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When I was a student in K-12, I often had a skewed perceptions of grading. I thought that my grades were a direct connection to how much my teacher liked me. Not that they would change my grade based on their feelings, but that their feelings towards me would change based on my grades. This caused me ( a people pleaser) lots of stress. I know now that grading is not emotional and should not impact interactions with students. They motivated me but for unhealthy reasons.

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My grades were something that I let almost dictate my mood and opinion based on myself. I have always tried hard in school and have always wanted to be a straight A or 1-2 B's type of student simply just because that's when I felt proud of myself and I knew it made my parents proud. Grades motivated me to do good, but when I got a bad grade, it ultimately demotivated me because my hard work didn't pay off. I can't recall of any specific grading styles that stuck with me except just test grades and how they play a huge chunk in your overall grade. For instance, you could truly understand the knowledge so well, but when it comes to test time, you could stress out and get a bad score and that hurts your grade so much, even though you understand the information completely. If my teachers had poor grading styles, it made me almost want to not try as hard in their class because it seemed like they were almost out to get you, instead of out to help you.

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When I was a student in high school I always was the student who just did the work for the grade and never cared to learn something unless I had interest in the topic. I always had one teacher every year who graded really hard and looked for every little mistake the students would make. I hated that teacher and that class so my attitude about that class changed very quickly. I have a history teacher this year where he grades everything super strict and if you make on mistake your grade suffers which makes me hate that class.

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As a student I viewed grades as a way for teachers to push students to do the work. I think teachers very often don't go back to give students feedback and we are often left wondering why or how we got something wrong. For me, grades motivated me to learn because I wanted to make sure I was passing and maintaining a good grade. My teachers grading methods would help me determine whether or not a class was going to be an enjoyable experience or a stressful one.

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when I was younger up until like 5th grade I really didn't care about my grades or think anything about them. As I got older I started to really focus on my grades because I would have to listen to how well my older sisters were doing in school and wanted to be like them and not be the stupid child out of the family. In high school I was more motivated to get good grades because I saw how happy it made my parents when I succeeded and I started to really think about how I need to do good so that I can get into college and be able to get a good job. grades motivate me but they don't motivate me to be proud of myself they motivated me to make my family proud and not to stand out as the girl with bad grades in a class.

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I would say in high school, grades didn’t motivate me to learn as much as they motivated me to just get the assignment done. For random useless assignments, I wouldn’t actually gain any knowledge or even try to, I was just trying to get it done and turned in. The other thing that I think was the worst was when teachers would wait the entire semester or year to turn in grades, but I was still required to turn it in by a certain point. This negatively impacted my view of their class or teaching as a whole as I didn’t see the purpose in turning things in and trying so hard if it wasn’t even being graded.

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When I was a student, I was very scared of grades. To this day, I still am scared when looking at a grade that I received on a test or an assignment. I think that grades do motivate me because it gets me to actually take notes and understand the material, but because I am scared of getting a bad grade. When I got a bad grade, it made me not even want to be in that class anymore because of how unmotivated I became after receiving that grade. I felt as if I wasn't smart and it was embarrassing.

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For me, it depended on what the grade was. If I got a good grade on something, I felt I was motivated to keep going and keep doing good, but if I did awful on something then I felt like I was bad at it and I didnt care to try. I think a huge part of the grading I got in highschool, was the feedback. If I had good feedback, it was easy for me to use that feedback and become better. I liked when a teacher would grade a big asssingment and then talk to each student about why they got that grade. Almost like a conference. This allowed us students to ask questions, and understand why we did bad or good and how to be better. If my teachers graded with purpose and explained why i got the grade I got, I would like the class more. This was because I felt like I could improve in the class, and not just keep doing bad.

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When I was in school grades always scared me, I thought that if I didn't get a good enough grade on something then I just wasn't going to pass at all and I have failed completely. This made me hate school and I feel like it just made my confidence in school go downhill making me not want to learn or be at school. Some teachers would try and help with my grades and help me want to learn and that made me really enjoy their class, I felt like I was able to do the work. I had other teachers that wouldn't care and say that I just needed to study more or try harder when I was trying, so that made me not like their class and I completely stopped caring about it.

