Grades and the Growth Mindset

I have been on Spring Break this week and found myself reading many blog posts by Aaron Blackwelder (@AaronSBlackwel1) about grading and the grade less classroom (yes the space between grade and less is intentional. In my mind this seems/seemed like such a radical concept that many parents wouldn't by into readily or easily.  The more I read though, the more it make sense.

When you pair that with Carol Dweck's growth mindset concept, the two almost seem to be a great marriage. To me, a grade less classroom encourages more growth for students, especially when they have a growth mindset going into this.

The hurdle I see are the parents.  So many feel like if there aren't 20-30 grades in a gradebook, the teacher nor the students have done anything nor learned anything. I have seen (and heard from many) parents that as the quarter or semester comes to a close with little to no work graded stressing out about their child's grades. In my opinion, this concept is shallow learning vs deeper learning when students get an opportunity to revise and edit their work, learning in the process.  That's why the combination makes such sense. So how do we get parents (and yes teachers and admins too) over this hurdle that many grades is better than fewer but more informative grades (deeper learning).  That's what I still need to ponder. I am very early in the learning process of this new concept.  Reading posts on the Facebook group Teachers Going Gradeless and posts by Aaron Blackwelder and Arthur Schiavaralli are helping to inform my thinking.

What are your thoughts?