Category: Fall 2023

Often throughout this Writing Seminar: Risks, Rewards & Rent-Paying course, we have referenced the short story “Bloodchild” by Octavia Butler to write about its relevance to topics discussed in class. We have demonstrated this when we wrote collaborative essays about “Bloodchild” and how it illuminates the risks and rewards of classes switching to an ungrading system. In addition, we wrote individual essays on how “Bloodchild” relates to our experiences here at Geneseo through many risks and rewards. Continually, “Bloodchild” not only shows relevance to small topics discussed in class in segments, it can be seen as symbolic for the entire course. When Butler writes, “If we’re not your animals, if these are adult things, accept the risk. There is risk, Gatoi, in dealing with a partner”, she is demonstrating the idea that people need to be able to take risks in order to achieve all their rewards.

In “Bloodchild”, we can examine how Butler provides an example of taking risks to achieve greater success. “Bloodchild”, in short, is about two different types of species, the Tlic and the Terrans, who live together in the Tlic’s homeworld. Gan, a Terran, and T’Gatoi, a Tlic, are very different from one another; T’Gatoi is much older, wiser, and powerful than Gan. In the end, however, it is revealed to the reader that Gan and T’Gatoi are falling in love with each other when T”Gatoi says “‘I won’t leave you as Lomas was left–alone, N’Tlic. I’ll take care of you” (Butler 29). Since they share little in common, it would be difficult to deal with one another as partners, but this is a risk they decide to take. Unfortunately, the reader does not get to see where their relationship leads, because the short story ends at this point. Although we do not know if Gan and T’Gatoi’s relationship is successful, we can make the assumption that if they stay together, they will be happy, because people who are truly in love find happiness from their relationship. It would be a risk for Gan and T’Gatoi to date since they are so unlike each other, but by taking a chance, they could have a lifetime of happiness together.

As I have progressed through this course, I have experienced similar feelings about taking risks to become successful. I can remember feeling a little intimidated by my classmates in the beginning of the semester when we were told to work together on assignments or in discussions. I felt like I was “putting myself out there” whenever I was contributing to our group. It was a risk each time I participated because I worried that others may not be interested in what I had to say. If I avoided talking in class because of this fear, I never would have been able to grow into a more confident person, and specifically, a more confident writer. I took the risk in working with others throughout this course, and in return, I gained the rewards of improving my writing and teamwork skills.

As we are finishing the fall semester, I have been reflecting on my academic growth since beginning college. My ability to reflect on my learning and outlook changes throughout this course have helped me accomplish GLOBE’s insistence. GLOBE, A Geneseo Education for a Connected World, entails that a Geneseo student will learn “perspectives and skills to engage the complexities and possibilities of a globally connected world” (GLOBE Information Page, 2023) through several courses and experiences. Since I have not been a student at Geneseo for long, I do not know what I may learn here in the future, but reflecting on this past semester, I have learned a lot to help me understand the global world. For example, in this writing class, we were introduced to the Geneseo Career Design Center and some of the programs they offer to students, such as Handshake, the Alumni Career Network, and Focus 2. These resources will be helpful to me and other students when we are looking for guidance towards choosing a career path, and trying to apply for jobs. Another example refers back to the concept of working with others in discussions and writing assignments. The epigraph’s idea of taking risks to be successful can again be applied here because this may not always be a comfortable activity for people. However, this prepares us for the future in our global connected world, because it is very likely in our future careers we will have to work as a team with others. People who have practiced working with others, like me through this writing class, will have an easier time working cooperatively with others in the future. Since we learned these skills and techniques in class, we are integrating what we are learning in the classroom into the “real world” and our life after college. Courses that can be used to benefit life inside and outside of Geneseo are not only practical, but necessary to keep producing active, engaged citizens into our global community. After all, isn’t the goal of education in the United States to develop students into good faithed, creative, productive citizens in our society?

People should want to pay attention to this epigraph because it could help to change their lives. If people accept risks, and the challenges that may come with taking a risk, they could obtain many rewards. There is a famous quote that says: “Risk is the price you pay for opportunity” (Unknown). Those who never take a chance will not know what they are missing out on or what they are capable of. This applies to all students in this writing class as well as everyone not in this class. We can see this being helpful in class because students who take the risk of asking for help, participating in discussions, and changing up their writing techniques, are more likely to progress as writers because they are accepting change. On the other hand, students who don’t attend class and have not been able to accept the idea of using feedback to their advantage, may never unlock a higher level of writing that their peers may achieve.

In conclusion, I have enjoyed my time in this writing course because I have learned how to become a better writer through collaboration activities, feedback from others, readings from “They Say/I Say” by Cathy Birkenstein and Gerald Graff, and overall practice. It is interesting to me to look back at the course description on Brightspace and see the “Bloodchild” epigraph quote. At the start of this course, this would have meant nothing to me; I didn’t know the characters relevant, and I definitely did not know what “Bloodchild” was even about. Now that I understand the context of the quote, I can better understand its meaning and apply it to myself and this course. It matters to me that I continue to work towards being a better writer so my thoughts are never interpreted incorrectly or lost in translation because my writing wasn’t expressed clearly enough. While some may guess wrong at what I am trying to say or may not always follow along, I want to know that I wrote to the best of my ability every time. In addition, it is important to me to be perceived as a good writer (or at least not a bad writer) since it is assumed that people with strong writing skills put time and effort into their writings. For example, if I was reading an article without a strong argument or thesis, with many grammatical errors, and with overall unclarity of the focus of the article, I would assume the author is not a strong writer. Personally, I think effort and the effectiveness of a writing piece to persuade a reader to agree with a certain idea makes a good writer. I always take the time to think about what I am actually trying to write, and I try to make sure my thoughts are organized clearly, so I would want a reader to recognize this attention to detail. My goal of becoming a better writer has been accomplished through this course when I have taken risks, and I will continue to push myself to achieve more rewards of writing efficiently in the future.

