How do graduates do academically? How does the no-grading policy affect the children when they leave Walden?
Spending their first years of school in a non-graded environment helps children focus on the learning process and become aware of their personal interests and how they learn best. Middle school teachers report that they enjoy teaching Walden graduates. They say that Walden kids are original thinkers. They know their strengths as learners, and they are used to good communication with their teachers. Because they have worked without grades, they approach school with an internal sense of motivation. Though the transition to a public school curriculum can take time for some students, children usually welcome the large social circle it provides. However, children who have done well at Walden continue to do well in a variety of middle school settings. Many children like the new experience of being tested and graded. Directly after Walden and beyond, many graduates continue in the arts, including film, writing, circus arts, acting, dancing, music and visual arts.
