Grades...and how does that make you feel?

In order to assess the purpose and practice of grades the following five interviews were conducted:

Co-op teacher: According to my Co-op teacher grades are used as a visual aid to show students how well they do in class. Inevitably grades are used to motivate the students to complete their assignments and earn points. The students in Ms. Duning's class have a hard time turning in assignments. Therefore Ms. Duning has established a system for late work: the second day late only half the points can be earned, then any day after only 1 point can be earned. But the student must turn in every assignment in order to pass the class. "If a student does not turn in an assignment the student will fail the class." The students must turn in every assignment because students need to learn to be responsible and know that they are expected to do the work required to pass this class. 

College student: According to a college student, Hannah, who is studying Biology and Environmental Science, grades are pointless. Hannah recently took an exam and the material on the exam was very different from the study guide. As a student Hannah was frustrated because multiple hours were spent studying on one exam, and the exam was not even challenging. Hannah felt as though she wasted time studying the material for that specific exam. In this case Hannah was upset with the professor for making the exam easy and would have preferred to have spent that time studying preparing for another class. This was especially frustrating because the test felt pointless. "If the test is pointless, then so is the grade."

Parent/guardian: According to my father grades are very important. "Grades are like a credit score, it opens doors for you and follows you everywhere." Grades don't actually follow you everywhere, but they do play a big role determining acceptance and funding when you apply to college, graduate school, medical school, etc. Grades also open doors for students. If a student has a 4.0 GPA the student is immediately recognized with respect and identified as a competent and honorable person. However if a student has a "D" on their transcript the student shows the field in which they struggle. Now visualize asking the bank for a loan, and it will be approved based upon credit score. If you always pay your bill you have a great credit score which shows the bank that you are a responsible person. If you have a few hiccups because you missed the deadline a few times, then the bank may not think so highly of you and will not give you the full loan. Your credit score gives a bank member insight whether or not you as a client will be able to return the money you borrowed back to the bank. Now visualize applying to graduate school, based upon GPA. If you have the 4.0, the graduate school will want you because you show a dedication to your studies. If you have a "D" on your transcript you may have to explain the reasoning and prove yourself to the graduate school that you are dedicated to your studies before immediate acceptance is given.

Residence Life Supervisor: According to my supervisor, grades are an indicator of how well a student can multi-task. This includes, organizational skills, motivation, involvement, well-rounded spectrum, etc. If a student is applying for a Resident Assistant position it is very important that the applicant has a firm GPA. Grades are very important because they are a good indicator in where a student struggles, how did they push through the struggle, was the student motivated to fix their grade, will the applicant look for different resources to help his/her residents? All of these questions lead to a bigger picture, how will this applicant provide for his/her residents? The student who has a low GPA will not be hired because one needs to prove they can take care of themselves before helping others. The student who has a firm, but borderline, GPA may be hired but will do the bare minimum to interact and help residents. The student who has a high GPA will be hired with the expectation that when such student is presented with a problem the student will have the critical thinking skills and the motivation necessary to help others.

College Physics Professor: According to my college physics professor, grades motivate students to do their best. Professor Ugur taught at the University of Iowa until last year when he started his first year teaching at Coe. Ugur was shocked that the student's at Coe were not as competitive or involved as his previous students. He explained that most students would come in before lecture and work all the chapter problems in the classroom. Professor Ugur was shocked that the students at Coe were not more aggressive. He was especially shocked when some students said they wanted to go to medical school because it's even more competitive. To introduce a competitive atmosphere, Ugur explained, "in order to receive the highest grade in class you need to be compete with your fellow classmates because your exam grades will be based upon a curve. Ugur believes in the bell curve because even if he made a bad test, our grades would still fall in three places: average, above or below. Top 20% of students would receive an A in his class, the bottom 20% of students would receive a D and the rest of the grades would be distributed between the students in between that range. 

After interviewing these five people I have come to understand multiple perspectives and explain core values of grading. "Teaching Responsibility," from my co-op, I understand that grading can be used as a way to help students understand responsibility. Such as requiring students to make the deadline in order to earn all of their points. However the stress of the deadline may encourage cheating/copying/not the best student's work. "Trust," from Hannah's perspective, the student was frustrated because the exam lacked a challenge. By not making the exam challenging the professor lost the trust of the student. Because now the student is confused whether or not to study as hard for the next exam. "Collateral," from my father's perspective, grades are imperative because they can be used as collateral for admission to college, graduate school, medical school, etc. "Work Ethic," from my supervisor, a GPA can indicate a lot about a person's work ethic and motivation. The applicant with a higher GPA will be given the job because the student exemplifies a higher potential to multi-task. "Competition," from my physics professor, I understand that grades have more value when students compete for them. Having the highest grade would have the highest value. Regardless of the dynamics between the interviewees, these interviews exemplified the value and stress of grades in every classroom.