Grayson Clark

12/9/2023

Throughout this semester I have come to learn that with almost everything there is a risk, whether that is something small like procrastinating on your work to hangout with friends or  a more severe situation like spending thousands of dollars to attend school. The epilogue from Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild” “If we’re not your animals, if these are adult things, accept the risk. There is risk, Gatoi, in dealing with a partner.” This epilogue reflects lots of my first semester. It means to me that each decision you make has a risk no matter the severity. While adjusting to college throughout this semester I have come to realize that with heavier the weight of the decision very often the outcome has a heavy result. Overtime I have gained a better understanding that while there may be risks on each side there’s also a reward for each. While still using the first examples, when I decide to study and do well on a test I feel very accomplished and relieved, but if I choose my friends over work I often feel the repercussions later on of my actions. But during college it isn’t all about school, growing into college has shown me that it is finding the medium that will benefit me the most.

While dealing with risks versus rewards, with school, the rewards are very often the most important aspect. Although the reward may sometimes seem as just as a result, there is often a better and a worse side of the rewards. The rewards are always relatively clear cut. Gan seems to pick up on this fairly well throughout “Bloodchild”. In the story “Bloodchild” Butler plays with the ideas of risks versus rewards of humans living on a foreign planet. The main character Gan is caught in a dilemma, he had seen a human give birth to T’lic larva. In a sense this experience has traumatized Gan and he begins to worry about his future and says “His body convulsed at the first cut.” while watching what he will have to endure. The T’lic that lives with Gan, T’Gatoi, asks Gan if he would rather have his sister give birth to the larva. He understands that the risk of letting his sister take the larva has a risk of her passing away during birth which could result in him feeling as if it’s his fault she passed away, but with him taking the larva he is able to make sure his sister lives and gives himself a chance to live as well. With Gan ultimately taking the larva himself he understands that with the risks he will put forward with taking the larva but shows that he also believes that the result will be more beneficial to him. Gan weighing out his options on making his decision has shown me that it is beneficial to weigh out the positives and negatives of my own in any given situation. 

Whether it is making the decision to hangout with my friends or be proactive and get my work done early in the semester I had struggled choosing the right path. In most cases it would’ve been the better option to get my work done but with all my friends hanging out together I had decided I didn’t want to miss out on that opportunity. The first time I had come back with a bad test score I was lucky it was able to be dropped but it gave me a wakeup call. I realized I was no longer in high school and the stakes have risen. I realized that I need to put more effort into my work and sacrifice some social time to achieve what I came to school to do. As the semester had gone on I had found fun in learning, I had realized that with a group studying can be much less of a chore and I can negate the sacrifice of missing out with my friends. It has become a great social outlet for me and has also improved my test scores. This has become a great reward that I have been given as choosing the option to benefit myself has benefited me in more ways than I could’ve ever expected. But on the other hand this also shows there may be unexpected outcomes. Coming into this semester I had hoped to play soccer. Soccer being the main reason I had decided to attend Geneseo it had really devastated me when the doctor had told me I would no longer be able to play until I get surgery. I hadn’t seen this result before I had come to Geneseo but even though I may have not been happy then it led me to meeting some of my best friends. With the decision on coming to Geneseo to play soccer I hadn’t seen any risk but in the end there had turned out to be another side to the option of playing here. 

But with taking these risks even if they had gone sideways something positive had come out of each one. Even if it took time to see, each one it was a positive outcome for me. In many situations there can be positive outlooks if you see it from the right perspective. 

Much of what Gan had experienced in “Bloodchild ” is the same in some aspects. What may seem incorrect to humans may be important to the T’lic and vice versa. The humans fleeing from Earth had nowhere to stay and were brought in by the T’lic in return the T’lic had placed some restrictions on the humans and had them aid them with their young. Without the risk of allowing the humans to live on their planet the T’lic wouldn’t have the reward of having somewhere for their young to grow. And similarly the humans wouldn’t have anywhere to live if they didn’t allow the T’lic to grow their young within them. In each aspect there is a group that is reaping the benefits of the others’ risk.

Throughout this semester the risks versus rewards part of this court had been what had been the most prominent part of this course in my day to day life. This class has shown me that with a great risk can come great reward if you are willing to work in good faith. If you decide to work hard and sacrifice what others will not, you will attain what others cannot. Butler’s “Bloodchild” had shed light on this aspect for me in a real situation being that Gan had a hard decision on his hands but was able to decide what would be the best for him. Gan may not be a direct mentor for me seeing as our situations are not similar, but how he has conducted himself throughout a pressure situation like he had experienced gives me a guide on how to treat situations I may not be able to navigate easily. As many students begin college they go through changes that they did not see them having to go through and that is one thing Gan had done well that I had admired, even though it is fiction it is still useful to use these characters and how they have treated their situations so maturely. The risks and rewards of this first semester have been evident to me after the fact of the situation, not so much at the start. This is why I believe that before people make decisions they should take their time and think about what each decision could bring.

