Rethinking Schools: The Transformative Potential of Gradeless Education on Students

We all recall the emotions we experienced as students awaiting the results of a crucial exam. The greater our investment in preparation, the more intense our feelings. Sometimes, elation washed over us, validating our competencies; at other times, we were engulfed by disappointment and a sense of injustice.

The Role of School Grading

According to legislative intent, school grading fulfills three fundamental functions: informational, regulatory, and motivational. It seeks to answer the question, “To what extent has the student mastered the given material and skills?” Therefore, dismissing the importance of grades as “just a number” would be unjust. Every Polish school is mandated to develop an internal grading system, and every subject teacher is required to do so within their discipline. These documents should include detailed grading principles based on the so-called core curriculum.

Unfortunately, creating a document that fully supplements and clarifies grades, essentially reducing them to a number, is challenging. Moreover, one must consider the student’s ability to comprehend such records. Thus, it seems that grades do not fully (or perhaps even effectively) serve their informational function. Ideally, each student would learn about their mistakes and understand what they need to study to meet the knowledge level they aspire to.

The concept of “learning for grades” has been so extensively discussed that repeating common opinions seems unnecessary. Suffice to say, motivating through grades is a shortsighted and possibly harmful approach. It does not help students understand that we learn for ourselves, for our future, and not for a high GPA on a diploma. So does mastering the entire core curriculum truly help in life?

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Qualifications vs. Competencies

The ideal employee possesses both the necessary qualifications and competencies required for a given position. Professions such as doctors or lawyers require completing specialized studies. However, not every job is legally regulated; thus, qualification confirmation is merely a document and does not always coincide with competencies. Simply put, knowledge is one thing, and skills and the application of knowledge in practice are another.

The Polish education system is often criticized for its insufficient emphasis on practical skills, and various professions are taught by academics who do not practice them. This is how our higher education system is structured. To work in academia, one is often compelled, against their preferences, to engage in research. Conversely, to have the opportunity for research work, doctoral students are somewhat forced to teach students (and some academic staff openly admit to detesting this).

Sometimes, employers find that a self-taught mechanic performs much better than an engineer with a diploma. This may be because those who achieve a certain level of knowledge on a topic through practice must demonstrate significant enthusiasm and passion for their work. Meanwhile, someone who has aspired to a future profession and has been trained in that field at a university for years must wade through a ton of often unnecessary theory, which later finds no practical application. Thus, both motivation and the opportunity to develop other competencies decrease, as it becomes challenging to find time for everything.

Grading and Discrimination

The early education period is a critical time when children acquire fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the world. Unquestionably, learning to read, write, and count is essential. However, this stage also shapes a young person’s sense of self-worth. Fortunately, in the earliest grades of elementary school, annual evaluations are descriptive. Large class sizes and an overly extensive curriculum make it challenging to provide students with timely constructive feedback in understandable language throughout the school year. Teachers adopt various methods, including stamps, stickers, or other graphic forms. Yet, this is still insufficient for a child to understand what they should do and why it is important.

The existence of numerical grades and averages, which are their natural consequence, simplifies school operations. It makes it easier to distinguish those who perform better than others. But is it fair and ethical to hold students with diverse talents and limitations to the same standards? Can we, using strict mathematical analysis, unequivocally classify students as “good” and “bad”? What if grades were eliminated?

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A Thought Experiment

The most intriguing aspect of thought experiments is that, depending on the perspective, they yield various, equally valuable results. Imagine a school devoid of any evaluative elements.

Teachers often lament that the tests they correct (often with a red pen) are not reviewed in any meaningful way. Students glance at the corner of the page, see a “5” or a “2” and move on. Difficult questions are discussed later, but that unit is already completed, so why bother revisiting it? Perhaps the absence of a grade would necessitate a moment to review individual answers, to identify which were correct and which were not.

Young people, in the process of forming their identities, often judge themselves by comparing their achievements to those of their peers. Seeing a mathematical representation of their performance makes it easy to categorize themselves among students with better or worse outcomes. This identification can lead to self-assessment: “I’m weak,” “I’m worthless.” Unfortunately, this sense of self-worth is often exacerbated by parents with their expectations, who condition their relationship with their child through the prism of school performance. It is also not uncommon for teachers, often unconsciously, to treat those with lacking results less favorably.

Alternatives to Grades

There have been numerous proposals for replacing traditional school grading, yet a lack of conviction regarding the efficacy of any option prevents widespread adoption. Moreover, moving away from a system deeply ingrained in the consciousness of all stakeholders in education provokes fear, resistance, and doubts.

The percentage system, experimentally introduced in some Polish high schools, aims to eliminate the labels associated with specific grades, such as “very good,” “good,” etc. Results expressed as “70%” or “45%” carry fewer value judgments while still conveying the extent of material mastery, perhaps even in a more precise manner.

Conversely, brief descriptions of students’ strengths and weaknesses are utilized, for instance, in psychological-educational counseling centers. This approach seeks to avoid empathy-lacking and unequivocally negative assessments of student difficulties, which are often the reasons behind seeking specialist consultations.

Both solutions offer numerous advantages, though they are not without flaws. However, any change is meaningless if the culmination of each educational stage is an exam – alarmingly, predominantly in test form – that scarcely accommodates the intellectual diversity of students.

Let’s Continue the Conversation, but Changes Are Needed Now

We could spend much time searching for the optimal solution, debating the balance of gains and losses, and estimating the costs of yet another reform. Meanwhile, changes can and should be implemented now. It suffices to allow ourselves a bit more understanding and empathy towards children and students. The role of a teacher is a highly responsible one, requiring continual learning and the honing of intra- and interpersonal skills. It is heartening that many young teachers are developing in this area, recognizing that today’s schools are tasked not only with teaching but also with nurturing.

Educating a child in the 21st century means meeting them halfway and often grappling with their numerous challenges and limitations.

Translation: Klaudia Tarasiewicz

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