I DIDN’T ASSIGN GRADES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Assigning grades during middle school seemed unnecessary to me for two reasons. First, middle school grades are not considered in college admissions. Second, the subjectivity and inherent bias of homeschool grades made the exercise seem futile for the value we’d get out of them.
WHO SETS GRADING STANDARDS?
Students can be graded against criteria set by teachers, schools, or curricula developers. Of the three sources, which one prevails? Can grades be determined using a combination of all three?
If we trust curricula, we need to ask if the creators have evaluated their materials and tests using hundreds of students in a controlled setting to determine an average. If so, is the average a “C” or a “B” or other? Controlled studies would be the only way to find out, but how do we, as consumers, obtain this data? Because I have no way of ascertaining equivalency between curricula, assigning grades seemed like an arbitrary task.
If we trust teachers to set the grading standard, we have to trust that teachers across the board teach and grade the same way. In the homeschool setting, Mom is the person who ultimately oversees the course work. She can decide which topics to cover. Mom can change the tests, change how they are administered, and change how they are scored. Changes to methodology and material reset the standard to Mom’s standards. Because teachers have the liberty to set standards any way they see fit, grade equivalency comes into question.
MOM-GRADES
We love our kids and want them to excel. In my school days, parents groveled with teachers to get higher grades for their kids. I trust that parents are no different today. Perhaps they are more demanding. We are inherently biased. The choices we make in regard to curricula choices, testing methods, and grading contribute to subjectivity. Furthermore, we are not experts in all the subjects, and we don’t assess hundreds of students using the same material. Mom-grades may be flawed and inaccurate because of these factors.
Read my post that addresses subjectivity factors and the solutions: Homeschool Grades: Dealing with their Subjectivity.
NO GRADES
We decided to forego grading in middle school and use a different method of evaluation. By working closely with my children in their coursework, they and I knew how things were going. We knew exactly where the weaknesses were and therefore worked harder on those areas. By working one-on-one with my children, they were being “tested” throughout each lesson. We approached tests as additional lessons and as reference points for learning. Grades seemed arbitrary for what we were doing.
NO COMPLAINTS
I know some kids love being graded, but my kids did not care either way. Based on our one-on-one lessons, my children were confident in their ability to learn material. They were also aware that grades were irrelevant without set standards. They saw discrepancies in how their friends were graded in homeschool and at public schools. For example, friends at certain public schools were allowed to retake tests while friends at other public schools could not. Kids can be adept at detecting inconsistencies. Grades for homeschool were too inconsistent for them to buy fully into.
8th Grade High School Level Courses
Homeschool students often take high school level courses in the 8th grade. Parents grapple with the ethics of placing these credits on the high school transcript as well as the mechanics of how to place them on the high school transcript. If you are placing 8th grade courses on the high school transcript, your student will need to take tests and receive formal grades for these courses. For insight on how to do this, read 8th Grade Credits on the High School Transcript.
NOT FOR EVERYONE
Foregoing grades in middle school is not for everyone and I don’t endorse it for everyone. It worked for us because we planned to homeschool through graduation. Students who plan to enter a school system in the future need to provide solid performance data to school administrators. They need to provide the curricula used along with grades. In this case, keep on grading.
It also worked for us because I worked one-on-one with my kids in middle school. I did not need a test to inform me of their weaknesses and strengths. For parents who do not want to get involved or who are unable to get involved in their child’s studies, foregoing written tests is not recommended especially for the skill-based subjects of math and writing. You and your child need the feedback that formal tests can offer.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
The lack of standards paired with the fact that middle school grades are not required by college admissions led me to delay entering the jungle of grades until high school. Middle school does not have to be like high school. I viewed middle school as a transition period, a time to hone in math and English skills without the burden of deadlines and graded tests. I simply trusted that my kids could transition seamlessly into courses that had hard deadlines and graded exercises. Thankfully, they were able to. They went on to make “A’s” in all of their college courses.
Musing: a period of reflection or thought. As such this post reflects my thoughts, opinions, and experiences on the topic. The choice to home school and the methods you choose are yours to determine.