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Very thought provoking conversation this afternoon.  One question that I'd like to explore more is the problem of grading in a system of education as life... education as participation versus preparation.  Seems to me as soon as I assign a grade to a student I undermine and betray all of my work to engage students in this re-imagined world of exploration.  Echoing Alice Lesnick, I place very little stock or value on a student’s ability to demonstrate pre-existing knowledge, at least it is only important in so far as it helps students become more competent at solving problems using the tools in their possession. I place more value on creativity and construction of solutions or answers. If one assumes or sets up the presumption that there are no “truth” only stories and diversity is a source of novelty, then perhaps at least in science I could grade students on the following criteria:

• Clarity of defining questions or problems
• Clarity and elegance of methods to explore possibilities
• Clarity of reporting and synthesizing data
• Clarity and elegance of solutions/conclusions
• Level of engagement with conversation as a means to construct all of the above

My hope is this criteria would not betray my goal of helping students become empowered, better problem solvers and comfortable with contextual and uncertain dynamics of the self and society.

Yet, I am still passing judgment when I assign a grade. Is there a way out? How do educators evaluate and assess in a system of education as life.