Nick Robers, Cadan Ziemba, Lila Warner, Sarah Bacon, Vincent Maronski, Grayson Clark

Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild” illuminates some of the tensions in what Jesse Stommel terms “ungrading”. In summary, the short story “Bloodchild” is about two different species, the Tlic and the Terrans. The Tlic’s homeland is the preserve, which is where they all live. The Terrans got kicked out of their homeworld and ended up at the preserve as invaders. They have come a long way from being enemies with each other, but there are still issues with their relationship. The Tlic and Terrans have made agreements on how to live with each other in peace. However, the Tlic have placed restrictions on the Terrans, which has caused the Tlic to have more power. It says in the story, “Firearms were illegal in the preserve” (Butler 12). This is just one example of the Terrans having to give up some of their freedoms with no way of protecting themselves. Consequently, the Terrans often feel intimidated by the Tlics. This may be because Tlics and Terrans have different roles in society, this being that the Tlics have more power over the Terrans. This could lead to unease between the two and create alarm for the Terrans. Butler writes on page 5, that Gan says “It was a little frightening to know that only she stood between us and the desperation that could so easily swallow us.” This helps portray the type of intimidation and fear that the Tlic struck into the Terrans even when they are protected on the preserve. The Terrans understand that even though they have some lines of protection, at the end of the day the Tlic still reigns over them. This gives us a glimpse into a setting without clear and open communication. The Tlic have established rules, but keep many aspects of their needs from Terrans private, such as their parasite birthing process. This leads to discomfort and unrest from characters like Gan’s brother and eventually Gan, as we see later in the story.

Despite its location on an alien world, “Bloodchild” has much in common with day-to-day life. The key that ties these two different worlds together is the flawed systems of hierarchy and its many nuances. In “Bloodchild”, the system in place forces Terrans to host Tlic young until they can live independently. In our own world, the conventional system of grading offers little room for individual accommodation or student input. While each of these systems is flawed, they manage to persist in day-to-day life as they are seen as the norm in their respective societies. There are only a few who are trying to upend these systems. “Bloodchild” shows its main character, Gan, making the case for Terrans being permitted to view Tlic’s “births” so they can see when things go right. This is much like the teachers experimenting with a new line of ungraded communication with their students. In our world, there are a handful of teachers and professors who are adopting an “ungrading” system that gives more freedom to individual students. But as a traditional way of teaching it is very similar to the society of the Tlic and Terrans in that the teacher almost always has power over the student. 

According to Stommel, conventional grading is not a good marker of learning for students. He believes that conventional grading can cause unfairness, poor feedback, and competitiveness instead of collaboration. For example, when students become focused on achieving better grades than their classmates, they tend to become less motivated to learn for their own benefit, but rather to “beat” their classmates. This kind of situation can often be highlighted when a teacher hands back a graded assignment resulting in a whisper around the room of everyone asking each other what they got. We can see what happens when you eliminate these sorts of situations, specifically when Stommel discusses the effects of conventional grading on students during the pandemic. Rather than accurately measuring how much a student has learned, the conventional grading system measures how well students switched to online classes and were able to perform in a crisis. On the other hand, the ungrading system is focused more on reflection and engagement with the material in the course. Stommel states “ungrading starts with teachers just talking to students about grades. Demystifying grades (and the culture around them) gives students a sense of ownership over their own education”. Part of the process is having self-assessments throughout the course to get feedback on their work and not focus on a specific number of grades. This can take the stress off of students that the conventional grading system causes. They know what they are expected to do and can drive their own learning. 

While often effective in providing a more accurate grade and further engaging students in the material, the ungrading system indeed provides some serious risks, mostly due to the potential of individuals acting in bad faith. This could play out from the student’s perspective, thinking they can get by with a good grade without making the most of their learning. An example of this is a student not putting their all towards their learning in a class they know they will be able to cheat their way through. Instead of putting in the effort to learn the material the student chooses to cheat in order to secure a good grade. It can also, however, come from the teacher’s perspective as well, if they are not putting the effort into the class that is needed. An example of a teacher using this system to get through easier is not wanting to read reflections and give in-depth feedback to their students. When a teacher does this they are committing an act of bad faith as their students are supposed to have trust in their teacher to provide them with the resources to achieve in class. The conventional system can be less time-consuming for teachers to get their grading done. For this way of grading to be productive it is extra important for the teacher to put in a lot of work into maintaining a line of communication that might be difficult with a larger class size, since the feedback in ungrading is more complex. If there is not clear communication using the ungrading system, there may present some of the problems we saw in “Bloodchild” (Gan with birth), since there is no feedback from the grades throughout. Gan voices his opinion about how he feels disconnected from the process and completely in the dark. In a conversation with T’Gatoi about the uncomfortable subject of Tlic birth, he says, “Shown. Shown when we’re young kids, and shown more than once. T’Gatoi, no Terran ever sees a birth that goes right. All we see is N’Tlic—pain and terror and maybe death.” It is clear that Gan feels that with an open line of communication, he would be better prepared and invested in the task at hand. This relates to the ungrading process as well, since when students are presented with a final grade on an assignment without any discussion with the teacher throughout, they may feel blindsided and begin to panic. It is important that they are very clear on where they stand so far, and what is still to be expected out of them. 

