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Why Grades Still Matter


The phenomenon of "easy versus hard" teachers probably dates back to Socrates. Some teachers love giving A’s to students.
On the other hand, plenty of education theory supports the claim that teacher expectations are positively associated with student achievement. This is not elitism but a philosophy of value-added instruction.
Intentional teaching means putting in the extra work and encouragement needed to help students attain difficult goals.
High standards coupled with high expectations — including encouragement— create real student success.
Who is the customer? We live in an era of grade inflation. The consumer model has twisted our priorities at every level. It isn’t even a good consumer model, which can work well if the right consumer is served.
A student once asked why I didn’t consider him my customer. If he paid his tuition shouldn’t I supply his demand for a degree? I replied, "Yes, you are my customer — but not the you of today. My customer is the you 10 years from now, who is going to thank me for upholding the standards." I made that claim based on years of hearing and reading such comments from former students, thanking me for, as one of them put it, "holding my feet to the fire."
As for administrators, we’re worried about enrollment and persistence. The only time I’ve known administrators to express much concern about grades was to accost maths and science teachers for weeding out too many students.
No one in the academic system needs to care about grade inflation so there is no check on it.
I can only see reasons to raise standards, not diminish them. Our graduates deserve the tools and confidence to compete.
Students are born to excel. When we demand more of them, coupled with a positive teaching attitude, they achieve more. Conversely, if I set the bar low it is unrealistic to think they will greatly surpass those minimal expectations. I’m no elitist, just someone who quietly maintain the standards and watches students rise to the occasion.

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