[dropcap]D[/dropcap]espite seeing a C on her Interim Progress Report (IPR), junior Caroline Stevens tries to look past the letter grade and notes that her intellectual growth throughout the year is far more valuable, although her grades may contradict the fact.
“In the classroom grades may define me, but overall as a student I don’t think they do. When I finish high school I’m going to remember what I was involved in more than my grades,” Stevens said. “Grades define the work I put in, and I guess that’s really what being a student is. There are so many other places to learn other than the classroom in high school.”
While receiving an IPR with straight As may please any student, the work they do behind the grade is oftentimes more rewarding. The discussion over whether grades define students encourages some to note that the learning they take away from a class is more valuable.
U.S. history teacher Kimberly Thielen-Metcalf believes school has turned into a system. One in which students are only engaging to receive points, rather than the equally important process of learning information.
“By the time students get to their sophomore year in high school, they have figured out how to play the game of school. I am tired of being gamed,” Metcalf said. “I am the one who knows what a student should know and be able to do. That is why I am the teacher. A student should not get to decide what they should and should not do to receive the grade they want.”
From a student’s perspective, however, the stress of living up to high academic standards often shapes the thinking of students like Stevens to realize that letter grades have a more significant impact on her future.
[quote]“Getting all As is what’s important because that’s what colleges and your parents see on report cards,” Stevens said. “Colleges don’t see the effort that goes in, only the outcome.” [/quote]The Prep Scholar, an online test preparation course has noted that when choosing applicants, colleges are looking for notable test scores and grade outcomes. For college applicants, the process is sure to be nerve wracking with hopes that their GPA is impressive enough.
Like Stevens, sophomore Pranav Patel thinks the educational world often pushes students to strive for high grades and perfect scores.
“Grades define if you are a capable student, and that’s what society classifies you as,” Patel said. “The reason I feel like grades matter a lot nowadays is because you need good grades to get into colleges.”
In Metcalf’s view, the percentages and grades that correlate with students don’t mean anything. But is is the connections to applications they can make with new material they learn.
“There are many students who leave school not knowing things because they figured out how to get enough points,” Metcalf said. “They do this to get the grade they need but not the knowledge. So their grade doesn’t really mean that they know what they should.”
Despite working to get every last point in class, Stevens realizes the purpose of an education, and it seems to be far more than a score that defines her potential.
“On the other hand, school is a place to learn, not get grades,” Stevens said. “The grades are what come as a reflection of your learning. To me, learning the material and actually understand it is important. But if you don’t actually learn, still get As and are accepted in your desired college, does it really matter?”
In a real life situation, in which most students strive to work for, Metcalf looks at students going into specific career paths and the significance of comprehending concepts.
“If one graduates with a degree in accounting, any firm who hires them expects that they can keep a balance sheet,” Metcalf said. “It doesn’t matter if they got an A in accounting, it matters if they know their stuff. Why should high school be any different?”
In former Bruin and current Truman State University freshman Emily Harl’s case, her high school reflections remain similar to Metcalf’s. Despite what colleges say they look for, learning aspects oversee grades in most cases.
“In high school, I was kind of in a situation where I wanted to learn, but I mostly worked hard to earn those good grades. Your GPA is an indication of your work ethic for future employers. This means you obviously need to be an engaged learner,” Harl said. “ If you have a good GPA, but don’t have the ability to translate anything you’ve learned, that GPA isn’t even rewarding. People prioritize grades over learning because they believe GPA is the one thing colleges look for. I was so worried about my GPA in high school, and now, looking back, it doesn’t even matter.”
Although Patel is two years from sending in his first college application, he believes a report card does not define a person’s talent though society may create this perception.
“Grades don’t define you as a person. There is so much more in life than just worrying about what letter grade you have,” Patel said. “Every brain scientist has proven that not a single brain is similar, this is why grades don’t define a student. Every individual has a talent and gift, and that talent can’t be defined by the grades you have. The school system is rigid because it is performance based and doesn’t acknowledge the different talents a student has.”
