Grade pressure harmful

We Americans have a curious way of dealing with problems. We throw money at symptoms, rather than addressing underlying causes. We do it in health care, crime, global warming or international conflicts (militarily).

Locally, there is a well-intentioned initiative to fund a program countering the high rate of high school dropouts. Could the problem be a systemic failure of our schools to meet the needs of students and society at large?

The criteria for success in school is grades. In “What Does It Mean to Be Well-Educated?” Alfie Kohn states: “The interests of the major players in our economic system are very different from seeing education as a means for strengthening democracy, for promoting social justice or simply for fostering the well being or development of students themselves. To most students, learning isn’t as important as the grade. Fear of failure reduces students’ desire to stretch their imagination or curiosity. Helping students forget about grades is the single most important advice to those who want to create a learning oriented classroom.”

Should it surprise us that students who repeatedly fail to “make the grade” lose interest, and drop out?

Buell Hollister

Spokane