With that being said, the potential for ungrading to transform a student’s learning is too much to dismiss. The rewards for teachers are that they will have students who feel more connected with their work, with less of a need to cheat, and they also may feel more connected to their students. In a conventional grading system, students may feel pressure to get a certain grade even if it means cheating. After ungrading has been applied, students would be less likely to cheat as they can explain their situation to the professor and achieve a grade that is more representative of their overall effort. For students, they can receive more feedback about their work, they have less pressure about their grades, and they can feel more engaged with their studies.Teachers may use the conventional grading system as an excuse to check out and not properly engage with their students. For subjects with a deal of interpretation to them, such as the arts, it could be easy to grade without much thought and only delve into the surface levels of what their students are trying to accomplish. In classes that are more objective, such as math or sciences, it would be easy enough to just base the entire grade around a small number of multiple-choice exams, of which there are now many ways of auto-grading. This parallels the dangers of the conventional system presented in “Bloodchild,” by way of Gan’s brother, Qui. Qui was the unfortunate witness of a birthing gone wrong, one in which the Terran died. As a result of this, he grew to resent all T’lic (Butler, 18-21). Qui would likely not be so hateful if he had people to talk to about his trauma or had been shown success stories of a birth gone right. This is quite similar to the students who would’ve benefited from the increased communication granted by ungrading.

One may ask- why does this matter? We think all teachers and students should care about their learning system. With the new ungrading learning system students will feel less pressure on getting answers wrong on tests and assignments. They will worry less about the grade and focus on learning the material. We think that this type of learning will also help students to not be afraid to ask questions and be able to freely share what they are thinking. We feel as though when students are able to express what they are really thinking about, it can create a better learning environment. Relating back to the short story “Bloodchild” that we have read all semester, it shows the Terrans and Tlic also having communication issues. The Terrans are afraid to openly express how they are feeling, in fear that the Tlic may find them disobedient or unkind. We see this specifically with Gan’s mother, who lies and says how she is honored that T’Gatoi has chosen their family, when in reality, she is scared to say anything other than kind words about T’Gatoi. If people can not have clear communication, ideas and feelings can be taken the wrong way. In a classroom, if a teacher does not properly share their expectations with students in regards to their grading system, they may cause confusion or hurt feelings, if a student feels they are being graded unfairly. Remaining on the topic of ungrading, we talked about how it translates more to students’ futures and real-world jobs. It is important to be able to ask questions comfortably with your boss and the people you work with. Another benefit to ungrading is that it teaches students to slow down and get their work done thoroughly, which is important when you have a job. The traditional grading system can ultimately teach students bad habits when it comes to rushing their work, and just trying to get their work done because they are told to. Along with ungrading, students will be less stressed if they don’t have to worry about perfect tests and quiz scores. Without the stress, the students will be able to focus more on the course and engage in their learning. All students and teachers should want to learn and teach effectively, so they should have a goal to achieve this however it is possible.

By: Aariz Ihsan, Ian Delpha, Samuel Richardson, Colden Grossman and Danielle D’Aiuto

Octavia Butler’s fiction short story “Bloodchild”, explores the themes of power dynamics, sacrifice, and the quest for a livable habitat in an alien world. The narrative unfolds on a planet where humans coexist with insect-like beings called Tlics. These Tlics have established a relationship with humans for generations, but this arrangement comes at a price: the insertion of Tlic eggs into human bodies. That ensures peace over the planet. “Bloodchild” explores and illuminates the relationship between these two species. The short story delves into the emotional complications of the relationship between species. Bloodchild tells the tale of Gan, a boy from Earth, and his relationship with T’Gatoi, a female Tlic who acts as his protector and is responsible for implanting Tlic eggs inside him. Gan has emotions about this arrangement. He understands that it’s necessary for the survival of his people but grapples with the physical and emotional implications of carrying Tlic eggs. Gan, later in the story, has to make the decision whether himself or his sister shall undergo this process.

“Bloodchild” illustrates the compromises individuals and societies are willing to make to thrive in a challenging and unfamiliar environment. It also explores themes of choice and personal agency as Gan faces a decision concerning his future and that of his people. Bloodchild ultimately is a fictional story that can help us understand real-world issues, one of them being the educational system. In the story, it is made clear there is conflict between both parties as the Terrans have invaded the homeworld of the Tlic in order to escape the tyranny of their own people. This resulted in a bitter conflict between the two groups until an agreement was eventually made in order to create a more peaceful society, but this agreement also constructed the societal norms that dictate the relationship between both groups of people. In the agreement, the Terrans were expected to; devote one offspring to the reproduction of Terrans and one to the reproduction of Tlic through the process of implantation, were barred from utilizing certain technology such as guns or motor vehicles, and were required to stay in a space known as the Preserve. Implantation is the reproductive process of the Tlic in which a host animal is injected by the ovipositor of a Tlic with eggs which are harbored within the body until they become larvae. At this stage, they must be “surgically” removed from the body of their host before the host is completely consumed. The Tlic are also expected to not use the Terrans like a commodity but more as a prized possession, which was a privilege to own. If all of these requirements are met, the Terrans are allowed to inhabit the Preserve, where they would be safe from inhumane actions such as being separated from their family.

