We know how much students care about grades and how they respond when they get a grade they didn’t expect and don’t think they deserve. But are we clear about how students ought to respond to grades? What are the characteristics of a mature, mindful response to these quality assessments? My concern is not how students talk to each other about their grades. Letting off steam is an understandable response. Way more important is how they process the feedback internally—what they’re telling themselves about the grades they receive.
