Dustin Tatroe and Ghazali Abdul Wahab launch a two-part conversation on “grades that tell the truth,” focusing in Part 1 on accuracy—what grades should measure, why they often don’t, and how grading practices shape teacher workload and student motivation. They compare contexts in Singapore and the United States: Ghazali outlines Singapore’s high-stakes structure (PSLE with banded scoring, O/N Level exams, removal of midyear exams, and three weighted assessments plus a year-end exam that make up recorded grades), where most day-to-day work is formative and not entered into the gradebook. Dustin contrasts this with common U.S. practices where teachers frequently grade nearly everything, often required to post multiple grades per week, leading to 60+ grades per semester and significant grading volume.

They discuss stress and equity issues tied to high-stakes exams and school prestige, including Singapore’s tuition industry and U.S. funding disparities across districts. The conversation emphasizes the value of clear rubrics, shared language, exemplars, and peer marking to reduce subjectivity and improve feedback. Dustin argues against grading homework and other practice behaviors, recommending that practice work receive feedback but not be recorded as grades, and that recorded grades focus on independent demonstrations of mastery. Ghazali reinforces a mindset shift away from believing formative practice must be graded to matter, advocating for feedback that supports learning and risk-taking.

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