A Student's View: Perspectives on a Gradeless Grading and Growth-Centered Feedback Classroom

Theresa: Thank you for agreeing to chat with me today! For the sake of our readers, I'll start by introducing you! You are, are you not, an 8th grader in my English class this year?

‍Sofia: Yes, I am.‍

Theresa: Ha, ha, basics first! You seemed to have really enjoyed this model of feedback-based gradeless assessment in English class, and you are one of the first students to engage me with the pedagogy behind our classroom practice. I was astonished, quite frankly, when you approached me and told me you read so much of my writing and pieces on Gradeless Grading on the Human Restoration Project Writing page. I can see that you are passionate about this topic too!Maybe we should backtrack and have you tell me about yourself- how did you get interested in this topic about feedback, growth, and gradeless grading?‍

Sofia: It all started when I entered seventh grade, and I had a teacher who was around 50 percent gradeless. We would write a piece, receive feedback on it, revise our work and receive a grade. To be honest, at the beginning of that year I didn't think that this method of grading would work. Wouldn't students just use this system to get perfect scores on all of their assignments? I soon learned that a feedback-centered system of grading actually enriched my learning compared to a system where only letter and number grades are given. I continued to become more involved with the gradeless grading system in eighth grade, now that your classroom is almost completely gradeless.‍

Theresa: I hear you! I think many people start their gradeless experience with some misconceptions and assumptions. I'm really curious to hear about what your experience of grades and grading was before 7th grade. I'm also interested in hearing about what kind of learner you see yourself as! Maybe tell me both: think back about yourself as a learner - when did you get excited about learning? And, when you did get excited, what did you do?

Sofia: I think I was always eager to learn in general, but I wasn't as interested in every aspect of school classroom learning. This isn't to say that I was a bad student- I turned in all my work on time, followed directions, and did well in school.‍Theresa: We educators call that compliant - and I'm sorry to interrupt!‍

Sofia: I didn't know that there was a term for that- but the word complaint definitely matches the situation I felt I was in. I was comfortable with reading a story, choosing a claim, and defending it with two quotes from the story, but I always felt that I wanted to do more.In elementary school, in order to move up a reading level, you would take a test that consisted of reading a short story or excerpt from a book at a more challenging level, and answering questions about it. When I was in fifth grade, a few of my friends and I actually found a book from the reading evaluation, and finished it. Being so curious about the ending of the story, we needed to know what happened next! I think everyone has something that they're curious about, or interested in, and being able to explore that in a school setting is what really made me excited about in-school learning.‍

I think the continuous, severe emphasis on grades pressures students to focus solely on the end result, and leads them to abandon their own curiosity. If school is just becoming some constant competition to earn a higher number, and actual learning is lost, I don't think school is really serving its purpose.

Theresa: So, the learning itself drove you to look for more?‍

Sofia: Yes, Socrates; that is evident.‍

Theresa: Sorry, go on…‍

Sofia: I think I would describe myself as a self-motivated, self-guided learner. Once given access to the internet, I would go down these rabbit holes. It started off with perfecting circular ice cubes, and led to more philosophical topics. However, I didn't consider these explorative journeys "school learning." As for grades when I was younger, I definitely was not nearly as grade-focused as I am now. Throughout the early years of elementary school, my school made an extreme effort to show that we came to school to learn and have fun, not to receive grades. From there, school slowly became more grade-focused, and as a result, so did I. I definitely believe that our school environment forces students to care more about grades than they did when they were in elementary school. The bar of expectations just keeps getting higher. The level of competition at our school only adds to this "high-performing school effect." There is this constant pressure to do well, not only for yourself, but also for other students. I am constantly surrounded by kids who are doing extremely well, and complaining that they don't have straight A+'s. Eventually, this will rub off on you. 