The new societal expectations set forth by this new agreement allowed for the birth of a more collaborative relationship between the two groups rather than one based on competition and dictatorship. Although this tended to be the norm, there were moments that may have challenged the new relationship, one being the case of Lomas. Lomas was a Terran who was implanted with the eggs of T’Khotgif, but when he needed the eggs to be removed, his Tlic wasn’t present to perform the surgery. T’Gatoi was required to perform an emergency surgery requiring Gan’s aid in order to do so. Gan wasn’t aptly informed of how the removal of eggs actually happened and was filled with horror and disgust when he witnessed it. Due to the absence of his Tlic, Lomas felt lost and scared as he possessed little control over his own situation. Likely, this reflects the sentiments of students in a learning environment where “ungrading” doesn’t exist. More accurately, it embodies the fear of receiving a poor letter grade and is only compounded by the fear of how one poor letter grade would affect the future. “The debate over how education should be handled is a lengthy, complex scholarly conversation that has stood for a hundred years” (Stommel). It has long been defined by the fret of a student to maintain a certain letter grade rather than engaging in the educational process of the class. A recent movement known as “ungrading” has sought to move away from a number defining a student, and towards the engagement in the course as a definition of the student’s progress. This helps to resolve one major issue in the educational system, the friction created between students and teachers, forming their relationship into more of a collaborative one rather than a competing one

To further unpack Stommel’s educational proposal, ungrading is an educational approach that challenges the traditional grading systems. Instead of assigning grades based on standard assessment, ungrading focuses on feedback, exploration, reflection and a better understanding of a student’s progress. When Stommel refers to the benefits of ungrading, he is not suggesting that every student should get an “A” or just having everyone earn the same grade at the end of the year. Stommel recognizes that there are many different ways grades can be influenced by factors that are out of a student’s control such as race, gender, or wealth of parents. These differences may cause a shift in perspective between a professor and student on various subject matter within a course. The subjective opinion of one should not have an effect on the success of another, which is explored in the system of “ungrading”. Professors have always debated on what the most effective ways to score students are and there has been an increase in moving away from standardized tests, especially since many colleges no longer require scores, such as SATs, to be sent in or considered for a decision. 

One of Stommel’s alternatives to our current system is contract grading. “Contract Grading” is an archetype of the new idea of “ungrading” in which a professor lays out specific expectations of the student which clearly define the grade a student will receive dependent on the completion of the aforementioned expectations. This allows students to directly affect the letter grade they will receive without the stress of one largely weighted assessment ruining their average. The Tlic and Terrans’ arrangement is set up so that both parties are aware of what is expected from each other and must fulfill their part of the arrangement so that both species can continue to live peacefully in coexistence. This agreement, as previously stated, required the Terrans to bear the offspring of the next generation, prohibited the possession of firearms and/or motor vehicles, and required Terrans to remain within the bounds of the Preserve while the Tlic were only required to treat the Terrans humanely. Under his research, Stommel suggests, “Grading contracts convey expectations about what is required for each potential grade. Students work toward the grade they want to achieve, and the goalposts don’t unexpectedly shift,”(Stommel). This further expresses the previous idea that students, under this system, are able to have greater control over their own outcome or success, dually causing a decrease in unneeded stress. This is traced back to “Bloodchild”, in which the format of the Tlic/Terran contract is similar to what an agreement under contract grading would look like as the professor, or Tlic, is given more power in the way of determining the expectations and the outcome of the student or Terran, is determined by their ability to fulfill the requirements.

In biology, mutualism is a symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit. For example, bees and flowers are two different species however they fit their roles and benefit each other whether it’s pollination for the flower. In a sense this is applicable to humankind, although we’re the same species, we have different roles in society and we have to find ways to work together. In the educational system professors and students have two different roles, however they’re able to benefit from each other. Students can gain valuable knowledge and grades from professors and professors can gain insight from students and make valuable connections with them. To make the two different roles closer, a system of grading has to be established. Students ultimately need grades and how they get them is a system itself. There are benefits and drawbacks to the system of ungrading. This process of ungrading and the concept of it in the school environment is something that has been brought up in question for a long time. Many professors have started to implement this way of teaching and are determining if this style is something that they want to stick with. Students have shown the ideas of risks and rewards through this in many ways. Having students not receive grades for the work they are doing allows them to get less caught up on that and more on the learning process and seeing if they really comprehend the material. Having students put too much of a worry on grades can stray them from their actual learning. This usually leads to the student forgetting the material right after they are needed to use it. Although, the system of no grades can also be a bad thing for students. Some may see that since they aren’t being graded, they put less work and effort into knowing it won’t matter to their grades. This is a tough style of teaching and can either be very beneficial or very bad for the students’ growth and should be felt out to learn if it is the right fit for the right class. 