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As a student, grades heavily motivated me. I believed that my grades were a direct reflection of what I knew and how smart I was. Creating this connection between grades and knowledge caused a lot of unnecessary stress when I was completing assignments and tests. I also had my mom telling me to get good grades which only deepened the motivation that grades provided me. I had teachers who tried to emphasize that a bad grade wasn't the end of the world, but I also had teachers who were very strict with their grading. I tend to be more motivated to do work in the classroom with less emphasis on grades.

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Experience with Grading - Madisyn Foellner

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Experience with Grading - Madisyn Foellner

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When I was in high school, I often thought of grading as how I understood the assignment and if my teacher cared to help me when I was struggling. So, if I did not have a good grade I thought the teacher just did not care much about me in the class since they didn't take the time to help me learn the material better and get better at it with their help. I always tried my best and got good grades, but if I got a low B then it did not motivate me a lot since I thought they just did not care as much. It made me want to do better in general but not take the extra time to talk to them and get help if they weren't willing to help me also.

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Experiences with Grading- Gabriella Ferguson

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Experiences with Grading- Gabriella Ferguson

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When I was a student in K-12, I knew that my grades were a reflection of my knowledge of the content and how well I was able to show that knowledge. I had never thought about how my grades could have also been a tool for teachers to see a reflection of how well their lessons were taught until I reached high school. Typically, any of my grades would have motivated me to keep learning whether it was good or bad. If I received several bad grades in a row, my self-efficacy would go down and I would feel very anxious on any future tests. I have always loved when teachers talk their students through how their assignments are being graded. Such as if a teacher uses equal grading scale or a different method of grading, it was always useful to know what scores I should have to get a good grade in the class. I feel like the way teachers graded always motivated me to do better, but I can see how it could be an issue for students who may feel that they should do the bare minimum to get by.

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Often when I was younger I took grades as something super serious, like I had to be better than everyone else. Grades were just academic validation. Often until I got into high school, I found that grades motivated me to do more and more, but once I hit sophomore year and Covid-19 happened, grades just became necessary to pass highs school, I was fine with anything 70% and above. While there is not specific grading methods I can remember or stand out, I had a really bad teacher who assigned a group project then gave the whole class zeros because everyone's papers looked the same as someone else. Grading influenced my attitude the same way that positive reinforcement would be given to a dog. If I put in no effort and still got an A, I would rarely try. If I put in all of my effort into class and received a C, I would start only putting in a C's amount of effort.

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In high school I perceived grading as the most important aspect of the class. I was less involved in the actual subject and activities in the class as I was the end result of my grade. While the thoughts of my grades did motivate me to do well in my classes, it took me away from the actual purpose of my classes. I found that I enjoyed classes more when teachers were less strict on the grading.

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As a student, I viewed grades as a measure of my success. If I didn't achieve good grades or rank at the top of my class, I felt like I wasn't doing well. Good grades motivated me to complete my work, but whenever I performed poorly, I considered giving up because I started to doubt my abilities. A harsh teacher who didn't provide constructive feedback made me dislike both the class and the instructor. In contrast, if a teacher was kind and offered helpful feedback, I was inspired to improve and eager to learn more.

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I did not and I do not assign my value as a student or as an individual to grades. I only aspired to get good grades in childhood so I wouldn’t be punished by my parents. I didn’t necessarily care about whether I knew subject matter or not, just whether I passed. I do not feel like grades define a student so I don’t really have positive or negative feelings about classes because of them. Grades weren’t that much of a motivating factor for me.

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I also had the same viewpoint of grading growing up. In middle school and high school, I thought that certain teachers did not like me and therefore they would reflect that through my grades. I was an ordinary student and I would succeed in certain classes, and slip in others. My grades did reflect on how well I learned from certain teachers. The ones where I thought were nice and supportive were the ones I tended to succeed in. The classes I didn't get along with the teacher and didn't learn as well as the other classes I tended to do poorly in.

