mark my words

I’m trying my darnedest at school not to be sucked in by grading systems. Marks are wrong. The system by which we are graded is extremely flawed. I’m not saying I know a better way. I do not. I simply see what we have currently as flawed.

It’s not conducive to the process of learning at all. Not to mention how the competitive nature of the ranking process often discourages creative collaboration.

In one of the classes a girl was asking a series of questions to see if her approach to the a problem was correct. Her last question was, “But I won’t get a zero will I?”. This highlights the problem with marks. Students are tailoring the way they think and approach problems so that they achieve the highest grades. This, as opposed to thinking about ways to best solve the problem.

In fact, students will often only do assignments because they will be graded on them. Marks become a reason for getting students to do things or else they wouldn’t be interested in doing anything. The grading systems we have are poor substitutes for proper teaching techniques. Grading schemes allow teachers to be lazy in the way they structure the “learning” process. They don’t have to make lessons involving or interesting. They simply need to attach a value by way of marks.

Clearly the system is broken.

More on this later.

3 thoughts on “mark my words”

  1. =)

    that’s a very good observation, faiqa.

    and i will definitely get into more detail on that. (on how the schooling system contributes towards producing graduates in asskissing and how that carries on into the work force and life in general).

    it goes on to become (among other things) a question of values and how one measures success.

  2. Hmmm. I think the problem you’re describing contributes greatly towards why those who do things due to principle are far outnumbered by those who do them for personal gain or accolades. Unfortunately. (Do I get an A for my comment? No? At least a B plus for attendance? 😉 )

  3. =)

    that’s a very good observation, faiqa.

    and i will definitely get into more detail on that. (on how the schooling system contributes towards producing graduates in asskissing and how that carries on into the work force and life in general).

    it goes on to become (among other things) a question of values and how one measures success.

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