How About REAL Grading?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A No-Show in a Stratford Classroom":

Let’s assume the teacher grades the work – and it’s not a multiple choice test so there isn’t a numerical result. Does anyone know what a smiley face means? Does that translate into a 3 or 4 on the report card? Does it depend on how big the smile is? Did your kid ever get an unhappy face? Is that a 1 or a 2? If it has tears it probably a 1, right? And while we're on the subject, what does a 3 really mean? Almost a 4 (great) or just above a 2 (not so great)? Our kids are graded with doodles and numbers that are at worst meaningless and at best approximations - it's no wonder they have little concern about the quality of their work or incentive to strive higher. What sense of accomplishment do you get from a star? Is a star good? Or should it have a smiley face inside? Why would something as important as education use a vague system of communication? Are our kids so fragile that they can’t tolerate a grade that tells them quite clearly that their work is unacceptable, they didn’t make a decent effort, their handwriting is illegible, that they need to do better? Or should we have them live in the dream world that all they do is wonderful until they get the harsh reality of not getting accepted into the college of their choice because while they were content getting smiley faces - with big smiles – other kids were getting constructive criticism that helped them improve their work and the bar was set high for expectations that got the most out of them. Or better yet, getting into the college of their choice and not having the faintest idea what to do when they get there.