https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:53:28 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529600 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:37:28 +0000 Mamaof2 2529600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: oh wow! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529597 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:36:40 +0000 T-Mom 2529597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: I literally receive her grades every day in my inbox. For every assignment. I can't figure out how to turn it off!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529592 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:34:51 +0000 Mamaof2 2529592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T-Mom: oh that's a new one! Never heard of grades that way on the actual progress report </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529589 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:33:42 +0000 T-Mom 2529589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2nd grader gets number grades right now. 97%, etc. I don't mind it.. Up to first grade they got Meets, Exceeds, etc. with virtually no other info. I didn't feel like it told me a lot. At least with a percentage it feels like more information? I don't know. It doesn't bother me too much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529485 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 09:24:07 +0000 honeybear 2529485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: I agree. The only reason to prefer a letter grade (or a number, as in the case of some European systems) is because the ranking inherent in that type of system is very important to you. I would suggest that is fairly absurd, especially when we're talking about elementary-aged children. </p> <p>But I think the standards-based approach is not actually all that different from the A-F system if it includes an "exceeding" category. It reduces some of the arbitrariness in the rankings by reducing the number of slots to put children in, but it's still not exclusively focused on the question of mastery because it leaves space to rank children in addition to communicating the central question of whether they're accomplishing what we want them to accomplish (and this is undoubtedly a concession to parents who want their kids ranked). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529399 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 08:23:17 +0000 Mamaof2 2529399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For those that prefer letter grades you would be told that your child got a "B" in reading - that's it.</p> <p>For us, the standards base we get this noting not meeting, meeting, exceeding:</p> <p>Reading<br /> Reads and comprehends grade level text<br /> Meets goals for independent reading</p> <p>Phonics and Word Study<br /> Applies grade level phonics, word analysis skills, and<br /> strategies to decode words</p> <p>Fluency<br /> Reads with accuracy (January).<br /> Reads with accuracy and fluency (June).</p> <p>Vocabulary<br /> Determines the meaning of unfamiliar words</p> <p>so I know exactly where he falls in specific areas of reading - I love it!! And we get additional feedback in paragraph form </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529351 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 08:02:35 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2529351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think there is so much stigma around an "A". I would be ok with letter grades if a C was "meeting standards" and everyone was ok with that. But I think even in this day, people push to get an A just because. </p> <p>However, I do think that by 5th/6th grade, letter grades aren't terrible idea because they are sometimes at this point taking high school credit courses. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529314 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 07:32:10 +0000 ValentineMommy 2529314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54: This. </p> <p>While my kids are too young for any grades yet, I think I prefer the meeting/not meeting with detailed notes. Letter grades just seem totally unnecessary for such young kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529308 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 07:22:08 +0000 Mamaof2 2529308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: From the email they sent out it seems that teachers favor the standards and parents are the ones pushing for letter grades</p> <p>@honeybear: yes ours do come with very helpful feedback! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529279 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 06:47:03 +0000 honeybear 2529279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: Unfortunately, that's kind of what I was thinking would happen. (Well, that and eventually "not-a-grade, standards-based marks" inflation.) I can see how some children would feel pressure to score higher than just "meeting the standard." </p> <p>I suspect that the "exceeding the standard" category should probably be eliminated if this scheme is to succeed. It seems rather useless, except to the extent that it preserves a way to establish a hierarchy of children like the A-F system. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529278 Wed, 20 Apr 2016 06:45:57 +0000 looch 2529278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think it matters which way you grade, honestly. The only way to get away from ranking is if you just provide written comments. </p> <p>My husband went to school in Europe and from the beginning, they were ranked on a 1-5 scale. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529162 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 20:41:27 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2529162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Another teacher here who prefers standards-based grading (our district has Below, Progressing, Meets, Exceeds). Our district also implements a secondary system where you can indicate if a student is B, P, M, or E at either above or below grade level standards. It's definitely more work, but I love how informative this system is. I can see a parents frustration at seeing a "P" and wondering what that *means*, but the report card breaks things down into small pieces and I think that is invaluable. So, you know your kid isn't just getting a C in math in general, but that they are Progressing at addition, and Meeting for skip counting, but Below at identifying 3D shapes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529148 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 20:20:54 +0000 DesertDreams88 2529148@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree with @Mrs. Lion: &amp; @travellingbee: .<br /> We do 1-4 for K-8. Falls far below the standard, approaching the standards, meeting the standards, exceeding the standards. FAME. