The IGSS teachers have over a decade of experience working in an environment where some of our students take grades and some do not. Our experience has taught us that students who decide not to take grades, and instead use only our narrative feedback to describe their coursework, are more motivated, more resilient, more creative, and more self-directed.

  • Grades support a fixed mindset; whereas, classwork without grades supports a growth mindset. With a growth mindset, students are more likely to deal positively with mistakes and missteps. 

  • Grades tend to diminish students’ interest in what they’re learning.  A “grading orientation” and a “learning orientation” have been shown to be inversely related.

  • Grades tend to reduce student risk taking in projects, essays, and artwork. 

  • Grades tend to have a negative impact on our students’ mental and emotional health. 

  • Grading does not appear to provide effective feedback that constructively informs students’ future efforts. This is particularly true for tasks involving problem solving or creativity.