To Grade or Not To Grade, That is the Question

To Grade or not to Grade, 

That is the Question

To Grade or not to Grade can be a tough topic, especially for students who work hard and like to be responsible for their efforts.  These students usually like the praise and recognition, in the form of grades, they receive and appreciate where they stand in their learning.  For some students, removing the motivational good grade, can take away the want to do well.  But reversing the situation for students who don't care about the grade, engaging learning and focusing on the context without the pressure of being judged for their efforts.  

I have a little experience with my daughters grade during their elementary school days.  The school district did not give standard grades or homework for grades k-5.  It was more of an option of 'Consistently, Most of the time, Some of the time, Not Yet or NA'.  As a parent, I struggled with this concept.  I had no idea on what my children struggled with or what they were learning till the quarter ended.  With no homework or graded work, I had to just have faith that my child was on the right path to healthy learning practices.  

As a teacher who may want to try this method, it is important to confer with the district before implementing. Grade-less learning requires deep commitment, planning preparation, and communication with everyone involved (student & parents).  Data was collected through three main collections; portfolios, self-assessments & reflection, and conferencing.  

Motivating students to complete tasks, build intrinsic motivation, I believe would be difficult for some students if there is no accountability.  

This is a concept that I feel I would first need to experience the reaction with grades before I can fully comprehend the pros of no-grades.  There are ideas that I agree with, such as evaluating and assessing through discussions, participation, and effort and not only relying on tests/quizzes.  There is more to understanding student success then quizzes/assignments, it's the progression that students make that needs to be recognized as well.  

Resources

Teachers Throwing Out Grades Facebook group   

Teaching without Grades