Grades are the single most efficient way for teachers to communicate academic progress to students and their families. Aside from frequent, detailed feedback (which students should be getting, too!) grades are the only way to relay this information regularly, and in a standardized way. Without grades, students would be more or less in the dark about how they are performing in their various subjects, and on the various skills they learn in those subjects. Whether we’re talking about report card or test grades, these numbers and letters give the clearest picture of academic achievement. They help with placement in subsequent classes, college admission, and sometimes even job applications later down the road.
Clearly, grades serve many useful purposes. Here are some things they don’t measure: a student’s level of creativity, grit, or compassion; a student’s sense of their place in society; or anything about a student’s character. Grades don’t even really measure intelligence or capability. They measure a student’s ability to demonstrate some combination of knowledge and skill, both important components of the larger picture, and to reach certain executive function thresholds. But they by no means capture that larger picture by themselves.
How concerned with grades should students be?
This goes without saying: students should always be trying their best. But one student’s “best” might be another student’s “so-so.” While colleges definitely take grades into account in their decision-making, the way they view these markers can be complicated. For example, they would rather see a student who took a risk by trying honors classes and got a B+, than see straight As in all intro courses. Not all grades are viewed through the same lens. Students should be more focused on pushing themselves, taking academic risks, asking questions, and seeking to improve than on their report card.
How do I lessen my child’s anxiety about their grades?
Starting sometime in Middle School, many students begin to develop stress around their scores. This is more likely if you as the parent tend to put pressure on achieving high grades, whether consciously or subconsciously. Don’t be too hard on yourself; this is extremely common! But if this does describe you, now is the time to change your perspective. Instead of focusing on the grades your child brings home, try to focus on what they mean. Is a score lower than you’d hoped? Talk to your child about what exactly they are struggling with, and help them develop some strategies for addressing that challenge. If you’re happy with their grade, find out what they did right. Don’t praise the grade itself, but the hard work that your child put in to get it. Your discussion should be about the process, not the product.
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