Grading at OHS: Too Harsh or Just Right?

Grades are a method of quantifying student success and achievements. Many students view grading as a burden and, at times, a reflection of how badly they have failed. However, many teachers often disagree, saying that grading provides students with a reflection of what needs to be improved. Furthermore, while grading for some courses like math are objective, grading for other courses like English may be subjective to the teacher’s specific wants. As a result of these differing viewpoints, student opinions on grading at OHS vary quite a lot. Some students agree that the grading is too harsh while others say that it is acceptable given the rigor of the classes. In this article, we’ll look at some student opinions on the grading at OHS.

To obtain the results, a Google Form survey was distributed out to students. While the term “harsh” was not described in the survey, it was generally understood that the word meant that grading was unusually difficult and that many students believe the grades they received are lower than what is considered “fair.” Out of 17 students, 41.2% voted that grading at OHS is not too harsh, with students saying that “grading at OHS is pretty fair” and “OHS teachers tend to grade very generously while still requiring that students earn their grade.” However, another 41.2% of students voted that their perceived harshness of grading depends on the class. 47.1% of students voted that English classes had the harshest grading style. Numerous students wrote that grading, especially for English courses, could be based on effort, rather than the level a student is at, given that each student is at different levels. Elaborating, one student said “if a student does all they can to submit the best assignment and this hard work is seen in their submission, they should get an A.” This perspective is most common for English as many students feel that teachers have different standards for essays, which makes it hard to adapt and understand what the teacher would like to see. Whereas for classes where there are definite answers, such as math and science, students agree that the grading for those courses are fair, as there is often only one right answer.

Students gave some feedback that they would like to see instructors incorporate into their grading style. One student’s critique for how English essays are graded is that “much of grading is based somewhat on how well the student wrote but also on how much the student wrote in the way the instructor wants to see.” Many students believe that this is difficult to achieve as it takes some time for students to get used to the instructor, and often, by the time they have figured it out, their grade has already been somewhat determined. Elaborating, the same student explained that the focus of “English courses is not as much learning how to write and get your point across clearly, but mainly learning how to write [the way] your specific instructor wants you to write.” Another student explained that “being upfront about expectations and reassuring students that [a] grade does not determine worth would be helpful.” 

To sum this up, while some students believe that grading at OHS is too harsh, others seem to understand the reasoning behind this. Based on student feedback, it seems like students would like to see teachers lay out a clear rubric of what they are looking for in essays. Teachers are also encouraged to motivate students by telling them that one bad grade does not determine self-worth, an important aspect of maintaining a positive mindset. Students noted that these reassurances were offered in all courses at OHS. 

From this article, instructors can maybe take a further look as to how they can ensure that grading, especially for English courses, remains the same for all instructors. Perhaps using a rubric or listing out what the teacher expects to see would assist in helping students better understand what they should be aiming for as they write their essays. Students can also actively seek out instructor assistance to ensure that they are meeting all the criteria that the instructor has posed.