, this approach may diminish engagement with ungraded content. Additionally, it may reinforce possible student beliefs that grades are solely derived from summative assessments like quizzes and exams, increasing their test anxieties.

On the other side, my perspective as a teacher bird acknowledges the benefits of grading for measuring student understanding. Grades provide a tangible way to track progress and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching methods. However, this raises the question: how can we reshape the conversation around grades to encourage students to view them as reflections of their learning journeys? Perhaps implementing proficiency scales and offering more detailed feedback could foster a growth mindset. It is also crucial to communicate that grades result from a combination of formative and summative assessments, which might help alleviate students’ anxieties surrounding grading.