Questions to Consider about the Value of Grades:

Is student/family satisfaction your first concern? 


Are students/families the customers at your school, whose happiness is your top priority? 


Do high grades to motivate them and build self esteem? 


Do grades allow for growth? 


Should grades start low and grow higher to convince them that they are earning their final high marks.

Is public assessment your first concern? 


Are you trying to give grades thatl tell future teachers exactly how well the students perform? 


Are you teaching a course for future public servants, safety engineers, or doctors, a filtering course to guarantee a qualified workforce? 


Should your grades clearly separate those who are qualified from those who are not?


Perhaps you should not give "middle-of-the-road" grades, if it might confuse the potential employer.


What is the real difference between B, B+ and A-?


Are you giving multiple grades, or a single one?


What sources of info do you use to assign grades?


Is anecdotal info allowed?


Are grades earned or deserved? 


Are the best grades "calculated" coldly or compassionately conceived?


If there is such a thing as "differentiated instruction", is there also "differentiated grading"?


Do chronically "failing" students ever get out of the "bad grade rut"? What precipitates that?


Do consistently strong students ever get graded down? Is their work examined closely enough?








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