It is important to create a safe and inclusive space for students and faculty. By doing so we move up the scale towards subjectivity, human relationships, and care to assure successful student and faculty performance. Grades provide a benchmark for how well a student is doing in school, but they don’t determine your value or what you can achieve. They only represent one part of your skills and hard work in a certain situation. The way we grade can affect power dynamics in the student-teacher relationship, creating a hierarchy based on academic performance. Although Gan and T’Gatoi’s relationship is not based on the education system they do face a power hierarchy. Tlic are viewed as the dominant between the two. Like teachers, the Tlic control and set rules for the Terrans. Gan struggles with this similarly to students who receive lower grades might suffer from stress or anxiety compared to those who excel and feel empowered. It’s crucial for educators to foster an inclusive environment that values diverse strengths and supports all students, regardless of grades. An ungrading approach will foster a collaborative and supportive relationship between the two. It encourages open communication, reduces the pressure associated with traditional grading, and allows a focus on understanding and improvement rather than just performance. This approach promotes a deeper engagement with the subject matter and encourages students to take risks and learn from their mistakes without the fear of grading consequences. There are various ways to show your skills and qualities beyond grades. The reason for the set of established laws between the Tlic and Terrans is to minimize the unbalance of power dynamics between the two species. This allows for successful performance between the two and the safe, inclusive coexistence that promotes growth rather than hindrance by both parties.

Owen Burns, Lily Churchill, Samantha Manheimer, Alexander Stayoch, David Sweeney, Colin Waring

In June 2021, Jesse Stommel published an article titled Ungrading: An Introduction. In the article, he describes the process of “ungrading”, which he defines as, “raising an eyebrow at grades as a systemic practice,” and how he went about moving from a traditional grading system to this new method. As with many things, however, this change comes with an element of tension, along with risks and rewards for both the students and the instructors. By examining the article alongside a piece we are familiar with, Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild”, which also features tensions, risks, and rewards, we can use Bloodchild to help illuminate those elements within the process of ungrading.

Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild” presents systemic issues through the lens of the Tlic and the Terrans. In this alien world, the human-like Terrans have been forced into a society with the alien Tlic where Terrans are sold “to the rich and powerful for their political support” (Butler 5). After years of living together, they reach certain agreements to create a more peaceful connection between them. Despite these agreements though, certain systemic issues still arose that created turmoil between the two species. The story follows the Terran, Gan, who has been chosen by the Tlic T’Gatoi to eventually bear her eggs. Gan was chosen when young and has struggled with this choice for a long time. As part of their agreement, Terrans must give one of their young to bear Tlic eggs. Gan is shown “diagrams and [drawings” (Butler 13) of the process and is assured that it is very safe yet after seeing a Tlic birth go wrong, Gan questions the good that these “diagrams and drawings” (Butler 13) can do. He was never truly prepared for the process, he “wasn’t ready to see it” (Butler 17) and pleads with T’Gatoi for some sort of change for every other Terran that must go through the birthing process. He calls for systemic change, asking that Terrans have the ability to actually _see_ a birth in person, not just on paper. He wants the process to be “‘Shown.’” (Butler 29), multiple times throughout a Terrans life so they can grow truly comfortable with it, easing the tensions between the two species.

In Bloodchild we see a conflict that is a lot more alien then the tensions present in school and the grading format. From the book we observe Gan and T’Gatoi having issues that still present an interesting parallel to those tensions of grading. Gan and the practice of ungrading both have the same goal of fixing a systemic issue that has large negative consequences throughout society. With Tilc births in Bloodchild, the main issue is that Terrans are not properly prepared for the births they have never seen or have been educated on. Traditional grading provides a similar issue, letter grades simply aren’t good enough to prepare students for a future. A letter grade does not provide the feedback that is necessary for students to succeed. The practice of ungrading fixes this issue because it breaks an ongoing systemic practice.

Ungrading is a system of grading that moves away from the traditional A-F/1-100 letter/number grading system, and focuses on the feedback the student receives and the growth that comes from it. Within the article, Stommel references the pandemic as a well-known and recent example where the traditional grading system fails. He states, “If your institution just continued grading during the pandemic, ‘business as usual,’ here’s what all those grades were measuring: how well students and teachers ‘pivoted’ to online, whether students had necessary access and support at home, and the ability of students to ‘perform’ in a crisis” (Stommel, Ungrading: An Introduction). Stommel mentions that the act of ungrading seeks to target a larger systemic issue, not simply solve problems here and there from classroom to classroom. “‘Ungrading’ means raising an eyebrow at grades as a systemic practice, distinct from simply ‘not grading.’ The word is a present participle, an ongoing process, not a static set of practices’ ‘ (Stommel, Ungrading: An Introduction). Stommel suggests that the way to start the ungrading process is to talk to students about their grades. “Demystifying grades (and the culture around them) gives students a sense of ownership over their own education” (Stommel, Ungrading: An Introduction). This idea of ‘demystifying’ goes hand in hand with what Gan says to T’Gatoi at the end of Bloodchild. “Shown. Shown when we’re young kids, and shown more than once. Gatoi, no Terran ever sees a birth that goes right. All we see is N’Tlic–pain and terror and maybe death” (Butler 29). Gan is suggesting a way to alleviate some of the tensions between the two species–and that is to give the Terrans a deeper understanding of the relationship between the two, much like Stommel suggests with his demystifying method. We as students have grown up with the traditional grading system, just like how Terrans in Bloodchild have only ever known that they are ‘supposed to’ get implanted by Tlics and incubate the eggs inside of them. Both practices have many flaws; the practice of traditional grading causes problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, overcompetitiveness, tendencies to cheat/plagarize and more, and the practice of Tlics implanting Terrans can fail sometimes, harming the Terran. Both practices are seen as the normal way of life, so not much is being done to change them. However, some people are realizing the problems. In Bloodchild Gan talks to T’Gatoi about how the relationship between Tlics and Terrans can change. And in our lives, different forms of ungrading are beginning to be talked about and put into practice.

