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Should Class Participation Be Graded?

March 27, 2023

When your teacher asks a question, do you immediately shoot your hand into the air? Or are you more likely to hide behind the student in front of you? For the students in Tomika Lamb’s fourth-grade class, raising their hands can raise their grades. Lamb is a teacher at Twin Hills Elementary School in Willingboro, New Jersey. She’s one of many teachers across the U.S. who count class participation toward students’ grades.

Lamb says class discussions keep kids engaged—and help her identify areas where students need more help.

“It gives the teacher a chance to hear students’ ideas and to check their level of understanding,” she explains.

But some people think it’s unfair to grade students on participation. They point out that some kids might speak up only because they’re expected to, not because they have something useful to add to the discussion. Others argue that quieter kids might actually be more focused and pay closer attention than other students do.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

Students who are willing to participate in class discussions should be rewarded for it. Raising your hand and answering questions shows your teacher that you’ve studied and paid attention to what is being taught in class.

Receiving grades for participation helps kids build confidence by teaching them to speak up and share their opinions. It also helps build important life skills like being able to speak in public and communicate ideas.

Just because someone doesn’t speak up in class doesn’t mean they’re a bad student. Kids can show their teachers that they understand their schoolwork in other ways, like doing well on projects, written assignments, and tests.

Some students are shy and may not be comfortable speaking in front of their classmates. Sometimes, kids aren’t sure of the answer to a certain question. Their grades shouldn’t depend on class participation.