There's no way that we could grade ourselves that wouldn't have problems. The most common complaint of underachievers in school is "Dude, the teacher hates me. Lol, YOLO." Yeah, well, I hate you too. Unless tomorrow someone invents a grading system that somehow makes everyone want to try their hardest, no new system is really going to help. The percentage solution is fine, because with standards, we have a bigger target to aim for, and the overachievers will start to accept advanced proficient 85% instead of always going for the A. The problem is with the student, not the teacher. Now we get made fun of for trying too hard. Laugh now, just remember, I like extra pickles on my Big Mac. The percentages work fine to tell me how I'm doing. We can't blame the grading systems or the teachers for our failures as students. After year after year of students, each year caring less about their grades, it's no wonder that they have no interest in engaging every single one of us.
I think the environment at home and school affect the grades the most in our society. We are hostile towards people with higher intelligence, and most parents simply don't care that their son or daughter got a C. Because C is average, right? Caverage?
I personally think that the percentage grading is fine. It gives the most accurate measure of grading, and there's no need to change it.
Abhishek, I really appreciate your perspective on this. I understand what you're saying about home and school environment affecting grades and student achievement. I think it comes down to motivation. Do you personally feel intrinsically or extrinsically motivated? How involved are your parents in your grades? What do you think needs to happen to "make everyone try their hardest?"
ReplyDeleteI feel very intrinsically motivated because I got an early start at school, I always was used to having it easy in school, and being the best. I'm kind of a perfectionist. But a lazy one. Which is the worst kind. My parents aren't very involved in my grades, but they are concerned with my academic achievement. They care about me trying as hard as I can more than the actual outcome. I think the only thing that would make everyone try their hardest is some kind of weird George Orwell 1984 torture that would make people think that they cared, despite the fact that they didn't.
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