The movement against grades and homework

Grades and homework have been criticized by some experts for several reasons. One argument is that they can create unnecessary stress and pressure for children, negatively impacting their mental health and well-being. Additionally, grades and homework can foster a culture of competition and comparison, rather than collaboration and learning.

Alfie Kohn, author of "The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing," argues that homework can be detrimental to children's motivation and interest in learning. He also claims that homework does not lead to meaningful improvements in academic performance. Similarly, in his book "The Case Against Grades," author and education researcher Mark Barnes argues that grades are a poor indicator of student learning and can create a fixed mindset that hinders growth and development.

Another author, Daniel T. Willingham, a cognitive psychologist at the University of Virginia, in his book "Why Don’t Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom" he states that grades and homework are harmful because they distract students from the actual process of learning. When students are focused on getting a good grade or completing a set amount of homework, they may not be paying attention to the material itself, which is essential for true understanding and retention of the information.

Several school districts and individual teachers have begun moving away from traditional grading practices in recent years. For example, the Montessori schools in the US and Canada have always been non-graded and follows a child-centered approach.

In 2015, the school district in Albany, New York, adopted a "Standards-Based Grading" system in which students are evaluated based on their mastery of specific learning objectives, rather than receiving a traditional letter grade. Similarly, the Minneapolis Public Schools district in Minnesota has implemented a "Competency-Based Education" model in which students advance through the curriculum at their own pace and are evaluated on their understanding of the material, rather than receiving a grade.

Additionally, there is a growing movement among teachers on social media using the hashtag #ungrading to share their experiences and ideas for alternative grading methods. These teachers are experimenting with different approaches, such as providing written feedback rather than grades, using self-assessment tools, and adopting a "growth mindset" approach to evaluation. They also use methods such as peer evaluation and self-reflection to help students understand their own progress, instead of a traditional numeric grade.

At our school, Acton Academy Columbus, we don't use traditional grades. Instead, we provide learners with a badge plan that helps them create a path of learning. This gives them agency over their education and allows them to take ownership of their learning. We also hold journey meetings with learners and parents to discuss each learner's growth, progress, and areas of improvement. In these meetings, learners present evidence of their learning and reflect on their progress. In addition, parents are able to see what their young heroes are learning through regular exhibitions, which are opportunities for learners to share their work with the community. This approach allows for a more personalized, student-centered approach to learning, and helps to foster a culture of growth and development rather than competition and comparison.

Note: This post was written with the assistance of ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI.

At our school, we are finding ways to harness the potential of ChatGPT for our learners. Instead of fearing innovation, we want to use it for the benefit of our students, by providing them with accurate information, helping them to develop critical thinking skills and providing them with more personalized learning.