Summary
a memory about grades that i have would be about my first college experience is that for the first time i had to actually study for a test because the test was about 70% of my grade and i basically felt the pressure of what its like to literally want to simply complete the grade so that i can pass not caring about the class but simply wanting to pass it, being scared of failure. I only care about grades to the extent of being able to pass the class but once I'm done then i don't care about it because i have no need for it. Grades are like having a job you simply do what is needed so that you can get the things that you want at the end of it all. Grades don't really impact me because as you can see already i have already failed but it impacts me on how i feel to a certain extent just not as much as before, we all know that if we something that's in the red or a low number we thing that it is bad and even if in the long run it wont matter we care about it now and it makes one look bad. Grading does not motivate me to learn at all its something that motivates me to cheat since at the end of the day when pressured to win and doing it the right way does not work why not try something different. When it comes to Grades it causes me to focus more on the numbers then if im truly learning anything since when you see numbers you think numbers only. Learning no longer becomes a requirement it is just getting the good grades and being done with all of it. I would say that teachers are at fault for abusing grades into there way of teaching instead of being passionate with the students they have more passion on simply getting the job done and being done not actually positively impacting the students, now i as a student that wants to learn , i cant speak for those that don't , i want to learn and so i know i have not done my part but if you cant show me that you as a teacher care about what i am learning but you show me that your bored of your own job and your own subject it simply pushes me as a wanting to learn student away. I can not simply imagine a world without Grading since its all i know, i personally think that the problem is not grading but the people that do the grading because before my time when schools first come out the teachers were actually good and the students were able to become influencial people in the world thanks to those teachers, even now ,though few, on youtube ive seen some awesome professors on teaching pyshics and philosphy and how they give physical representation of how the math works and how they explain the thoughts of the philospher into such a deep meaning, these are simple examples of good proffessors that actually care about ingniting a passion in these students for the subject they are passionate in i believe this is the job of every teacher. Grades are a responsibility for us as students even though we can do great without it but at the same time people say we can do great without money but its simply a way that we work the problem is how its being used and how most of the burden is being placed on us as students with teachers that have no care about the students thinking that the students have free time 24 hours in a day then the students fail and of course it is the students fault.
When I think back to my first college experience, one memory really stands out – the stress of a big test that counted for a whopping 70% of my grade. It was the first time I felt the need to study hard, not because I loved the subject, but just to pass and avoid failing. After that test, my interest in the class kind of faded away. It was like having a job where you just do what’s needed to get to the end goal. Grades became a way to finish the job, a necessary but not-so-exciting part of the college journey. Even though I don’t worry too much about grades now, seeing a low number on a test still makes me feel like I messed up, even if it doesn’t really matter in the long run. It’s like a quick judgment that affects how I see myself.
Grades don’t make me excited to learn. Instead, they sometimes make me think about doing something not-so-great, like cheating. When the usual hard work doesn’t seem to be working, it’s tempting to try a different way to succeed. Sadly, grades make me focus more on the numbers than on actually learning something. They turn education into a game of getting good grades instead of understanding what’s being taught. I think part of the problem is how teachers use grades. Some teachers seem more interested in finishing the job than in inspiring students to love learning. It’s hard for someone like me, who really wants to learn, when the teacher seems bored with their own job.
While I can’t imagine a world without grades, I believe the issue isn’t with grades themselves but with how they’re used. In the past, great teachers helped students become important people. Today, I see a few awesome teachers on YouTube who are passionate about what they teach. That gives me hope for better days in education. Grades are something students like me have to deal with, just like money. But it’s a problem when teachers put too much pressure on us without understanding that we don’t have free time all day. A change is needed, where teachers help us discover the joy of learning instead of stressing us out. In a world filled with grades, I wish for teachers who inspire us to love learning, not just to get good grades.
Angela Dunne
John, your brought in some really interesting points here. I appreciate how you share your interest in learning and how you fulfill that on your own (through researching various topic via YouTube). The fact of the matter is, with today’s technology, students can easily learn on their own- and if a student doesn’t need a teacher to learn, what is the value of a teacher? I agree with you that a teacher should help invigorate a student’s interest in learning generally or in certain topics specifically. Also, teachers (hopefully) have the practiced ability to approach a certain topic from a particular perspective.
I really appreciate how you relay your particular memory about grading and how it took the value out of the work you were doing and made you feel alienated or disconnected. And I obviously think you’re right- a change is needed!
I love your use of tags on this post btw.