Every teacher LOVES to grade, right? It's the whole reason we became teachers! When else do you get to hold that beloved RED pen and have control over every students current mood.... Little Johnny made me mad last week when he wasn't listen... Insert evil laugh..... Okay, Leah please don't grade me on this blog!
I always thought total points was the way to go. I don't weigh grades, use a curve, or anything fun. I do the occasional completion points for an assignment, and I usually grade every paper that comes on my desk. Why is the question though, what am I checking for? To see who can regurgitate the information I just spent time discussing? I never really considered that when grading. I'm making it a goal to look at other methods of assessing the students to see if they truly know what I need them to know.
zero.......
Is it necessary? What does it mean? Usually it means the student didn't turn it in. I am already making a very conscious effort to avoid all zeros by harping non stop on the late papers. Obviously though we know they will be there. I really don't see how one missing assignment should determine their overall achievement. Which is why I am in huge favor of standards based grading its not so much what they did or didn't do but what they actually know. I think we start small with this process. One or two classes at a time implement it. How about K-1 year one, they add 2-3, they next year and so on. Or if we just start it slowly maybe even a subject a year, we can tackle the task more effectively.
Feedback...
This is where I am really bad. I am very much in the informal give it as you go feedback person, but not so much the formal write it down on the paper for them. I am making an effort on every assignment to give them something to look at if they got it wrong. Maybe restate the question they were having problems with. This is going to be long journey I would imagine and I really hope I can have the patience to see it through.
I have really tried to work on the 2x10 method with a student at a time. I had heard about this from Carol Braaten earlier in the year. I try to find that short time in the day to hopefully just ask them about their night, what they did, and have the conversation be nothing about school. Show them that I truly care about them.
Each student is a gift, we were given these students to help us grow as educators (Yes, even the Little Johnny that made us mad last week!) . We need to remember they are why we are here, what keeps us going and what we really need them to know. That's why my grading does need to be evaluated and rethought.
I agree that a standards-based report card would be great. It's a great way to say this is what your child needs to know and this is where they are at.
ReplyDeleteOne of my best friends teaches math in New Town. It is school policy that no student is given a zero. Maybe I am a little close minded on this topic but that policy would be a challenge for me. How much “harping” is too much? Chasing juniors and seniors down the halls nagging them about a worksheet we did 6 weeks ago isn’t my idea of fun. Have I done it: yes. I have at least mastered walking fast in stiletto heels!
ReplyDeleteThis is where a school wide system is needed. It is too difficult to chase students around, and there needs to be something forces the student to 'Get er done.'
DeleteJessica, I have mixed emotions on standard grading. I really like the idea on some aspects. One example would be if a student has mastered the standard they receive a passing grade. The grade would dictate on how they did on the assessment. I don’t mind if it takes a student longer to master the concept, but for the students who are "slower" learners longer to master it they need to work on it outside the classroom as well. My other view on the subject is how a person would teach a class where there are differing levels of intelligence. I think that it would be very hard to move on or to slow down and be able to cover all the desired standards that the state tells us to.
ReplyDeleteJessica; I enjoyed reading your comments on grading. Your honesty makes us all look back at ourselves and ask the question of what are we grading? Feedback is difficult to give students in a class time. So we catch ourselves grading without adequate feedback. What do we want them to learn and how do we know they have learned it? The ongoing question.
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