Jerry Farber Grading System

Learning is no longer the outcome of attending school; the outcome is simply conditioned robots. A robotic mind is conditioned through the grading process at school. “A Young Person’s Guide to the Grading System,” an essay written by Jerry Farber fights the positive thought on grades, and claims for grades to be the reason for lack of knowledge. In agreement with Farber, I believe the grading system is a failing system with an end result of ignorance.
Through his essay, Farber argues against the grading system for a multitude of reasons. Farber mentions how comparable the grading scale is to slave work. He fights that slave work causes the thought of dull learning. This is because when forced to learn, as slaves were forced to work, learning

becomes painful and monotonous. Not only are students compared to slaves they are compared to grade junkies. “Convinced that we’d never learn without the A’s and F’s to keep us going”, writes Farber. He compares grades to a drug, and claims grades become addictive which, hides the real meaning behind learning. The comparisons do not stop there; students are compared to children as grades are to candy and spankings. All these comparisons point to students missing the true motivation of learning. Which is not grades, but the furtherment of knowledge.
In his essay, Farber’s solution is the credit system. The credit system is similar to the pass/fail system minus the fail. You simply do the required work and earn a credit or you do not and lose nothing but time. The credit system would encourage knowledge based learning, and not grade based learning. Along with the credit system he argues more certificates and more degree based rewards on more meaningful accomplishments. Or, Farber argues, none at all. Just a list of the credits received. He argues that maybe jobs should judge the accomplishments and simply receive the credit information only.
I agree with Farber. I agree that grades dull the mind and take the color from learning. I believe I have not learned more in a class because I received an A. No, I believe I played the game and won. I do agree with grades making me comparable to a child. I feel I need an A or I have failed. Just as a child needs candy as a reward for his entire life. My school life is controlled by grades. My financial life is controlled by grades. I play the game to receive an A because I need scholarship money. Grades have affected me negatively, and have starved me from knowledge.
I am conflicted on Farber’s solution. I truly believe his solution would change society. However, I do not know if the good outweighs the bad. In a positive light, I believe students would flourish. I believe learning would be colorful and desirable. I think knowledge would become addictive and society would advance to a new, brighter level. However, the chaos of change that would be created could end badly. Society may dislike grades, but they dislike change even more. Also, would our robotic minds be content with an end result simply being knowledge? Would our simple thought process break into havoc if we did not receive a letter to reward us? I think the solution needs a solution.
The grading system results in lack of knowledge according to Farber’s view, and I agree. Farber believes grades derail students and lead them to miss the true motivation. In order to begin change, I believe students must also open their eyes and minds to a system besides grades. I believe that will begin cutting the ties of the grading system and begin to build something bigger and better.