DOES GRADING DETERMINE A CHILD’S INTELLIGENCE?

For decades, grading systems have been the means through which schools relate students’ study skills to their respective parent. But does this really determine a child’s intelligence? Students have been subjected to rote-learning – ‘cramming’ rather than demonstrating the understanding of concepts.

The grading system has been deeply institutionalized leaving students with a reason to go to any length so as to achieve a high grade to make their parents proud.

Teachers, on the other hand, are being compelled to “grade” a student in whatever way they can. Some parents tend to put the blame on the teachers rather than ask their child what went wrong if the subject failed was difficult or they just couldn’t absorb whatever was taught.

A child shouldn’t be forced into believing that grades are all that matters in life as this is not a major prerequisite for success. As much as we want to believe that, this is FALSE. Parents should put in an effort equal to the teachers in building up a child’s knowledge with various educational activities. Parents should also engage in the child’s school work as much as possible. Parents play a better role in encouraging their wards to read and understand their subjects rather than cramming and looking to get a high score without any evidence of being able to defend their grades outside of the school premises.

We ought to look beyond the grades and consider how much knowledge has been impacted – how much the child has actually been able to retain through understanding rather than through rote-learning.

Dear parent, rather than being mad at your kid(s) or their teacher for a bad grade, when next results are reported, it will be good to ask your kids how much they understand their subjects or where they excel more or what their favorite teaching/learning method is.