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When I was in K-12, I saw grades as a good way for me to know how much I was learning and understanding the materials. Going into high school, grades were really important for me in terms of getting As to get KEES money and also feel good about myself as I progressed through the years. Whenever I got a bad grade, it would lower my self-esteem and what I thought about myself. I thought maybe I didn't study enough, I should've gotten this concept but didn't or maybe I wasn't as smart as my peers and friends. It especially hard to see this when I saw people get into programs and I didn't; it made me feel less of myself and compare myself to others. I've had mostly good experiences with teachers so I didn't think they had anything against me. I think that I tend to be hard on myself so I tend to push myself more until I get that good grade and that reassures to myself that I know what I am doing and I understand it.

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Jaylee Powers

When I was in grade school, I perceived grades as who I was. It was always a competition between my friends and I of who had the best grades and whenever I didn't score as high as they did it made me feel really bad. Most of the time grades motivated me because I did wanna do well but also at times when I didn't score highly it made me wanna give up and made me feel as though I wasn't able to do that skill. To my knowledge the grading strategy that really stood out to me is when my teachers would grade on effort because they were kind enough to take the time to see I was trying. When they would grade like this I tended to like the class more because I knew I was getting graded on more than just what I knew and what I didn't know.

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As a student, I perceived grades as a make or break for my education. When I was a student, I had pressure on me to get either all As, or all As/Bs from my family. No Cs were allowed unless they were high Cs. My family was part of the reason, but I wanted to be the best in my education, so I pushed myself for consistent good grades to be able to go to college to be the first of my family or technically the second to do so. Grades for sure motivated me to learn in K-12. Grades were a high motivation for me to get worked turned in on time complete and the answers to be correct. There were some instances where I got Ds and I was so disappointed with myself and was grounded until I got my grades back up from a D to a B at least. My attitude towards my teachers grading was strict. I wanted them to be fair and honest with me for my feedback. If it was dishonest, I would speak to them after class and try to get it corrected to be more fair and more honest for not just me but my fellow peers in the classroom.

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When I was a K-12 student, I saw grades as all that mattered. They motivated me to do the bare minimum to get by. I put in the effort to get A's because I was afraid of not meeting expectations. The experiences that I remember most were when I would score higher on an assessment than I thought I would. Like "Oh wow I just failed that" and then got an A. My teachers grading method were part of whether I enjoyed the class or not. If the teacher was a more relaxed grader, I could have an easier time completing the assignments and staying engaged. If I knew the teacher was a harsh grader, I'd get super stressed. I would dread tests and essays. I would text all my friends in the class for reassurance I was following instructions correctly. It made me dislike the class and sometimes even the subject entirely.

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During the years of K-12, my thoughts for my grades changed throughout the year. Especially, during my later years of middle school and during high school grades definitely motivated me to learn. My teachers grading method often influenced my entire attitude toward the class. I am not the best test person so if a class if completely made up of only test grades counting for my overall grade in that class then I would often not like that class. The only grading style that particularly stuck with me would be how I knew that test grades would be the biggest chunk of my overall grade and how much I personally did not like that.

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When I was in middle school and high school, I had a very different idea of grading than I do now. When I look back at those days, I remember getting extremely anxious over a simple letter. Even if it was just a homework assignment, I would always get anxious about seeing a D or an F. I never really had a bad experience with grading, but my perception was always different because I never understood that grading was just a form of feedback. Understanding that now has made my academic career a lot less stressful because I know that one grade is not the end all be all. Instead, it's a way of getting feedback and improving.

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When I was a student, my grades were what motivated me most in school. I wasn't necessarily motivated to learn the content in the classroom but I was definitely motivated to get my work done so that I had a good grade. From this, I think that a lot of my learning came from memorization while I worked on assignments for my classes but a lot of it did not stick because I didn't bother to go any deeper in to the content than I had to for my assignments. This also influenced my attitude towards the class because when my teacher was willing to grade my work based on how much time I spent on it over how much I actually learned the class was easier for me and I liked it more which I wouldn't say was a good thing.

