Grading - A Barrier to Learning

“Grading hinders teaching and creates a bad spirit, going as far as cheating and plagiarizing” - This line taken from Paul Goodman’s essay ‘A Proposal to Abolish Grading’ may seem insanely absurd to most, while others might just agree to the message being conveyed by this statement. Being a student myself, I couldn’t agree more with this particular statement along with the entire essay where Goodman clearly explicates the adverse effects that accompany the grading system and how the average student is made to compete against one another, often compelling one to feel rejected and like a failure. We often tend to forget that the purpose of education is not merely for the grades, but more importantly to attain knowledge. Goodman suggests an alternative method where teachers and students should discuss each student’s progress individually, helping one to ascertain his/her own competence rather than comparing the potency of students. Hence, students would be able to apprehend their performance in school without the curse of grades hanging above their heads. I consider this to be an excellent proposal which should be considered favorably by our intellectuals and professors for it will undoubtedly be benefiting for our students and may lead to a better society overall.

A child is introduced to the grading system at the beginning of school life. It may not seem quite as harsh during the early school years, but by the time a child reaches middle school grading tends to act more like a burden rather than a blessing that encourages a child to study and do better. With more distractions and forms of entertainment in this 21st century, the primary concern should be to try and keep children focused and interested in studies, not to repel them. A student who may not have prepared for a certain test, but is nevertheless capable, is usually terrified of receiving a bad grade and hence the only way out is cheating. Not only are we depriving our students from gaining knowledge in a neutral atmosphere, we are, ironically, teaching them the methods of misdemeanor during tests as they are left with no other options. Most parents in our dormant consevative society prefer to be distant from their children. Their perception of getting respect from their children is to behave a manner that would make their children scared of them. Parents, like teachers often judge their children on the grades they obtain. This plays a major role in demoralizing a child, as the child would simply seek for a good grade regardless of the methods undertaken in obtaining it. Such situations also leave pupils frustrated and lead to a lack of self confidence and determination. The concept of gaining knowledge seems have become obsolete.

The worst effect of grading however can be experienced in college. The sudden pressure of studies, part-time jobs, hectic schedules, combined with the desperate desire for getting a decent grade, leaves a student devastated. I am in my second year in college and I can assure that getting a good grade in college is anything but easy. There have been numerous occasions where I had to cheat just to ensure that I didnt end up with a bad grade. Today learning comes only second to grading, for a decent grade can assure a respectable job and the core motive for spending nearly one-third of a person’s life in education, is to get a decent job. The biggest challenge that students today are facing after graduation is at the work place. One might not be completely capable despite the grades obtained in college (which maybe due to cheating and plagiarizing). As this scenario is beginning to become a widespread, it is palpably a drawback for the society at large, not to mention economic growth for a nation.

The harsh reality is that people have been so reliable on grades for so long, that to many, studies appear to be worthless without grades. Steps should be taken to make people comprehend the need for an alternative, as suggested by Goodman and it should be now. Each individual has their own uniqueness and consequently separate talents at which they can excel. Would it not be better to nurture those talents and help one to prosper at what a person is already good at, rather than comparing one to the other in a meaningless manner? It is only then, that the majority of our working population may find pleasure in their work and we could help create a more harmonious and prosperous future for our students.