There are some rewards and many risks that are associated with traditional grading, and some offer ungrading as a solution. When giving ungrading as a solution, it is important to note the risks and the rewards of an ungrading system, for both students and instructors.

There are a few risks associated with a system of ungrading that may be overlooked when searching for a solution to the risks of a traditional grading system. For both students and instructors, a large risk of switching to an ungrading system is the unfamiliarity that both parties have in ungrading. Just as if the Tlic and Terrans in _Bloodchild _were to switch from their traditional system of life, just because switching from a way of life you have always known might be better, it is not easy to transition. Another risk of ungrading is that students may lack motivation due to not having a clear goal (as in a goal of getting an A+). For instructors, a large risk is that you still have to find a way to translate your ungrading system into a final letter/number grade as schools still require you to give students a final grade. Another risk for instructors that comes with ungrading is that you have to consider that students may be taking advantage of the ungrading system and acting in bad faith.

With risks, come rewards, and for ungrading there are a good amount of rewards. For instructors, a worthwhile reward is that you get to know your students better. With the various systems of ungrading, instructors give well thought out insight and feedback on a student’s work, rather than just a simple number or letter grade. This also benefits students because students can actually understand their mistakes better and grow, as well as develop a good relationship with their instructors. This fundamental idea of understanding is something that is imperative to Gan in Bloodchild as well. While ungrading forms a greater understanding with students and instructors, Gan also seeks to create a better sense of understanding between Terran and Tlic. Another reward, mainly for students, is a lower incentive to cheat or plagiarize under a system of ungrading since students don’t need to get a perfect score by any means necessary. Another reward that comes with ungrading is a less competitive and more relaxed classroom. Since students are no longer squeezing out every ounce of effort in their body to get 100 (or cheating), they can relax and actually learn.

This matters because _Bloodchild _outlines and connects to the importance of communication and the dangers of the truth not being fully exposed. Gan struggles with the fact that being unaware of how the procedure really is and the risks it causes. This connects the ungrading because a students negative grade could show a different result then what the truth actually is, a student could have cheated out of bad faith and recieved a good score or a very good student could have been sick and not done so well even if he knew the material. This is also very important because everything we have covered is related to risks and rewards. We understand that it is a part of life to make mistakes and ungrading is just a suggestion on how to solve a discovered problem. People make mistakes all the time and as time goes on, solutions will be found. It’s an endless cycle of messing things up and then fixing them. That’s what helps us in life in the mistakes because we can learn from them and try to strive and not let history repeat itself. This does matter because for example this is a self graded class therefore we can call this a more academically reformed classroom because we move away from right and wrong and focus on things like are we caring for are learning? Are we being respectful and helpful in our peers’ learning? And are we striving to participate, engage and take something valuable out of this course. We believe that Geneseo education is trying to teach us that there are risks and rewards in every move we make and that being judged solely on our actions, like grading, should not defy us as a person because we are human and make mistakes. It’s about being aware and understanding the risks and rewards of learning and living here at SUNY Geneseo.

In 1995, Octavia Butler would publish Bloodchild and Other Stories, a collection of short stories. The titular “Bloodchild” is a science fiction tale set on a distant planet. The core of this story is the nature of accommodation in relationships. The humans on this planet have arrived as refugees and are now treated as second class citizens by the T’lic, the planet’s natives. “Bloodchild” chooses to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of the Terrans’ relationships with the T’lic by way of focusing on an intimate family story of Gan, a Terran child, and T’Gatoi, a T’lic. Throughout the story, more of the ins and outs of these relationships is revealed and the audience understands its deep flaws and tentative strengths. The tale opens on what seems a relatively normal evening, as T’Gatoi makes herself a welcome guest in Gan’s mother’s house, as the two are close friends. T’Gatoi brings with her Sterile Eggs, which provide a similar effect to alcohol when consumed and lengthen the lifespan of Terrans. This evening is interrupted by the arrival of another Terran, a man named Bram Lomas. Lomas, it is revealed, is the host to infantile T’lic grubs. The T’lic are a species which require another organism to host their grubs, similar to the botflies which partially inspired this story. With the native inhabitants of this planet evolving more resilience to the T’lic grubs, the T’lic population was threatened. It was not until the arrival of the Terrans that the T’lic had suitable hosts once more. In order to save the lives of both Bram Lomas and the T’lic infants, T’Gatoi and Gan must perform an emergency operation. Gan grows horrified watching the process, thinking “I felt I was helping her torture him, helping her consume him” (Butler 1995, page 15). Through this baptism in fire, Gan gains a much greater understanding of the nature of his world. It is revealed to the audience that Gan is meant to host T’Gatoi’s offspring, a truth that he now dreads after viewing the mutilation of Lomas. Gan takes a gun, which the T’lic have outlawed, and threatens to kill himself. It is only when T’Gatoi threatens to implant the eggs inside Gan’s sister Hoa, that Gan relents and accepts his role as a host. He manages to talk T’Gatoi into allowing the family to keep possession of the firearm. As T’Gatoi inserts her eggs into Gan, the two discuss the flaws of their compromises. T’Gatoi tells Gan “I have never known a Terran to see a birth and take it well” (Butler, 1995, page 28). Gan remarks that If Terrans were shown a birth go as planned, they would be less apprehensive. T’Gatoi replies with the dogma that they have always been kept private previously. Gan thinks to himself that should she change her mind he may be the first public example and stays his hand.

