It is a sad fact that the present education system attaches too much importance to grades obtained in various tests or exams. Parents and kids share several concerns when it comes to the future (and particularly, to the future potential success). Every semester the ritual is the same when grades are reported. Some don't ever have to worry, the report cards are full of A's, and others hide them under the bed. Grades are often touted as the single most important factor when determining college admissions, job applications, and future success. The following is one of the single most asserted facts of life:

Good grades grant entrance to elite academics. Academic success at a top university guarantees a well-paying highly respected job to grant the necessary outcomes of success, including a big house, exotic vacations, societal status, large bank accounts, and many more luxuries of life.

As soon as we decide to measure something, we become slaves to it. Grades are no different. Grades are a practical way to measure whether or not a student has learned the school curriculum material.

Without effective ways to measure other signals of cognitive and non-cognitive abilities, parents and children alike obsess over report cards. Did the grade go up? Did it go down? Was it high or low?

Character traits such as grit, curiosity, teamwork, oral communication, and creativity are non-cognitive abilities that are not tested and reflected in report cards. The grades achieved represent only the student's performance in academics and not the all-round evaluation of a child’s capabilities.

Hence, here are some ways, other than grades, that could help assess a child's progress of cognitive as well as non-cognitive abilities.

1. Teacher Assessment

Questioning is an old, tried, and tested method where teachers check children’s understanding. The questioning must be appropriate, and timely, however. A well-timed question can reveal how developed children’s understanding is, and what needs to be done to help them to reach a particular standard.

Another method of teacher assessment is through observation. This has been used for centuries and is great for ascertaining how well a child has mastered a particular skill, whether they are disengaged or are on a task, and how well they are integrating into the social context of learning.

2. Show & Tell

When children get the chance to present something to the rest of their class, they often grab it with both hands.

If they are passionate about a topic, they will show how much they have learned from what they present and how they present it. ‘Show and tell’ also encourages children to think about their learning, and makes them more aware of how they have learned it. Most importantly, ‘show and tell’ helps children to develop their articulation and explanation skills (speaking and listening).

3. Personal Development Plans

Teachers can work with individual students to agree on what they wish to achieve. This is often connected to their passions and keen interests and can be instrumental in shaping their future careers. This is a very personalized form of self-assessment, which can be facilitated by the teacher as an informal method of assessment. It indicates how well students are progressing in a range of subjects, but ultimately is about their readiness to take up responsible positions in society.

4. Games

There is an increasing number of games that can showcase children’s learning, especially in some of the core subjects such as numeracy, science, and literacy. Although games are generally fun and can be competitive, the key aspect of playing the game is that children can develop reasoning and problem-solving skills which are demonstrated in the levels they reach and the points they score.

5. Authentic Challenges and Real-World Tasks

Students can showcase their learning by making videos or writing blogs. The feedback is informal, and the learning is variable, but such activities can lock into the demands of future work.

6. Project-Based Learning

This can take many different forms, depending on what most interests the student. Some projects can run for a term, or even an entire academic year. Students develop several organizational skills such as resource and time management, and if the project is collaborative, can also lead to building negotiation, decision making, and leadership skills.

Children are exceptionally perceptive of their surroundings. So, one should help their child focus on doing his/her best than on how others are doing, and he/she will grow up into a strong, capable, independent, and responsible human being.