Dear Editor:
Advocates for “no letter grade” report cards in our schools are again trying to push their agenda. This is nothing new. It’s been happening all over B.C. for years. But parents don’t like it, many teachers don’t like it, and children who are determined to achieve a higher education don’t like it.
I hope that Burnaby does not jump on this bandwagon. I do understand and agree with the objectives of a no-grade system.
Fear of failure distracts and may even saddle students with lifelong “test anxiety.” Anticipation of success distracts and may also cripple students: everyone remembers at least one “geek” with perfect grades and no friends from primary, middle or high school.
But fear of failure and recognition of success propel people to be the best they can be at whatever they do in our society and economy. Trying to shelter children from this real-world reality of competition with peers while in our school system does them no favours.
Traditional grade reporting has other shortcomings. It can promote teaching to standard tests rather than teaching individual students or recognizing diverse learning styles. But it has been used for many years in many countries. Its flaws are known and its negative results can be discounted for specific students as needed. It works well to communicate relative achievement to students, parents, educators, employers and even government.
We should keep the current grading system in Burnaby. Replacing letter grading outright will only further blur the connection between post-school reality – of competition, success and failure – and Burnaby school classrooms. I am sorry for the parents who see their children in other districts be the guinea pigs for this ongoing social experiment!
