FAST—Frequent, Accurate, Specific, and Timely Feedback, is what fuels performance and engagement. So, WHY is our focus still on grades?...

Grades are the current way we evaluate performance and level of learning in education.  What is the message a "grade" sends to the learner? Think of the last time you shared a grade with a student. What was their reaction?... What did they do with the grade?... Did the grade communicate specific areas for improvement?... You might say, "yes, I wrote comments on their assessment IF they read them." Often, the grade itself is so final, that it over shines the "comments" or "feedback" that you spent so much time writing.  What if the focus was on specific  feedback during the learning process?  We can shift the focus to communication on improvement and growth as an offensive move, instead of an evaluation of performance upon completion. 

Grades are evaluative, final, and not focused on growth.  Conversely, feedback encourages taking risks, allows for mistakes to occur so learning can happen, and is ongoing.  Here are a few strategies for using feedback to drive the learning in your classroom: Strategies for Using Feedback