do grades matter?

by day's end, numerical grades do matter until we rewire the educational system and the whole society with its obsession with numbers. what is important, really, is how you got the grade. were you honest in your quizzes, exams, reports? did you respect your teacher and your institution? what about your peers and parents? what's a passing grade when your heart knows you cheated or you refused to extend honest help to a classmate or you were cranky to your parents and little sibling because you were "studying" or you cursed your teacher every moment you could when he/she is not looking? good grades, compassion, honesty, and ability to change are the ones that matter.

of course, grades matter. good grades get you a raise in allowance, a new gadget, longer time to hang out with friends, extra licks from your dog, and strange kindness coming from peers, relatives, and parents! not to mention, that smile all over your face. : )