Grading for completion does disservice to students

A common method of grading among teachers is to award students full credit as long as the assignment is completed. However, teachers must consider accuracy-based grading as it encourages students to excel in school and builds a strong foundation of work ethic to grow on.

As completing homework is a form of practice and studying, it fosters student comprehension of the material and aids them with effectively applying their knowledge on exams. Once students realize their work is being graded for completion, many begin to lose the incentive to properly do their work because their grades will not suffer. This, in turn, perpetuates the notion that homework is no longer a valued aspect of their education. When homework is considered essential to their education, students are inclined to diligently utilize class time, resulting in an increase in participation, focus, and motivation. Without that drive, students are not prompted to learn the material or take initiative in their work.

With assignments being inputted in the gradebook for completion, teachers lack a clear understanding of where their class stands. It is imperative for teachers to continuously monitor students’ progress to ensure that the concepts and skills are mastered. This is especially important as every new lesson typically builds off of previously learnt material. When teachers identify commonly missed concepts, they could then review the content in a different way. However, that cannot transpire when teachers do not understand what their students are struggling with.

While this system of grading recognizes that students cannot grasp every problem immediately, students lack feedback. Without accurate grading, students are unable to revisit missed concepts or know what they truly need assistance with. As the test day nears, they will not understand what to study or how to complete problems. This is detrimental, as students are incognizant of where their level of mastery lies, ultimately obstructing their progress of improvement. 

Each teacher has their own way of deciding how to grade coursework, but teachers must acknowledge that it is their responsibility to provide the best education possible for their students. In order to do so, teachers must take the time to thoroughly grade assignments.