The five-point grading scale has gained widespread adoption in GDS math classes this year, with 11 out of 12 math teachers using it.
The scale, which has been in use in high school math courses at GDS for nearly eight years, is gaining popularity among teachers and students alike. Some science classes, including Physics, have also started using the scale.
The five-point grading scale is a departure from traditional percentage-based grading systems. Instead of assigning grades based on the percentage of correct answers, the scale evaluates students’ work on a point range from zero to five for each problem. A score of five reflects complete understanding and accuracy, while a score of zero indicates a lack of effort or a completely incorrect response.
Math teacher Jason Aigen, who introduced the five-point scale at GDS eight years ago, has been using a version of the scale for 17 years. According to Aigen the system aims to address frustrations with traditional grading and to find a more effective way to grade students. “I wanted a way to reward students for showing their work and making progress, even if they didn’t get the final answer,” he said.
Throughout his career, he has worked to convince students and teachers of the scale’s effectiveness. “For the first month, the kids complain, and then about a month or two later, they start liking it, and by the time we do the student feedback in the second semester, at least a third of them, one of their comments is how much they want to keep the grading system,” Aigen said.
Although Aigen’s five-point grading scale has been in use for years, more teachers are adopting it now, in part because of its alignment with broader pedagogical trends. Over the past decade, there has been a growing movement in education to focus on learning and smaller, shorter assessments rather than tests and percentage scores.
Teachers like math teacher Ellie Nader claim the scale allows them to give more credit to students based on their comprehension rather than in a points-based system where arriving at the correct answer is more important. “It helps me assess students’ understanding on a more holistic level,” Nader said. “I can see where they may have struggled or misunderstood, and that helps me provide more effective feedback.”
“The scale puts more emphasis on showing that you know the process than being able to find an answer, which I think is especially important for math,” said sophomore Vivienne Quintenz.
“I think it has helped encourage me to really show my work very thoroughly, so I can get credit on any problem even if I don’t get the answer right,” said sophomore Mae Lazerow.
Similarly, sophomore Lena Cole noted that the scale saved her from losing points for small mathematical errors that would have otherwise resulted in a completely wrong answer on a traditional percentage scale.
Math teacher Amir Raza, the only member of the math department who has not switched to the scale, plans to implement it in his classes next year. He said that he didn’t have a lot of experience with the system yet. He added that he has heard positive feedback from students who have experienced it in other classes.
Math department chair Glen Russell has been using the five-point scale in some of his classes for the past year and is now using it in all of his classes. He told the Bit he was considering mandating the five-point scale across math classes. “It would definitely be a collaborative decision within the department,” he said.