Would posting students' grades publicly in schools motivate them to perform better?

Topic:
Education Debates

24 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
29% of users

  • This will increase competition in students.

    If an F- student sees his grades posted right next to a straight A student's grades, he/ she will most likely start competing with that student and this will bring up the grades. In addition, the child will now understand competition and use it throughout his/ her life.

    Yes Anonymous

  • Public accountability would boost performance.

    Learning to be accountable to one's peers and superiors is an important part of personal growth. It will also serve to motivate students by making them subject to judgment from their peers.

    Yes M4r5hKai

  • By putting bad grades out students

    are more likely to get embarrassed and to make sure it did not happen again would work to bring their grade up

    Yes Anonymous

  • By making student's grades public, they are more likely to be motivated to perform better academically.

    No students wants to be embarrassed among their peers because they have bad grades. By posting student's grade in public allows them to be more motivated to perform better. Each student can see their ranks and this will drive competition to get to the top! The more competition, the more likely students are to become more academically hard working and driven.

    Yes M4xFace

  • Yes, because posting grades publicly in schools will show their performance to everyone, which will motivate the students to perform better from other who is performing better than that student.

    Posting grades publicly in school will increase the competition in the students as everyone will be seeing their grades and will compare their grades from the other students who might be scoring higher grades. This will motivate the students to perform better and better to come at the top of the grades and feel more confidant from others.

    Yes RingJonas

  • The posting of students' grade publicly in schools increases the scope of competition and makes them competitive, to do better.

    When students' grade is posted publicly in schools, it leads to competition among them. When one student sees his counterpart's marks, it leads to rivalry in the field of studies, which is known as "competition." Competition helps to encourage the students to perform better in the further assessments and leads to a bright future. So, posting grades publicly in schools motivates students to perform well.

    Yes taiboxer

  • I agree the public display of grades in schools will definitely encourage the students.

    Public posting of grades will encourage the students to learn better and score higher. Students of higher grades will definitely improve because they would like to stand as an example to their juniors. In smaller age, it is a joy for the students to see their name at the top. However, in all age groups, this will create a good impact and will motivate the students to perform better.

    Yes ArelyR
Voice Your Opinion
No
71% of users

  • I do not think publicly posting grades will motivate anyone, because it may do nothing more than embarrass.

    Having your grade posted in public does not necessarily motivate you to do better. A bad grade might embarrass you, but I do not think any sort of competition between students would motivate them in any positive way. Additionally, unless a number system was used, I would feel like publicly posting grades alongside names would be an invasion of privacy.

    No BashfulEmil60

  • No, because I don't think motivation comes from grades.

    I think that motivation does not come from grades alone. A student may be set up to be more humiliated with posted grades. I don't think it would be effective. In this day and age, bullies are bullies, and they will find weaknesses through grades. Motivation comes from within, from confidence, and from family. Posting grades publicly isn't a good idea.

    No PointlessElbert47

  • Posting students' grades publicly would not motivate a significant number of students to perform better, rather it would only serve to foster resentment in those students performing poorly.

    Posting of individual students' grades is a form of negative reinforcement that has no place in the learning environment. The potential for emotional harm and ridicule from other students far outweighs any positive benefit that could occur from adopting this policy. Motivation would be far better achieved by use of positive methods already in place. Recognizing better performing students and rewarding that performance will motivate other pupils to greater efforts to receive those same rewards. Negative reinforcement is best used as a last resort and used sparingly in those instances. Students learn best when they are happy, interested and enjoying the learning experience. Educators have a responsibility to provide a positive atmosphere and proper guidance to encourage improved performance from the students they are teaching.

    No FPeyton

  • Shaming makes all things worse.

    Shame and humiliation negatively impact your self-worth and your perceived abilities. Being publicly labeled as a failure will only ensure that your grades go down, never up. They will not suddenly "start to compete" with their peers, because the shame will make them believe that they cannot compete, so why bother.

    No Anonymous

  • Absolutley not.

    How would embarrassing a kid in front of other students make them want to do better. It would make the smart kids more cocky and the not so smart kids feel inadequate and angry. It wouldn't give them drive it would make themupset.

    No Anonymous

  • Humiliating students in public is WRONG

    I myself was humiliated my a teacher in math class. She publicly said in class that I had late work and that I don't listen in class so I might as well fail. She added to my stress as i was sick a lot that year and had back problems. After she humiliated me in public, I couldn't concentrate on my work anymore and all I thought about was getting revenge for what she did to me. I know one victim who experienced the same I did. He use to be a good student until he fell for the same trap I fell in. He and I are friends because of our many similarities.

    No Anonymous

  • NO! Please, no!

