Grades - Do they represent us?

In class the other day we discussed how we were going to be graded this year. The "traditional" grading system will not be used and our grades will be more of a "conversation" than and "announcement". Even on papers we won't be receiving a straightforward letter grade, between Mr. O'Connor's (+)'s and /'s, and Mr. Bolos' B+/A-, grades are opened up to a newer grading system. At first when I heard this I became very worried. I have always needed a letter grades and percentage to know how I am doing in the class. I rely heavily on those grade print out sheets to see exactly where I can improve.With no printout sheets and a very different grading style, I was worried. But, I can now look at it from a different way. I believe under this system grades will be earned rather than assigned by our teachers. I also like that each person will be graded individually rather than compared to the rest of the class.
            Last year I was enrolled in Modern World History, this class became my greatest challenge of my sophomore year. I had never had a history class with so much analysis, I had breezed through my freshman history class and assumed all history classes were like that. Although Modern World History was my greatest challenge, it was also my favorite class. Now I could tell you that I came out of that class with straight A's, but that is not the case. My greatest accomplishment in that class was getting a B my second semester. My first semester was disastrous, barely getting a B-, but I can tell you I learned SO much from that class and I improved as a writer and a researcher. The grading in that class was based on comparing students to each other, in that respect then yes I deserved  the grades I received. But I would give myself an A+ for effort!