Do you think grades define you as a student? Let us know in the comments below.
“In the classroom grades may define me, but overall as a student I don’t think they do. When I finish high school I’m going to remember what I was involved in more than my grades,” Stevens said. “Grades define the work I put in, and I guess that’s really what being a student is. There are so many other places to learn other than the classroom in high school.”
While receiving an IPR with straight As may please any student, the work they do behind the grade is oftentimes more rewarding. The discussion over whether grades define students encourages some to note that the learning they take away from a class is more valuable.
U.S. history teacher Kimberly Thielen-Metcalf believes school has turned into a system. One in which students are only engaging to receive points, rather than the equally important process of learning information.
“By the time students get to their sophomore year in high school, they have figured out how to play the game of school. I am tired of being gamed,” Metcalf said. “I am the one who knows what a student should know and be able to do. That is why I am the teacher. A student should not get to decide what they should and should not do to receive the grade they want.”
From a student’s perspective, however, the stress of living up to high academic standards often shapes the thinking of students like Stevens to realize that letter grades have a more significant impact on her future.
[quote]“Getting all As is what’s important because that’s what colleges and your parents see on report cards,” Stevens said. “Colleges don’t see the effort that goes in, only the outcome.” [/quote]The Prep Scholar, an online test preparation course has noted that when choosing applicants, colleges are looking for notable test scores and grade outcomes. For college applicants, the process is sure to be nerve wracking with hopes that their GPA is impressive enough.
Like Stevens, sophomore Pranav Patel thinks the educational world often pushes students to strive for high grades and perfect scores.
“Grades define if you are a capable student, and that’s what society classifies you as,” Patel said. “The reason I feel like grades matter a lot nowadays is because you need good grades to get into colleges.”
In Metcalf’s view, the percentages and grades that correlate with students don’t mean anything. But is is the connections to applications they can make with new material they learn.
“There are many students who leave school not knowing things because they figured out how to get enough points,” Metcalf said. “They do this to get the grade they need but not the knowledge. So their grade doesn’t really mean that they know what they should.”
Despite working to get every last point in class, Stevens realizes the purpose of an education, and it seems to be far more than a score that defines her potential.
“On the other hand, school is a place to learn, not get grades,” Stevens said. “The grades are what come as a reflection of your learning. To me, learning the material and actually understand it is important. But if you don’t actually learn, still get As and are accepted in your desired college, does it really matter?”
In a real life situation, in which most students strive to work for, Metcalf looks at students going into specific career paths and the significance of comprehending concepts.
“If one graduates with a degree in accounting, any firm who hires them expects that they can keep a balance sheet,” Metcalf said. “It doesn’t matter if they got an A in accounting, it matters if they know their stuff. Why should high school be any different?”
In former Bruin and current Truman State University freshman Emily Harl’s case, her high school reflections remain similar to Metcalf’s. Despite what colleges say they look for, learning aspects oversee grades in most cases.
“In high school, I was kind of in a situation where I wanted to learn, but I mostly worked hard to earn those good grades. Your GPA is an indication of your work ethic for future employers. This means you obviously need to be an engaged learner,” Harl said. “ If you have a good GPA, but don’t have the ability to translate anything you’ve learned, that GPA isn’t even rewarding. People prioritize grades over learning because they believe GPA is the one thing colleges look for. I was so worried about my GPA in high school, and now, looking back, it doesn’t even matter.”
Although Patel is two years from sending in his first college application, he believes a report card does not define a person’s talent though society may create this perception.
“Grades don’t define you as a person. There is so much more in life than just worrying about what letter grade you have,” Patel said. “Every brain scientist has proven that not a single brain is similar, this is why grades don’t define a student. Every individual has a talent and gift, and that talent can’t be defined by the grades you have. The school system is rigid because it is performance based and doesn’t acknowledge the different talents a student has.”
Do you think grades define you as a student? Let us know in the comments below.
