I was in the grocery store today and a grandmother was telling me how her grand-daughter was in tears because despite how hard she has worked all year she said “lots of kids are getting eight ‘A’s’ and I’m only getting three”.

This child works harder than most in her class, has probably done more learning this year than any other, but still feels like a failure because of a letter grade! Now she’ll probably give up for the rest of the year.

Why does learning have to come with a price? Why do we have to compare one to another? Why can’t the process of learning be just that – a process full of useful assessment FOR learning that points out all of the strenghts and ways to build on those strengths.

I was so enjoying not having report cards this year. I was getting good feedback from my child’s teacher. All the work she has done has received authentic assessment on what was good and what needed improvement.  We’ve had e-mails and useful conversations. Now the Ministy has mandated that teachers have to give us two report cards in less than two months. Teachers will be scrambling to stuff in as much content as possible so they can have lots of tests to have lots of marks to put on a report card.

Where can I opt out?