St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, Japan, uses a unique grading system for its middle school students. Multiple grade 8 students, including Luca Stein, Louis Hindle, George Pilgram, and more, express strong opinions about this system.
Instead of the traditional letter grades like ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, or ‘F’, St. Mary’s middle school uses a scale from ‘1’ to ‘4’. While this might sound simple, there is another side to this system that has several confusing and frustrating aspects.
Each number in the St. Mary’s grading system represents a different level of performance: A ‘1’ is the lowest grade and basically means the student didn’t do anything at all. A ‘2’ means the student did some stuff, but they didn’t put in much effort. A ‘3’ is the most common grade, and it’s not too hard to get. Teachers even encourage students to retake tests if they don’t earn a ‘3’ the first time. A ‘4’ is the highest grade and is much harder to earn. In many subjects, students aren’t allowed to retake tests to try for a ‘4’.
While this system reduces stress about grades and supports learning through retakes, some students feel the system fails to reward actual effort.
Several students have talked about their concerns about the fairness and accuracy of this grading system.
“I studied to do the Japanese essay, but then I got a ‘2’, which was the same grade as an anonymous person who didn’t study, and I studied, by the way,” said Louis Hindle angrily. “If I try, I still get the same grade as someone who doesn’t try.”
Luca Stein had a similar experience: “I got a 98% on a test, and I got a ‘3’, but my friend who got a 75% also got a ‘3’, and he even got the same final grade I got.”
George Pilgram, an 8th grader, said, “The grading system is confusing because the grades one through four are not balanced. This is because a one is an F, a two is a D through B, a three is an A, four is an A+. Most people end up getting a three, and almost no one gets a one. Very few people get a four, and the rest get twos.”
Anonymous students are also sharing their ideas, with one saying, “I don’t think the grading system at St. Mary’s is the best, because for the people who actually work hard, they get the same grade as a person who did a bunch of retests and did not put in much effort.” Another said, “It doesn’t let students develop the habit of actually studying for tests.”
But not every student is against the system. Goki Baba, another student at the school, said, “In my opinion like, I don’t think it’s that accurate, like compared to like other grading systems that use like A and B and stuff.” Goki also pointed out a flaw, saying that “The range of a three in the grading system is way too large.”
At the same time, some students appreciate the flexibility and reduced pressure. They like being able to retake tests and say it makes school less stressful.
Some students thought of a solution: this is to add an additional ‘5’ grade to the system. Students who originally got a ‘4’ would now get a ‘5’, and those who fell short of the original ‘4’ can get a ‘4’ in the new system. Students who get a ‘3’ will either stay a ‘3’ or get a ‘2’.
One other solution that students thought of is to just use the ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ system that they are using in high school. “If high school is using it, why can’t we?” one student pointed out.
While some students find the system forgiving, others believe it hides important differences in effort and achievement.
As the middle school community continues to debate the effectiveness and fairness of the grading system. One thing is clear: some students are very frustrated with it.
