To a little kid while they are growing up, it usually seems as if they must always aim for an A. And that is a good thing, because grades really do matter.

Grades do matter in school. The reason that kids go to school is so that they can learn and enhance their intelligence. They are given material to study, then are questioned on it. After that, the students are graded based on how well they have done. However, many people question whether or not grades are needed for learning.

The grades that students receive in school really are necessary for the students to learn. Most students in school do not want to "waste" their time sitting in a classroom listening to teachers talk. They would rather be playing games outside or back in bed sleeping. Grades are a way to fight that. People would not do anything unless there were incentives in it. In school's case, the incentive is the possibility of failure. Failure then leads to punishment from parents. Usually, this incentive is strong enough to combat the laziness that all students have. If there were no reason for the students to work, then which student would continue to spend up their time doing things that have no benefits whatsoever for themselves?

Another reason that grades are important for school is how it shows the progress of a student. If a student is progressing at a steady pace, then they have nothing wrong with them. But if a student were progressing at an irregular pace, then they must be put in a different class to suit their needs. A really smart student gains nothing from learning things that he already knows. But if he were to be put into a more challenging environment, then he may be able to stimulate his brain better and acquire more knowledge than he would have in a regular class.

And if a student was mentally retarded, then teaching them at a regular level would not help him, but instead inhibit his learning. His pace of comprehension is slower than the other students so he must be put in a slower environment to learn. But if there were no grades, then how would anyone know about his different pace and be able to help him?

Grades are necessary for a school to work. Not only do they provide incentives for the students to study and do their work, but they also show the progress of a student and shows which pace of learning would be the most efficient. Grades are obviously important for school if they have been in practice for so long.

Learn more about this author, Gary Mei.
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