In today’s school system, grades are treated as the whole foundation of school. Report cards and GPAs hang over students’ heads, making parents and teachers define their success and intelligence off of a number. However, grades should not shape the idea of a student to see their full potential and how hard they’re working.

You may be thinking how the whole idea of school is to pass your grade to the best of your abilities and get that number up, however it is not. The whole idea of school is to learn and to prepare you for the routine of the real world and future career. Not earning your spot on a principal’s list or honor roll does not mean you’re not smart — you may not be a good tester or have enough motivation for school itself.

Because school is forced upon us by law or parents and includes taking classes we aren’t interested in taking, many students have trouble staying focused or even caring, therefore making poor grades. Not everyone learns the same way or memorizes as easily. Many students struggle with personal issues like mental health, stress or problems at
home making school more challenging, not making you less intelligent.

Students who had a hard time caring about school often care more for their career. Without the stress of having to get good grades and pass every paper with 100 written and circled on top about a class you’re not remotely interested in learning, succeeding in a career you choose and making you money might catch that type of student’s attention.

Another issue is the emotional impact grades have. When students get that paper back with an F or log onto their grades to
see at least one low grade they may start to believe they are not smart enough and failing in school will result in failing in their career. Thinking this way leads to stress, burnout and loss of motivation. Grades and tests should and do not dominate your time in studying, your growth and intelligence.

Grades also fail to reflect important skills that matter in real life. Creativity, problem solving and determination are not shown on a report card, yet they are necessary for success beyond school. Many successful people struggled academically but thrived because of skills grades don’t show.

Grades can be useful, but they should not define who someone is or how intelligent they are. Schools should focus more on growth, learning and personal strengths rather than reducing students to a number.