Grades in primary school

Nowadays, the children receive grades earlier and earlier. But why? Grades in primary school is not a good idea.

To learn new things, as a child, it is necessary with fun education which is not connected with demands and grades. It is all about children´s right to be children. When they take their first step into the school it is very important to treat them in a fun way. I think that the first impression influences them for several years ahead. The education has to be associated with joy. It is important to go there but it can also be very funny. Everyone does the best he or she can and if they all are treated equally they have bigger opportunity to reach success.

Furthermore, a young child who is still creating his/her own identity doesn´t really know where to belong. Grades in this age place the children into groups and give them a stamp to carry for a long time. I think that many of them find it quite difficult to get rid of it. In early ages they are not ready to be told that their achievement is not good enough. They can easily associate it with their personality and think that THEY are not good at all. Perhaps they will feel like outsiders since they think that their classmates are better ones.

To receive a bad grade is a thing which, likewise, can give the child bad self-confidence. As young learners it is important to feel that things they have done are good enough. They have to feel appreciation for their work. Otherwise, perhaps they will loose their self-confidence and it can be an obstacle to their development. They don´t dare to make a try because they are scared to fail once again. The consequents of the grades can be the very opposite of the idea.

The most important thing for a teacher is to note which ones of the pupils who seem to have some kind of problem and give them the support they are in need of, not to judge them with grades. On the contrary, some people claim that it is necessary with grades in primary school because then the children are able to get help earlier. In any way, I think that it is very important to notice them in early ages but grades will not be required. It is enough to watch them and see these ones who are in need of further support.

In short, I claim that grades can be an obstacle for learning. The system with grades in primary school can make the pupils loose their self-confidence and the education can´t very easily be associated with joy. I think it is a pity because, after all, the most important thing is to note the pupils who seem to have some kind of problem. For that reason it is not necessary with grades!