    I don't think judgment from peers and embarassment are good educational techniques. When the affective filter (stress) is increased by possible public humiliation our ability to learn shuts down. If it is a joy to see your name at the top, what is the feeling to be at the bottom? What is our goal here?

    No Anonymous

  • Is this an educated question?

    Where did this idea come from? Since the 1960's researchers have done studies that show motivation is DECREASED with external rewards. Feelings of security and willingness to take a risk are destroyed by the prospect of public display of achievement (or lack of achievement). Competition creates winners and losers and undermines the collaborative teamwork we have created in our classrooms.

    No Anonymous

  • NO NO NO

    My school in Malaysia was exactly the same.. it not motivated me at all, infact it emberassed me so much, I didnt want to go school. Leading to even worse grades. You dont want your kids to feel victimised. Only bad parenting support stupid motivational methods like this.. GTH

    No Anonymous

  • No, posting students' grades publicly in schools would substantially increase performance anxiety, which for many causes poor performance.

    Particularly in minority students, performance can be greatly affected by what they perceive their stereotyped performance expectations are. I read somewhere that on high-stress tests minority students typically perform much worse than white students, whereas on non-high stress tests, they perform equally with white students. Any test where grades will be later posted will create a higher-stress environment than a test where grades are not publicly posted; therefore posting the grades publicly will case minority students to perform worse (and probably white students as well - I know I wouldn't do very well if I was busy worrying about everyone seeing I got a bad grade).

    No A Paul

  • This would be ridiculous

    Some students are very cruel, if grades were posted everyone would look for the lowest grade and proceed to mock that child.

    No Anonymous

  • Although posting grades may motivate some, it may cause lower self-esteem for others.

    We are all unique. We all have strengths and weaknesses. A student's grades, scores, or progress may or may not be equal and/or comparable to others. Ability and environment effect the rate at which students achieve. Some very bright students may be involved in more extracurricular activities which may effect their achievement rate. Some students may not have the mental ability to achieve as fast as others, or they may have a learning disability. Some students may have parents who exclusively enhance their drive to achieve academically, while others may have parents who believe their children should be well-rounded and choose to offer and expose their children to a variety of activities. Unfortunately, some students may have parents that do not care what they do, which most likely will negatively effect their progress and development. Progress should be discussed on an individual level and should always be initiated with a positive outlook. Each student needs to understand and see that caretakers (teachers, parents, mentors, etc.) truly care about them as individuals, and want to help them achieve to their greatest potential. Teachers must not compare students, but rather understand and celebrate differences, while supporting and providing for a variety of pursuits to enhance development.

    No Anonymous

  • This is not a good idea for the poor performing students who already are doing their best; they don't need further humiliation.

    There would be a number of students who would get their act together and study harder if grades were posted. No one wants their whole world to know they are screw- ups. But for some kids who have learning disabilities such as ADD and dyslexia, they don't need more humiliation. Kids are already sensitive and still developing self-esteem, so this would not be fair for many students.

    No NettN355

  • I believe that posting grades in schools is an invasion of privacy.

    Although it might motivate some students to try to achieve higher grades, I cannot support posting grades in school. I feel that it is an invasion of privacy and is a matter better handled between teachers and parents. Being so publicly embarrassed might drive some children away from school. There are better ways than public humiliation to get a poor student?s attention.

    No R0d0Ferdy

  • I do not think that posting students' grades publicly in schools would motivate them to perform better because all students are different and each one would react differently to it.

    Each student thinks differently. So while one student may get motivated to perform better if he gets low grades, another may feel humiliated and embarrassed. She may even commit suicide because of this. Also, all young people are very concerned about fitting in with the group and being accepted. Having their grades made public may fill them with low self esteem and reduce their confidence levels. It may even make them uncomfortable around their peer group. I think posting students' grades publicly in schools would do more harm than good.

    No danoneeno

  • No, a student does not need to be publicly humiliated to improve their performance.

    Publicizing a persons grades may improve their performance but it would come at a significant cost. Children may be humiliated and become the subject of ridicule from their peers. This is unnecessary. If this is the tool used to motivate the student, the school and the parents have failed. Performance is a private matter for the student and their family.

    No R43Shep

  • Posting grades publicly in schools would be detrimental to many of the students.

    Although many students who do well in school might be encouraged to continue with their progress, the idea that posting all student's grades would improve the grades would not work. Those students who are not doing well are not always the ones who aren't trying, and a child who consistently had poor grades posted - despite their best efforts - would eventually give up, not improve. The idea would really help only the students in the upper grade categories who WEREN'T already trying their best. For the rest, it would result in shame, ridicule, and frustration - hardly the type of environment we are trying to create in our schools. Students who do well are already publicly acknowledged in many places through Honor Roll listings in the local newspapers. This should be enough.

    No WorldMead
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