Grades at Student’s Intelligence and Performance Essay

Central Idea/Thesis Statement: The U.S. Department of Education should not use grades to define student’s intelligence and performance because

1. grading system depends on the judgment of a professional teacher, but not the learners,
2. the performance of a student relies on his/her focus on learning,
3. grading system varies in schools.

Introduction

1. (Attention Getter) “Most of the criticisms of grading you will hear today were laid out forcefully and eloquently between four to eight decades ago” (McDaniel et al. 360).
2. (Establish Controversy/Justify Topic) Grades have been used to measure the performance of learners for centuries, though its use has been under dispute.
   1. It is not the first time this debate of grading is popping up. The effects of grading learners are two-sided, meaning that it has pros and cons.
   2. Curriculum developers are divided over this matter.
      1. There are those who argue that it is the only available way of measuring the performance and intelligence.
      2. Others feel that teachers should exploit other means because some grades communicate the wrong information (Metallidou et al. 254).
   3. I form side with the group of curriculum developers who are against the use of grades.
3. (Credibility Statement) I respect the education system, but still disagree with the performance measurement by using grades.
   1. Throughout my education, I have been reading articles and magazines in order to find ways of improving my grades.
   2. I later on realized that I am intelligent, but my focus is not only centered on education.
      1. I am easily distracted from learning with other issues.
      2. My condition makes me advocate other means.
   3. Having experience on how to perform academically, I have been planning to visit schools and advise students on ways of passing.
4. (Preview/Thesis Statement) The U.S. Department of Education should not use grades to define the performance and intelligence of learners due to three reasons.
   1. First, grading system depends on the judgment of a professional teacher, but not the learner.
   2. Second, the performance of a student relies on his/her focus on learning.
   3. Finally, grading system varies in schools.

Transition: Now it is time to clarify why other means of measuring performance should be exploited.

Body

(First Constructive Argument) First, grading depends on the judgment of a professional teacher, but not on the learner.

1. 1. Metallidou and colleagues argue that grading is how the teacher evaluates learners.
      1. From the definition, it means the whole system of grading depends on the teachers’ discretion.
      2. According to McDaniel and colleagues, a teacher can issue good or bad grades depending on:
      3. His/her perception of the learners.
      4. His/her moods (Metallidou et al. 255).
   2. Grades influence learners’ motivation.
      1. “A zero on an assignment is a slap in the face, and it certainly does nothing to encourage learning” (Schweizer, Wüstenberg and Greiff 43).
      2. Having undergone through the same grading system, I know the pain learners are facing.
      3. It is painful to study well and then be given a low grade.
      4. My research shows that grades are prone to errors. Therefore, confidence in them should be reduced.
   3. Transition: The above discussion shows that grading depends on the judgment of teaching professional. Now we are going to look at other factors influencing the learners’ grades.

(Second Constructive Argument) Second, the idea of grading has been subjected to exploitation, yet the performance of students relies on their focus.

1. Currently, many magazines and TV commercials advertise ways of improving the grades. Schweitzer and colleagues, in their article advices the learners to perform the following:
   1. Assign more time to learning activities.
   2. Use books that are approved by the educational institution.
2. Most of these commercials coming up every day are after making money through selling of their ideas. (McDaniel et al. 361).
   1. Transition: Many learners are incorrectly guided on issues related to passing. The idea behind passing lies within the learner.

(Refutation) Finally, grading system varies in schools.

(Attack the Reasoning: False alternative) “Being a shallow measure, the grades only determine performance to a certain extent” (Schweizer et al. 43).

1. (Turn the Tables) Having a margin of error discredits the accuracy of grades.
2. (Differentiation) I do not recommend the use of grades since there are other better alternatives to this approach.
3. (Attack the Evidence: Biased) The magazines and TV adverts should not be allowed to give recommendations on how to improve the grades because the individuals behind them have no in-depth knowledge in education.
4. (Impact) Stating that grades define performance and intelligence will give learners a wrong direction, and this will not motivate the majority of learners.

Transition: From the discussion, it is now clear that grades do not define performance and intelligence. Other options should be exploited (Schweizer et al. 44).

Conclusion

1. (Restating/summary of main ideas) In conclusion, there are three reasons why grades do not define performance and intelligence:
   1. First, grading depends on the judgment of a professional teacher, but not the learner.
   2. Second, the performance of a student relies on his/her focus to learning.
   3. Finally, grading system varies in schools.
2. (Closing statement) The paper has shed light as to why grades should not be used to define both the performance and intelligence. This calls for application of other better alternatives.

Works Cited

McDaniel, Mark, Ruthann Thomas, Pooja Agarwal, Kathleen McDermott, and Henry Roediger. “Quizzing in Middle‐School Science: Successful Transfer Performance on Classroom Exams.” Applied Cognitive Psychology 27.3 (2013): 360-372. Print.

Metallidou, Panayiota, Eleni Konstantinopoulou, Magdalini Baxevani, Elena Nazlidou, and Krystallia Pantsiou. “Primary school students’ self-regulatory skills: Cognitive performance and school grades based on their performance on an initial intention change and self-regulation task.” Scientific Annals-School of Psychology 10.5 (2013): 252-275. Print.

Schweitzer, Fabian, Sascha Wüstenberg, and Samuel Greiff. “Validity of the MicroDYN approach: Complex problem solving predicts school grades beyond working memory capacity.” Learning and Individual Differences 24.2 (2013): 42-52. Print.