Over decades, the schooling system in the United States has gradually transformed into less of a learning environment, and instead one that vastly focuses on tests and grades defining students. The American school curriculum should center more on direct, hands-on learning, rather than assignments and tests.

In the Harvard Business Impact Education article ‘Why Focusing on Grades Is a Barrier to Learning’, author Gerald E. Knesek shares his observations as a teacher. “What’s apparent in all this focus on grades is that there’s no real emphasis on learning—the true purpose of education. It is a rare occurrence that students come to talk with me about concepts or new material presented, and even in learning-focused discussions, the topic of grades almost always arises,” 

It is apparent that students’ focal point when it comes to school today, are the numbers that define them.

The issue at play here is that the content being learned is not valued for genuine understanding and knowledge, but instead viewed primarily as a tool for achieving high grades. Many students note that they often forget the information they learned shortly afterwards, but what does it matter if they end up getting a good test score?

Many argue that high grade assignments and tests are essential because they provide measurable ways to access student understanding and ensure academic accountability.

While assessments are pivotal to record students’ apprehension, relying too vastly on them discourages the understanding of important subjects and reduces it to temporary memorization.