What's in a Number

Written by Paul Donovan

This is not to say that numbers and grades don’t matter.  In fact, I would argue that doing away with a numerical grading system would be a grave error.  This type of grading, including content evaluation, does provide a more objective way to understand areas of academic strength and weakness.  We do, however, need to understand them for what they are and not mistake them for “the whole picture.”  The mistake we make, on both ends of the grade spectrum, is when we lose sight of this.  If my son’s value is too closely tied to his achievement, then I’ve lost sight of who he is.  The devastation of the failed Math class or the excessive pride in his First Honours status, both suggest that I’ve forgotten (or have never known) the source of his value.  I have had students come to my office in tears because they obtained an overall average of 79 or 89 and begged me to change the grade. In a similar way, students have been terribly distraught over a failing grade and were afraid of what their parents might think.

Many think that the best response to this sort of “grade distress” is to stop using grades completely, or to create situations where everybody passes, regardless of ability and effort.  This is done in the name of protecting the self-esteem of the kids.  But I would argue that self-esteem can’t ever come from grades or academic evaluations of any type because they are not the source of the kids’ value.  For a student to fail a course or receive low grades and still know his value is a freedom that actually allows for greater success.  Conversely, if a student needs the high honours to feel that he has worth, then he lacks the freedom to thrive as a person.

The academic formation we offer at Loyola is not based so much on achieving results as it is on the development of a mind that strives to grow.  Does he work hard to achieve the results he gets? Is he being challenged by his courses, or is he taking an easy path? When we add the fact that intellectual or academic competence is only a part of what we want for our students, the value of the numbers fades a little more. Is the student kind and generous? Is he committed to doing justice, loving, religious and open to growth? So how well are we doing these things? Maybe 8/10!??