GRADES GET RID OF THEM!

Essay by Surfrchix1312High School, 11th gradeA+, January 2005

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As our country moves into the twenty-first century it must closely evaluate its current system of doing things. Where better to start looking than at its future, today's students? However, an evaluation of today's students would probably not net positive results. This is because of the general indifference and passiveness that many students display due to their fear of failure and fear of getting bad grades. A simple solution to this problem would be to abolish grades altogether and to reinstate the power of learning to gain knowledge and character, not to get a grade. However, it is not case of simply wanting to get rid of grades to find "the easy way out."Abolishing grades would work toward eliminating the apathy and lack of learning currently displayed by most students.

For a long time, achieving good grades and nothing more, has been the ultimate goal in a student's academic life.

This is a standard that was set centuries ago by "grown-ups" who needed a way of ranking students based solely on a letter or numbers. Individuality and creativity were pushed aside so colleges, universities, graduate schools and employers would be able to judge their candidates. Goodman made several strong points when he wondered why grades are thought to be the most accurate way to judge individuals and why schools must provide the testing and grades that are utilized by institutes of higher learning and also by potential employers? How can these institutions accurately judge someone based solely on a system that encourages memorization and underhanded tactics (such as cheating)instead of learning for the sake of benefiting oneself and one's future? That is why universities, graduate schools, and employers should devise their own methods of comprehensive testing to replace grades, that would more accurately show an individual's abilities, strengths, and...