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Reducing Grades to Boost Student Success

Denise Pope, senior lecturer at Stanford University and cofounder of Challenge Success

Denise Pope, senior lecturer at Stanford University and cofounder of Challenge Success, recalls her days as an English teacher, spending hours writing meticulous comments on student papers, only to have them ignored.

“The first thing kids would do is go to the back of the paper, look at the grade, and never read my comments,” Pope says.

A 2021 study confirms this phenomenon, finding that students are more likely to ignore teacher feedback when grades are provided first.

Advocates for traditional A-F or percentage grading argue that grades provide a simple measure of academic achievement and facilitate communication between institutions.

However, research suggests that grades may not accurately reflect learning and can harm student motivation.

Here are nine reasons to reconsider traditional grading practices:

1. Less Feedback is Better Feedback

Researchers found that excessive feedback is often ignored or misunderstood. Focus on targeted, high-impact feedback.

2. Fewer Grades Mean Less Stress

Reducing grading obligations can alleviate teacher stress and promote student well-being.

3. Grading Obligations Reduce Teacher Creativity and Innovation

Grading consumes significant teacher time, limiting opportunities for innovative lesson planning and collaboration.

4. Grades are Inherently Unstable Indicators

Research shows that grades often fail to align with standardized test scores and are susceptible to bias.

5. Grading Conveys an Artificial Sense of Completion

Delaying grades can encourage students to reflect on their progress and improve.

6. Grading Reduces Opportunities for Student Practice

Emphasizing practice over grading fosters mastery and develops essential skills.

7. Grades are Less Motivating Than You Might Think

Research suggests that grades don’t motivate average or struggling students.

8. Peer Grading Helps

Student-led grading promotes better academic performance, metacognitive skills, and self-reflection.

9. More Types of Data are Better

Diverse assessment strategies provide a more accurate picture of student progress.

By reevaluating grading practices, educators can promote student learning, well-being, and success.

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