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When I was a student I looked at grades, as something that just measured progress. Grades often motivated me but when I didn’t understand the content, I would feel stressed and overwhelmed to get good grades. Something that really helped is when teachers would give me feedback and tell me what I was doing wrong, and how I can do better.

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As a young child grades were always perceived as a consequence of the educational system. Many individuals just try to get a passing grade or just memorize the content for a good grade. I always felt that this was in a negative space and not a great way for me to learn or students to learn either. A special memory that holds to the testament of this was when I was in high school and there was a big test on English literature. That was always my worst subject. I studied and studied but nothing was clicking for me which was okay because I knew I would try my best and be okay. Well, I tried my best and I failed. I went to the teacher, and she just said it was my fault and that I needed to study harder. In the educational system I thought was a big failure for my learning and other's learning.

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When I was a student, grades were definitely what motivated me most in school. I was terrified when I got anything less than a B on assignments. I remember when I failed a multiplication test and for a week after I read them over and over till I was able to say them in my sleep. The teacher allowed me a second chance to fix my grade. I liked how she was able to see my hard work and reward me with another chance. This allowed me to stay motivated and determined.

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A distinct memory I have as an elementary school student in the first grade is receiving a "U" for the unsatisfactory use of scissors. That was one of the things they used to grade. I was lefty and struggled to cut on the lines. They didn't have kindergarten, so I didn't have much experience with them. I still remember it all these years later, so it was very impactful. I was the type of student who sought perfection and good grades, so grades were and are still a huge motivator. I never considered my teacher's grading criteria because we were taught not to question our teachers. Reflecting back, I would say that I mostly thought the grades were fair; however, I really could have benefitted from a rubric in so many of my classes. We did as the teacher asked and were expected to listen and take good notes.

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Manda Villarreal

As a student, my family moved cities/states over 12 times during my K-12 education. My sister and I often struggled in our classes and received lower marks. It was discouraging at times because different states grade things differently. I had to do credit recovery to get caught up in High School. I do not recall any specific instances since I haven't been in High School since 2005, however when I went to technical college I was super motivated to get good grades because I was paying for my own schooling at that time, I graduated with a 3.98 GPA. I cannot remember a single professor that was not encouraging and supportive during my time at technical college. The positive feedback really helped me want to work even harder to make the Deans list and graduate.

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Grades were always important to me as a student. I was a diligent student and got pretty good grades. I was motivated to do my best and thankfully I did well. If there was ever a problem my teachers were always very understanding and really seemed like they wanted me to learn the material and get good grades. The grading experience that stands out for me was when I was in the 6th grade and missed three months of school. I had a virus that attacked my liver causing acute liver failure. I had to have a liver transplant and missed Thanksgiving through Spring Break. My teachers and counselors were great about sending work home and giving me alternate projects that I could do on my own at home.

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Carolyn Conley

As a young student I didn't care at all about my grades. My education consisted of socializing. I would get told by my parents that I would get rewarded for good grades on my report card but I never was told the importance of good grades. I remember that the grades would embarrass me but for some reason I didn't care to study. I wish I had now!

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When I was a student, I viewed grades as something that was extremely important and if I didn't have the best grades I was failing in life. I thought of grades as like having money in the bank account. I couldn't move on in life if I didn't have the highest grade possible. Grades helped to motivate me to learn so that I would do good on the assignments. I enjoyed learning and felt confident when I completed an assignment or quiz/test and everything was right. Some grading experiences that stand out to me include the when I failed a final. I passed the class with a high B, but failing the final made me feel like I failed the class. It was terrible and something that stayed with me as long as I could remember. When it came time to see my grades, I would get sick to my stomach because even though I was doing good in the class and was getting good grades on the assignments, I felt like I would get my report card and be failing the class.