A lesson for all: Good grades and learning not the same

Regarding “Wealthy Bay Area school district tackles hot-button issue: What is an ‘A’ student?” (Bay Area, SFChronicle.com, April 6):

No foundation

As a product of an ultracompetitive high school environment, where grades were paramount and often overshadowed true learning, I can attest to the flaws in traditional grading systems.

The relentless pursuit of good grades led to frantic cramming but little knowledge retention. At UC Berkeley, I realized that many other students had similar experiences.

While we got good grades in high school, our study habits were poor, and we had a tough time recalling foundational concepts. Our experience prioritized performance over understanding — a sentiment echoed in the discourse on grading practices.

These experiences underscore the need for evidencebased grading systems. Unlike traditional grading, which often rewards memorization and test-taking skills, evidence-based systems prioritize mastery of subject matter.

Focusing on learning outcomes rather than rote performance equips students with critical thinking and problemsolving skills essential for success beyond the classroom.

Raksha Rajeshmohan, Irvine

No retakes in reality

In the story, a consultant says of tests and grading, “Does it matter if Susie knew how to do this at 11:30 on a Tuesday when she had a lot going on in her life or whether she took it a week later and nailed it?”

Susie may be having trouble the next week, too, so who knows when she’ll “feel” like getting the job done? Or ever?

In the real world, people don’t care whether I have a lot going on in my life. They expect me to do my job — when and how I’m supposed to do it.

Better to learn that lesson in school than later when it can matter more.