Today, students and their parents not only have continuous access to work on platforms like Canvas, Schoology, and Google Classroom, but they also have constant updates about missing work and dropping grades. This access is so ubiquitous my students can’t even imagine a time when I had no idea how I was doing classes and final grades seemed like some kind of magic amalgamation of tests, quizzes, HW, and a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion by my teacher. What was better, some might ask? I tend to favor my childhood experience, but most people my age often do without good reason. I think, however, that I have a good reason. Students these days are too tethered to this constant external feedback. They are constantly adjusting, reevaluating, and strategizing based on a grade. Learning feels like it has been gamified. Those who can analyze at that level and readjust do better than those who clam up and avoid uncomfortable feedback. 

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