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529134 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 20:01:00 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2529134@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: for some families there is actually more pressure, because an A would equate to a 3, or meets standards. Yet some families expected 4s, which is truely very hard to do and beyond the capability of some students. With typical letter grades complete mastery is a 100%, but a 4 is beyond that. Super hard for parents to understand. Still more meaningful as an educator though, and once parents get it its no big deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529130 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 19:52:30 +0000 honeybear 2529130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I posted about this before. :) I think it's a good idea to go to standards-based report cards, but mostly only if it comes packaged with written feedback and thoughtful comments. </p> <p>I think there are plenty of parents who like the ordering of the A-F scheme. In part because of this urge to rank kids, I suspect that changing the terminology won't take much, if any, pressure off of students. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529083 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 18:44:15 +0000 808love 2529083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have Exceeding, Meeting, Approaching, and Well Below standard. I like it better this way. Very easy way to communicate. I like it because the reference point is consistent- the grade level standard. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529070 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 18:25:24 +0000 Ms maths 2529070@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would definitely prefer standards-based grades, not just for elementary school but for every level. I think that a standards-based system can still be unhelpful if the standards and criteria for meeting them aren't clearly articulated, but I think letter grades are basically meaningless. (At least at the college level--where I teach--they are pretty meaningless.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529010 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:36:11 +0000 Cole 2529010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I prefer the non letter grade option. I dislike that as a teacher percentage grades offer no wiggle room for my personal assessment of the child. I really liked the super long form report cards with lots of comment space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529009 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:34:07 +0000 travellingbee 2529009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am in educator and I strongly prefer standards-based rather than letter grades. Often parents preferred letter grades because that's what they got. But letter grades give very little information and are often misinterpreted. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529005 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:31:32 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2529005@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: meeting/ not meeting. Here every standard that students are supposed to learn get a numbre grade 1-4 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529004 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:30:38 +0000 Charm54 2529004@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a teacher, I much prefer standards at the elementary level (actually K-8). My province does Below Approriate Achievement, Appropriate Achievement, and Strong Achievement. The most important part anyway, IMO, is that teachers should be writing pretty extensive, individualized comments for each child. That tells the real picture more than a letter grade ever could </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2529000 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:28:28 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2529000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: is standards based letter grades or meeting/ not meeting? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528998 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:27:48 +0000 Raindrop 2528998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think I would mind either way. I'm going to assume if LO was struggling the teacher would let me know. If he's doing overall great I don't see a difference between an A or B or even C. Lower grades levels don't really matter too much right?</p> <p>When I was little we had U/S (unsatisfactory/satisfactory). Also there would be + and - along with checks with how well you were doing. It was pretty much a letter grade with all the variations. I remember how my parents were pretty disappointed with my marks so maybe in the end they are just the same anyways? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528997 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:26:56 +0000 Mrs. Lion 2528997@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I definitely prefer standards based. It shows actual information about what a student has learned and not just whether or not they have good work habits and test well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528987 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:20:22 +0000 NavyRN2012 2528987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I definitely prefer letter grades. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528884 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:57:07 +0000 Mamaof2 2528884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just FYI 7th-9th (middle school) is letter grades </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528877 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:55:39 +0000 mauxie 2528877@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I'd prefer letter grades for 4th and up, but would be fine with not meeting, meeting, and exceeding for K-3. I think letter grades would definitely be needed for 6th grade since those grades may factor into advanced classes or honors placement and such for high school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528862 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:45:54 +0000 avivoca 2528862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mamaof2: As a kid, I didn't find it stressful. It was more stressful for me to see Unsatisfactory/Satisfactory. The same went for when I took my driver's test. They had moved from the percentages to a pass/fail and I just want to know exactly how well/not well I did on something. Letter grades just make more sense to me, especially as a parent. I mean, I know that if something is not meeting, then we have to work on it. I just don't like change. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528856 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:41:16 +0000 Mamaof2 2528856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: why would it bother you? I feel like its stressful for kids to get all A's and this eliminates that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/grades-in-elementary-school#post-2528854 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:40:09 +0000 avivoca 2528854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer letter grades and did as a child. I hated getting U/S (unsatisfactory/satisfactory). The not meeting/meeting/exceeding would really bother me. </p>