Our Grading Monster

Last night I sleepily heard a late night re-run of an WNYC mid-day interview program (which included Queens College's Andrew Hacker) bemoaning the fact that the U.S. is falling far behind in producing the research scientists and mathematicians necessary to fuel our economy, let alone keep up with our global competitors, particularly China and India. One of the commentators observed that our American compulsion to get good grades may be keeping many a talented student from taking the risk of a math or science course in which an 'A' could not be assured.

This would accord with what I assume we are all seeing as one of the basic anxieties of our students -- getting good grades. I recall, myself, knowingly taking a few courses that I knew would probably result in lower grades precisely because the subject matter would be valuable and/or interesting.

Ish! What is our current educational system obsessed with grading doing to our students!!!? I tell my students about Sarah Lawrence College where students were not given grades, only comments on their work, and, thus, did not classify themselves as 'C' students and Oxford where one only took a two week examination at the _end_ of one's three years of college studies. The day-in, day-out harassment with grades looks to be seriously defeating the purposes of higher education, i.e. producing people well educated as individuals and, thereby, a maximally productive and well adjusted society!

Call it what it is -- we have created a grading monster that is sabotaging American education! Certainly there must be a direct connection here with the widespread cheating thing.
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Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
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