Moving beyond Grades, A Skill Based Learning Approach

We have all been through times when grades defined a child's success. Back in the days when we were children, life wasn't this easy peasy. It is no cakewalk now either; however, things seem to have taken a pretty good turn chronologically.

Vandana

Verified Writer

9 Oct, 2022

Life might have been somewhat grueling for a few of our batch mates. The classes' sections A, B, C, and D demonstrated a lot about the children's grades. I still have memories of a particular Anu aunty who distributed sweets because her child, who belonged to Section D in Grade 3, somehow managed to land in Section A of Grade 4. Section A was for the creamy layer; haha, we mean the toppers here (at least academic norms stipulated more than a decade ago). Oh my my, Section D students needed academic backup in the process of learning and development to be on par with their peers. It must have been so tough indeed! Life's experiences seem to have taught all of us a lot of lessons, though. To be honest, a top scorer may have ended up with a hand-to-mouth existence, while an average scorer with a brilliant mind must have achieved some of the top credentials in life and done all so well.

So, precisely put, grades don't define how you turn out to be or what shape your life takes!

Let us look at why we judge children or people based on their grades, academic achievements, or the strata of society they belong to. Isn't there a lot more than all this? Why should we let the differentiating factor influence children's psychology, leading a poor performer to feel inferior to others? The morale disturbed thus hinders the child's growth and development in the life ahead too.

Ensuring a content and blissful future for their child should be every parent's priority. If your child wants to walk an extra mile towards their passion for hair styling or maybe fashion designing, let them do that. Imagine if Sachin Tendulkar's father hadn't allowed him to play cricket. Heard that line somewhere, ey? Create a space where your child feels free to share their dreams and aspirations with you. Understand what you can do to help your child realize those dreams. Investing in your child's education is just never enough. How we treat our children is a matter of significance too.

Good grader or average grader, let that not be a reason for your disappointment with your child. Every child is unique in their ways.

What we need to pass on to our children is:

An attitude that makes them creative, innovative, confident and self-reliant by all means.

Every human is a pioneer of their own future. If your child is keen on choosing an unconventional career path for themselves even after clinching a top rank to get into the institute you had always wanted them to be in, let them go on the chosen path. This is how they understand the power of making important decisions in life.

Grades add weight to one's career, but it is never accurate to talk about what your child is worthy of or what makes them the most capable.

Gone are the days when parents proudly displayed their child's progress report cards amid family gatherings or get-togethers within the community. We have moved beyond and are perhaps glad to have done so.

Moving the focus beyond grades

The need of the hour is to rethink assessments and the grades that tag along. While we cannot deemphasize the weightage grades carry, all we are trying to bring forth is there needs to be a spectacular revision in our thought-process towards the grading system.

Grades definitely make one accountable and add a fair spirit of competition; however, these are not all that can make us more accepting of a child's innate talent and skills. We have to have a break-down here -

• Evaluate all that is academic with the grading system and likewise, recognize the vocational skills children are good at
• Classify the information gathered from grades - specifying what children can better do
• Motivate children even for the simple and small tasks they want to be a part of

The irony towards the end of this peppy reading bit with us is it is always a great thing to choose a career path that one has a strong passion for. If you are a child, you must be thinking of strumming the guitar and making it your career choice maybe; yes, we said maybe. You see, tossing off life's circumstances has an answer to this. Or, if you are a parent, we hope you see the picture we're trying to show you and encourage your child to pursue their passion and interests.