Aimen Batool

Why Grades Can Be Harmful to Learning Jan Hunt, the founder of 'The Natural Child,' mentioned in her essay that a school in her town provided families with the option to either keep their children's grades confidential, share only with parents, or completely opt out of receiving grades The school didn’t want to share grades with the students. An editorial in that town criticized this approach, arguing that it's excessive protectiveness, shielding children from reality. In response, Jan Hunt pointed out that grades don't truly reflect children's capabilities. "Every teaching situation involves the school, the teacher, the student, the student's parents,” says, Hunt, “and the student's personal situation, among many other factors; it is unfair and unrealistic to present low grades as a measure of the child's actions alone. Schools try to have it both ways, by taking credit when things are going well, and blaming the child, or the child's parents, when they are not." Here is why grades are problematic: Alfie Kohn, a renowned researcher and author of The Case Against Grade founded, "Grades tend to reduce students' interest in the learning itself. One of the most well-researched findings in the field of motivational psychology is that the more people are rewarded for doing something, the more they tend to lose interest in whatever they had to do to get the reward (Kohn, 1993)." In his famous essay, the case against the Grades, Kohn mentioned the harmful effects of grades on students. Here are some of the key ideas: 1) Grades can diminish students' interest in learning. When students are focused on getting good grades, they may be less interested in the actual material they are learning. This is because they are more concerned with getting the right answer than with understanding the topic. 2) Grades can create a preference for the easiest possible task. Students who are focused on grades may be more likely to choose the easiest possible task, even if it is not the most challenging or rewarding. This is because they want to minimize the risk of getting a bad grade. 3) Grades can reduce the quality of students' thinking. When students are focused on grades, they may be less likely to think critically about the material they are learning. They may be more likely to skim for the "right" answer or to focus on memorizing facts, rather than understanding the concepts. 4) Grades can be associated with increased levels of cheating. Students who are focused on grades may be more likely to cheat to get good grades. This is because they are feeling pressure to succeed and they may believe that cheating is the only way to do so. 5) Grades can promote a fear of failure. Students who are focused on grades may develop a fear of failure. This can lead to anxiety and stress, which can interfere with learning. Many people who've attended traditional schools can relate to these thoughts. They certainly ring true for me. I've been there – I've cheated on exams to avoid bad grades and feeling embarrassed. I always leaned towards easier subjects to ensure good grades. Mistakes scared me, and I linked my self-worth to how I performed academically. I've experienced all of these, but I never thought they were 'weird' or problems until I started researching educational options for my own son. These ideas are an eye-opener for me. I'll make sure my kids don't have to deal with these ways of measuring how smart they are. And you shouldn't too. -- Every week, I send a newsletter where I share interviews with homeschooling and alternative learning families, non-conventional ideas and curated resources on childhood education. Follow @aimenbatool if you are curious about the future of learning and homeschooling.

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