Teaching in Higher Ed Learning About Grades from an Emerging Failure and Special Guest Emily Donahoe
Sep 18, 2025
Emily Pitts Donahoe, an expert in alternative grading and progressive teaching, discusses the transformative 'Grading for Growth' framework. She identifies four essential pillars: marks indicating progress, reattempts without penalties, clear standards, and actionable feedback. With insights from Bonni's daughter, they explore how traditional grades fail to communicate true student progress, emphasizing the need for a grading system that prioritizes learning over mere performance. Emily's reflections urge educators to rethink their approaches for better student engagement.
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Grades As Progress Signals
- Grades should indicate learning progress rather than rank students against peers.
- Talbert and Clark's four pillars frame alternative grading around progress, reattempts, clear standards, and helpful feedback.
Fifth Grader Defines Grades
- Hannah describes grades as a mark of progress and says they're important to know how you're doing.
- She reports often getting 'D' (developing) in writing and feeling discouraged by that.
Give Actionable Steps With Marks
- Give students grades plus specific steps to improve rather than a single label.
- Tell them concrete actions to reach the next level so grades guide learning instead of just signaling deficiency.
