Your professor is teaching a sociology class. Write a post responding to the professor's question.
In your response, you should:
- Express and support your opinion.
- Contribute to the discussion in your own words.
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor: In class today, we’re going to talk about grading students. Before you come to class, I want you to think about whether grades are beneficial. On the one hand, they provide a way to measure students’ progress. On the other hand, some argue that grades are too focused on performance and don’t provide an accurate picture of a student’s overall academic abilities. If you had to choose, would you say that students should be given grades or not? Why?
Lila: I think that students should not be given grades. Grades create a needlessly competitive environment and can make students feel valued only for their academic performance. When students feel that grades are the most important thing, they get discouraged. Instead of assigning specific grades, teachers should provide personal feedback that helps students understand what they need to improve and how to do so. I think that approach leads to more academic success.
Jake: I believe that grades are the only way for students to understand how well they are doing and the only way to motivate them to work harder. Without grades, there would be no way to measure their progress or to identify areas where they need to improve. Moreover, grades prepare students for the real world, where they will be judged based on their performance. The only way for adults to advance in their careers is to consistently perform well, and grading children prepares them for that.