Grades are important, but they are not the only measure
I HAVE come to understand that exam grades are not the sole purpose of schools. Over the past 18 years, I have come to see that grades alone are not enough. In fact, some of the most successful students, those who score As, Grades 7s and secure top university places, are often those who fail at life.
Studies show that for some of these highflying students, they unfortunately have troubled lives, find it difficult to secure jobs or become great parents or partners. In fact, in some cases, having so much ambition and success at school can mean that what comes after can seem a little underwhelming. The nice reports, certificates and awards stop happening and at university students are suddenly faced with the realization that they are not necessarily the best and that what they, perhaps, found easy at school has not really prepared them for the next step.
Increasingly, teachers are well aware of the idea of “learning from our failures.” If you’ve never failed at anything, you’ve never tried anything new. The security of an examination grade is a fallacy. Don’t get me wrong; exam grades are important and we encourage all students to aim high and to do well. But they don’t guarantee success.
I once asked students to consider the chef Gordon Ramsay. How did he become so successful? What can you learn from him? Students were surprised to find that he didn’t have a stellar academic performance and they were even more surprised to find out that he didn’t suddenly become a great chef. In an interview, he explained that he worked ungodly hours for very little money, learning everything he could. He took opportunities even if they seemed risky. He made mistakes but he dusted himself off and moved forward. His success didn’t come from grades, it came from his character: grit, determination and resilience. How can schools foster these traits and promote academic achievement?
At NAIS, we are committed to learning in three ways: academically, personally and socially. Teaching students to be good global citizens, to have a moral conscience and to accept failure is a crucial part of learning is central.
In teaching the International Baccalaureate, teachers are aware that learning should promote the traits of the learner profile. These traits combine the academic disciplines of thinking skills, having an inquiring mind, valuing knowledge but are complemented with social skills such as being principled, open-minded and caring. Students are given opportunities to take risks and to be reflective.
The approaches to learning adopted by the IB runs through the way we promote social skills through the whole school: as a central aspect of learning. This is why there is a focus on STEAM, performance, sport and other activities; ultimately, these life skills will work hand-in-hand with academic knowledge — and great grades — to enable students to work well with others, to communicate effectively and to have choice in the lives they lead.