Ungrading & Gradeless

What is it? 

In a gradeless or upgrading classroom, the focus is on providing feedback to students for growth to encourage the movement towards learning for the sake of understanding and learning, and away from the collection of marks for a grade.  

Grades (or levels) are not given on assessments, or assignments, only descriptive feedback is given to help the students identify what they have demonstrated and where they still need to go.  The only time grades are assigned to students is at the designated reporting periods determined by the school or board and these grades are determined, most often, in conversation by the teacher and student.  

The grade that the student and teacher agree on also reflects the end point of the student's learning journey.  This means that if they have worked towards demonstrating a level 4 understanding of the content, their mark would be a level 4, and would not be penalized for, let's say, a level 2 understanding they first demonstrated. This means that in a gradeless classroom, there is also a lot of discussion around expectations and growth that will support students in their learning journey so that they know what they need to do, to get where they want to go.  

What is it not? 

• It is not just giving students whatever mark they want. 

• It is not, not assessing student work. 

• It is not, no grades at the end of the semester. 

• It is not, not, challenging and rigorous for the students. 

• It is not, doing the bare minimum and getting a high grade. 

Why go Gradeless? 

1. Puts the focus of the classroom on learning and improvement instead of grades.

2. Reduce student stress.

3. Increase student's metacognitive abilities, self-reflection and self assessment skills, all skills that will increase their success in all fields. 

4. Students begin to take ownership of their learning. 

5. Allows mistakes to become part of the learning process, thus strengthening a student's mindset and confidence.

Some other awesome resources to support you with ungrading/gradeless: 

1. What is Ungrading (Duke University)

2. How I Go Gradeless (Arthur Chiaravalli)

3. Going Gradeless: Here's How We Do It (Opportunity Education)

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