Grades

The education is one of the most important pillars of the society. If we want to have better generations this has to be the golden rule. Knowing that it´s easy to understand the controversy that follows every discussion of this issue. Being so important, we have to be cautious and meticulous with every step we make in the path of improvement. Inside education, the grades are one of the basic ways to follow the development of the students’ intellectual capacity. As important as it may sound, I think that we are using that helpful tool in a wrong way, and the picture gets worst if we talk about the primary school. Grades are not the only way, not even the best way, to classify the value of a child.

First of all I´d like to highlight the unfair and arbitrary way in which the grades are obtained. Tests and quizzes don´t reflect the true capability of someone, as they are done in a certain moment and about certain parts of the general knowledge. I perfectly know that there isn´t a true fair way to measure someone’s´ abilities. But I think that during primary school, teachers should watch the general attitude, knowledge and abilities of children and, after that, try to channel him depending on the observation made.

Secondly, it seems that the predisposition of children towards learning and education in general is not perfectly defined in the primary school. The kids learn some general knowledge and basic ideas that can´t be really measured in a static way. Therefore, trying to put some numbers to rate them is an effort in vain. Nevertheless, parents have the right to know where do their kids fail and succeed in order to help and encourage them. But, again, at that age children aren´t going to take advantage of those grades.

As a conclusion, there isn´t a perfect way to rate or keep track of a student in the primary school. Grades can be a useful tool but they can´t go alone. We have to have a more open mind and try to see the big picture. A number can´t be the correct way to rate a child and define his capabilities. In order to achieve a substantial improvement in these areas teachers have to be more in touch with their students and see them as a complex human being with different shapes and aptitudes.