The possibility of schools not giving grades out makes many parents uneasy.
Those of us who grew up in the ’70s and ’80s are used to bringing home report cards with big As, Bs, Cs, Ds and ominous Fs written inside.
Our efforts were graded along with, maybe, a few comments from the teacher.
This is what we’re used to, but are letter grades essential? Do students and their parents really need them?
A lot of school districts are questioning this and School District 48 might want to find out.
A pilot project is being discussed for Grades 4 to 9, ideally with two classes at each school in Squamish, where students would not receive letter grades from March to June.
The idea will be discussed further in the new year.
Following the lead of other school districts in B.C., School District 48 did an earlier pilot project a few years ago, giving our teachers experience with the idea.
And, for the most part, the teachers liked abandoning traditional letter grades, saying constructive feedback helps students think critically and work collaboratively.
This change, though, won’t be easy for the classes involved.
There is something reassuring about seeing an exact measure of achievement that letter grades give.
And, we’re so used to them; it’s ingrained in our society. Plus, colleges and universities still give letter grades so shouldn’t students get used to them?
These are questions that teachers in Squamish are asking themselves.
The plan for the pilot project, if it goes through, is for the new system to help parents and students better discuss strengths and weaknesses, and where assistance is needed. Better feedback is the end goal.
A safeguard is in place, though, for concerned parents who don’t agree. They can still request traditional letter grades from the school.
The next couple years will determine how Squamish families manage the change.
Likely, some parents will be upset at first, but then we will embrace the changes because constructive feedback is more meaningful. We just need to open our minds.
It still feels odd, though, to know students won’t have that proud feeling of earning an A in their best subject and achieving a B through hard work – or the relief of not failing.