‍In elementary school, I was okay with getting a B+ on a math test, knowing that math is not a subject at which I excel. After a few months of middle school, I realized my perspective had changed. First, anything in the B range was considered "not doing well," then it was getting an A-, and it got to a point where I became extremely disappointed if an A+ dropped to an A. If a teacher offered two extra credit points on a 40-point test, and I wanted to do well, I told myself that now the test is technically out of 42 points, and I would get disappointed if I only got a 40/40. Oftentimes, I am able to stop myself from enforcing this mindset, and I say "Wait, what am I doing here?" I can get so wrapped up in grades that I completely forget about learning.‍

Theresa: Your story is so relatable, and it's something I have heard often over my years teaching, especially teaching in such a high-performing school district. As you know, I am a mom of three kids - one who is now in college, a junior in high school, and a freshman. Not too much older than you are. I hear much of the same things from my own kids - frustration with performance, upset about losing two points here, four points there, getting upset that they are graded on group work when someone isn't pulling their weight. All of these moments are part of why I decided to drop grading, and now as someone who runs a department, I encourage other teachers to give it a try.‍I feel, Sofia, that I'm hearing you say that you feel like your attention shifted from learning to performance. Is that accurate on my part? I know for certain that my own children in high school are asked to perform about 4–5 times a week in school with tests and quizzes. They're industrious and conscientious students, so I see the toll this takes on them, and I see that learning - and curiosity as you pointed out - takes a back seat.‍

Sofia: I absolutely agree with your statement on attention shifting from learning to performance. I especially notice this in subjects like math- while doing my math homework I have never had the thought "Completing this assignment will certainly reinforce and develop skills that will last me a lifetime." I think "You have to understand the material here so that you can do well on the next test."‍

Theresa: I can relate to this idea too - I feel like you are making the rare move of pausing and reflecting on what works for you. What have been your "aha" moments this year as you're into your second year of feedback-centered assessment? Has anything changed in the way you approach your work, your reading, your writing, or your thinking?‍

Sofia: One of my main "aha" moments was towards the beginning of the school year. We were reading a short story and having a class discussion about what one aspect of the story represented. I was so sure that a certain detail meant one thing, but I soon realized that it meant another. However, instead of being severely disappointed in myself, I went home, reread the story, read articles about the story, and realized why my answer was incorrect. If I had simply written an analysis of the story, and received a "bad grade" on it, I wouldn't know what I had done wrong, and I definitely would not have gone on my curiosity-fueled research journey. I have watched myself become less nervous to pitch an idea to the class that I'm not sure about, or write in a way I haven't before. As for reading, I find myself reaching for more challenging books to read in class, knowing that I am able to be wrong, and not hate myself for it.‍

Theresa: Wow. This is a really telling anecdote. In your response, I see you thinking about academic issues, but I also see the emotional element of your story. Your experience without grades comes with less anxiety, and you are finding faith in your own thinking. I think many people imagine that removing traditional grades would encourage students to be less engaged, but your story here describes how you actually turned to your curious nature and explored. In my mind, isn't that what learning really is all about? Ok, Sofia, if we are going to wrap up here, I am wondering what you would hope teachers or school administrators take with them as they reflect on our conversation. What would you say to them?‍

Sofia: I think the continuous, severe emphasis on grades pressures students to focus solely on the end result, and leads them to abandon their own curiosity. If school is just becoming some constant competition to earn a higher number, and actual learning is lost, I don't think school is really serving its purpose. If I were to talk to a teacher who is interested in gradeless grading, but doesn't know where to start, I might say that straying from traditional grading systems doesn't have to mean going completely gradeless. I would also say that teachers shouldn't feel that they have to grade everything. I've actually noticed myself doing much better on tests in subjects such as science, after getting a 43 percent on a practice quiz that didn't count toward our total grade. Giving just a sentence or two of feedback along with a number and letter grade can change a student's outlook on the education system and school as a whole.

‍‍Theresa: Sofia! What a pleasure to sit and talk with you today. Thank you so much for sharing yourself with me and the readers! I know your perspectives will most certainly impact educators as they reflect on their own practices. I also have a feeling readers will be hearing more from you as you continue to learn, explore, and grow.