My Thinking About Grades

I am not too fond of grades--they have come to distort the true emphasis of education: learning and developing the ability to learn. That being said, I do find that grades serve a social purpose: they are a mechanism for me to communicate with the rest of society what I believe you have learned and what your capabilities are.

Reflecting on my beliefs and past experiences, here are attributes that I have found in students to whom I have assigned particular grades.

Behaviors of students who have earned a A

  1. Understands all material encountered in the normal course of the class.
  2. Regularly synthesizes new ideas (new to the individual) and correctly evaluates their effectiveness.
  3. Evaluates own work and typically knows which solutions are correct and which are incorrect.
  4. Shows up for class every day.
  5. Consistently works on homework from when it is assigned until it is completed.
  6. Completes all work regardless of whether it is graded.
  7. Asks questions of me after realizing their thinking is in a rut.
  8. Reads material in the text *before* discussion in class.
  9. Works some material that was not assigned.
  10. Shows initiative in extending material covered in class.
  11. Capable of suggesting alternative solutions to problems.
  12. Turns in homework that is stapled neatly without ragged edges, essentially demonstrating a level of pride in the accomplishment.
  13. Regularly does one's own cognitive work and independently tries to develop a deeper understanding before looking for support in doing so.

Behaviors of students who have earned a B

  1. Understands all material encountered in the normal course of the class.
  2. Occasionally synthesizes new ideas (new to the individual).
  3. Rarely evaluates their effectiveness.
  4. Shows up for class most of the time (misses 2 days per month).
  5. Begins homework early, but then lets it slide until one or two days before it is due.
  6. Completes all work that is assigned to be graded.
  7. Stops by my office for assistance.
  8. Recognizes solutions to problems that are clearly correct.
  9. Regularly does one's own cognitive work and looks for support in order to develop deeper understanding.

Behaviors of students who have earned a C

  1. Understands most material encountered in the normal course of the class.
  2. Rarely synthesizes new ideas (new to the individual).
  3. Does not evaluate the effectiveness of solutions.
  4. Misses class 3 or more times per month.
  5. Begins working on homework one or two days before it is due, and, thus,
  6. Turns in partially completed homework.
  7. Rarely asks me for help.
  8. Cannot tell if a solution to a problem is correct.
  9. Does not understand the importance of doing one's own cognitive work.