“Bloodchild” is a story that is defined by its compromises. The two major compromises at play are the larger agreements between the T’lic and Terrans, and the smaller proxy relationship “Bloodchild” focuses on, between T’Gatoi and Gan. While set on an alien world, the act of compromising itself is innately human. Compromising can be seen in every facet of daily life, including attending a college. The way for a college education to be most successful is through the agreements and accommodations made by all those involved. Much like how the status quo between T’lic and Terrans is flawed if the two groups do not communicate with one another, a student’s experience in college will be made more difficult if they do not communicate and come to agreements with those around them.

The story of “Bloodchild” opens with an accommodation. T’Gatoi gifts Gan and his family with two Sterile Eggs. Given that they produce a similar effect to a T’lic sting, it is fully reasonable for the audience to interpret the Sterile Eggs as being a product that the T’lic produce with their body, and then T’Gatoi gifted this to Gan in order for him to become strong enough to carry her offspring. She even praises how he is able to gain weight (Butler, 1995, pages 3-4). To boil this down to its most basic parts, T’Gatoi is exerting herself to ensure that Gan is able to grow. The physical growth that T’Gatoi is concerned with may be seen as a parallel that colleges seek to nurture. When Attending a college, that college will provide its students with professors to educate the students and strengthen their brains, similar to how Gan is being strengthened to carry T’Gatoi’s young. While the students are not expected to bear children for the college the way Gan is for T’Gatoi, there is a way that they will repay the college beyond financial means. A successful student base will bring prestige to the college. This will feed into a cycle which attracts more students to the institution, ensuring that its legacy will live on, which parallels the way Gan will ensure that T’Gatoi’s lineage will continue. In “Bloodchild,” the Terrans are not allowed to possess firearms, as they had used these weapons to wage war against the T’lic in the past. Gan’s family possesses several, regardless. When T’Gatoi discovers one, she demands it be turned over. Gan refuses, claiming that she must accept the risk as it is outweighed by the benefits (Butler, 1995, page 26). This bears many similarities to the way in which many colleges turn a blind eye to the social life of their students. Students would perform better academically if they did not stay out late partying and instead spent that time focused on studying. However, schools instead permit the existence of fraternal organizations to enable students to find balance. While these activities can be potentially dangerous to the student body and in turn the school’s reputation, they enable the students to unwind, and offset burnout. The schools have accepted the adult nature of their students and in turn the risks that are associated. Gan and T’Gatoi continue their growth as T’Gatoi tells Gan she may have to put her eggs in his sister as she couldn’t put her “children into the care of one who hates them” (Butler, 1995, page 28). This vetting process parallels the admission that colleges have. Similarly to how T’Gatoi does not want her offspring to be growing in a toxic environment, colleges will seek to build a healthy student body that will not be dangerous to itself. Students will need to build multifaceted lives that involve activities such as sports and community service in addition to academic success to be admitted. The college in turn provides students with resources such as counseling and therapy to ensure the continued mental well-being of its students. When Gan eventually comes to the conclusion that it would be best for him to host T’Gatoi’s young, the two begin to have a more open dialogue. Gan makes the argument that many Terrans are afraid of hosting eggs because they only see what happens when things go wrong, such as in the case of Bram Lomas. If they were shown proper births they would be more comfortable with the relationship. T’Gatoi responds that the birthing has always been a private affair. Gan remains silent but remarks to himself that he at least put the thought in her head (Butler, 1995, page 28-29). This resembles conversations that many students may have with their professors. In college, the reason that students are there is to learn and teachers are there to teach them. Many professors are open to dialogue with their students about academic difficulties. Although the larger system may support a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and grading, professors will frequently make exceptions for students who ask. Extensions on late assignments and opportunities to make up exams are some of the more prominent examples. After a conversation, many professors are able to find compromise with their students.

Entering college can be a daunting experience for many students. Even the sizes of larger high schools are dwarfed by the sheer number of people in a college setting and due to this it can seem that college will be an emotionless experience in which students will not be cared for by their professors or the greater college administration, this could not be farther from the truth. Once a student takes the proper steps to reach out to those around them, they will see college in a new, more welcoming way. Despite the structure of many colleges being that of a business, they still function best when there is compromise. In the fictional story of “Bloodchild,” the best way for the T’Lic and Terrans, two peoples in completely different positions in life, is for them to compromise, make mutually beneficial sacrifices, and accommodate one another. This fictional tale is paralleled by the real story that professors and students experience every day as they work to help one another to the best of their abilities.