All parents are concerned with their children’s grades. It is a common goal to aid your children in their pursuit for straight A’s and a high ranking in class. But does having good grades really matter?
Research has shown that the grading system in education has actually inhibited learning in children. When children go to school, they worry about getting good grades. This is a great thing, but it can also be a bad thing. A lot of students tend to take easier classes in order to get a higher grade to increase their overall grade and rank. This prohibits them from reaching their intellectual potential by taking easier classes instead of challenging their intelligence with more difficult classes.
The grading system also inhibits children’s learning because they are so worried about getting the best grades possible; they tend to study the material with the intent of getting a good grade, rather than actually learning the material. Material that is tested is soon forgotten by students afterword; they are more concerned with studying the next unit or chapter of material in order to get a good grade.
Grading can also be very biased. Depending on what kind of teacher the children have, one student can get an A, while another student with a different teacher, but the same amount of work, can get a B. This is sometimes unavoidable, but evidence that grades aren’t necessarily important in the grand scheme of any child’s education and development for the future.