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Issue 4, Opinion

We’ve all heard about what came to Athens High School at the beginning of second semester–the ability for students and parents to check their grades online. Just because we’ve heard about it, though, doesn’t mean everybody is happy about it.

I am thoroughly convinced that I am the only student at AHS that sees online grade checks as a positive. At least the only enthusiastic one about it. Even the top of my class is dreading this new addition to AHS. Of course I might loathe the system when I fail a test that I never tell my parents about, or if I neglect to turn in a homework assignment, but other than that, all I see are benefits.

So, here I am, trying to convince you all that this evil system — something it seems that every student at AHS is dreading — isn’t as bad as you might think. In fact, I’ll share with you my list of reasons why you should be in favor of online grade checks.

Being a junior this year, I spend a good amount of my time stressing about grades, colleges and my upcoming future. I worry about upcoming tests, tests that I’ve already taken, strenuous homework assignments and homework assignments that I may have forgotten to turn in.

With the online grades, I will be able to know what assignments I’ve missed, and what assignments I need to turn in. This way, my days could potentially be a bit less stressful.

So what is everyone really worried about? I can answer that question in a single word: parents. Yes, your parents will be able to see your grades. Let me let you in on a little secret, though. There’s this thing called a report card, you get it every quarter, and that tells your parents what your grades are, too.

The problem with a report card is that your final grade is the only thing shown. Instead of trying to have to explain why you received the grades you did, you can break everything down using the online grades and explain to your parents that you really did try, you just missed that one assignment.

There is one thing I agree with everyone else on–the fact that my parents could be monitoring my progress in all my classes is a scary thought. They will know about every assignment I fail or neglect to do. However,  instead of using this fear to merely complain about how much I hate the idea of online grades, I use it as motivation.

If I know my parents can see how I am doing in each of my classes, I am going to work twice as hard as I am right now. This system will motivate me to study harder and to do all my homework–not just the stuff I know how to do and I can easily complete, but the stuff that makes me think and takes time to finish.

Also, this system could possibly make me care just a little bit more. As a teenager I look at school as something required and there may be a time or two that I don’t try as hard as my parents might want me to. But with college in a year and a half, it would probably be a good idea for me to start caring. I don’t know about you, but being able to track my progress is going to make me care a lot more. When I see that I missed an assignment, or am not doing so well in a class, it will bring me down and make me want to work harder for my grades. If I see that my progress is good, and that I am doing well, it will motivate me to continue doing well.

So after hearing me rant for a good couple of paragraphs, I hope I have at least made you think a little bit about the benefits of grade checks. Although your parents will be able to see your grades, you can use that as motivation, and you can bring your grades up so you can keep the privileges that your parents might be threatening to take away. You will be able to track your progress, and know what you have and haven’t done in a class, and what you need to do to bring your grade up to its full potential.