In May of 2015, our school decided to change our grading scale in many ways. The only question is how many of the students actually like it? I have talked to many students about the new grading scale. One question that really stands out to me is does it help us or hurt us? Many students say that it helps them because it makes their grades look better, but then others mentioned that there is now more pressure since in some classes they are graded only on tests.

There are students like myself that struggle with tests, meaning that having a class that is graded based on how you do on tests is a big hill to climb. Others don’t have to study and get an A on the test, that’s perfect. But what do we do about the kids that study their butts off and know the material, and then the second they see the test they blank. In some classes homework is required, and in some classes is not.

I personally think that is also difficult to juggle because remembering which class you need to do homework in for a grade is sometimes confusing. Not making homework required doesn’t make me want to do the homework it make it just fall to the bottom of my list because the teachers don’t look at it. Because all that matters is how you do on the test. Not if you understand the homework or even what you’re doing in class, just tests.

Considering that homework isn’t weighted a whole lot in the grading book anyway, but some students see it as a way to stay afloat. Meaning that if they do good on the homework it gives them a little more room for mistakes on the test. Now they don’t get that. It all just comes down to how students perform on the test, and that determines a pass or fail grade. Which is more important than some may think.