What grading and reporting practices do you feel support
learning and encourage learners? Many
teachers find grading to be a conflicting exercise. They want to encourage their students, but on
the other hand they feel obligated to be a judge and evaluator to meet the
criteria of the grade level expectations. Tomlinson and McTighe stated in
this week’s reading in (pp. 129-133) that grading and reporting should be done
using six key principles.
·
Principle 1 states that grades and reports
should be based on clearly specified learning
goals and performance
standards.
·
Principle 2 states that grading should be
valid. Looking at a concept to be
learned and
making sure that child is learning it should be the key focus, not
whether the child has a
learning disability for example.
·
Principle 3 recommends that grading should be
based on established criteria, not on
arbitrary norms. Norm-based grading, they believe, promotes unhealthy competition in
which some
students will necessarily become “winners” and others “losers” as they compete
for scarce rewards.”
·
Principle 4 states that not everything should be
included in grades. In essence, the
authors recommend that pretests should not be considered as a grade and
formative assessments should rarely be factored in. Grades should come from summative
assessments.
·
Principle 5 suggests that we avoid grading based
on averages. Tomlinson and McTighe
(2006, p. 132) consider the problem through a humorous anecdote: A man is
sitting on an old fashioned room radiator that is blistering hot. His bare feet rest on a block of frigid ice. When asked about the room temperature, he
replies, “On average, it’s pretty comfortable!”
Point being averages can be misleading.
·
Principle 6 encourages teachers to focus on achievement and report other factors
separately.
Which of these six principles
resonates with you the most? Do you
take issue with any one of them? Which
approach to grading, in your estimation, encourages learners and supports
“true” learning, i.e., comprehension and ability to transfer knowledge. Does your approach to assessment support the
principles set forth by Tomlinson and McTighe or is your approach to assessment
in conflict with theirs?
Principal number three resonated with me in that I believe that students need to know, specifically, what they will be assessed on, in order for their grade to truly be reflective of their abilities. When I assign class assignments or projects, I give each student a detailed description of the assignment that clearly defines what criteria is to be met. This is different than a rubric. I find that my students need something more than the scoring rubric. The instruction sheet clearly defines the goals and objectives of the assignment and what the requirements are. I give the students both a paper copy and post it on blackboard. I introduce the assignment in class, review the instructions, model the activity and show them an example of a completed project. I usually show them two to three examples of projects; one that scores at the high end of the spectrum, one that represents an average score and one that clearly misses the mark. I allow the students to evaluate the examples and identify the aspects of them that meet the given criteria as opposed to the ones that do not. I then review the scoring rubric and always ask for clarification. I have recently begun using “Poll Everywhere” in my class. This is a real-time polling program in which the students can respond to questions via their cell phones. Our principal is supportive of using this technology and it has opened up a new form of dialogue between me and my students. For example, when I finish introducing a new project as I described earlier, I post a forum up on the overhead screen. I ask students if they have any questions about the requirements of the project. The students can text their questions to the poll and they appear in real time up on the screen, anonymously. Often times, my students are fearful of asking for clarification after we have discussed something. They don’t want anyone else to know (including me) that they still may not understand something. Using Poll Everywhere allows me to address the questions in open forum without anyone feeling self-conscious about asking for clarification. I address the issues and the kids have fun at the same time. I use this when reviewing for tests and quizzes as well. It allows me to truly self-evaluate my teaching as well. There are times in which I don’t realize that I have not sufficiently taught something until I see those questions pop up on the screen. Essentially, it allows the students to be truthful with me in anonymity. I can then go back and identify where I was not successful, clarify and correct the issue, and change my approach for next time. This type of assessment is one that is not graded; it is used to gauge my teaching, and not necessarily the students’ performance.
ReplyDeleteI also certainly agree with principle four. Pretests should be used as tools. A teacher should use pretests to evaluate where they need to focus their instruction, not as a grade that factors into the student’s future performance in your class. A teacher’s assessment should reflect what they have addressed in their class, not what previous teachers have. Many teachers give their students pretests at the beginning of the school year and then enter that grade into the students’ first marking period grade. This assessment is not reflective of what that teacher has done in their classroom, rather it is reflective of the students’ prior education, and that is not fair to the student. I feel that it is the students’ growth in your class that should be evaluated and not what they are “bringing to the table” at the beginning of the year.
I also, agree with Maureen that the third principle Grading Should Be Based on Establishing Criteria. I teach Second Graders and this is the best principle to use towards their grades and my grading. When giving out grades to my students I use a scale of developing factors. The codes are E=95-100. S=90-94. D=89-80. B= 79-70. I use a different variety of things to give my students grades. I use weekly tests and quizzes to assess my students in the different subjects that I teach. The students are also grading on daily classroom work. Monthly book reports which they have to follow a rubric and set of directions and steps. My students also doing monthly writing assignments and as the year progresses on they need to write a paragraph when doing their writing. My students also have portfolios that moves up with them each year. In the portfolio the students have at least two or three pieces of work from each subject in it. Throughout the school year in Reading the students take skills and benchmark reading tests that follow a rubric that they are grading on and the test is broken up into phonics, writing, comprehension, spelling, and study skills.I am a firm believer about my students participating in class we do alot of oral repetition in my class. My students like to answer questions out loud. I feel that it is very important that students learn to speak and participate in class at a young age.
DeleteI believe and agree with what Ornstein stated about the idea about teaching for understanding. Understanding is one of the most cherished goals of eduaction. It is very important for both teachers and students to understand something and a topic that is being brought up or needs to be accomplished. What I found to be very quite interesting was the way that the report card was setup according to the knowledge of arts report card. Creating knowledge, Communicating knowledge, Organizing knowledge, and Acting on knowledge. This remind me some what of my report card because it is broken up into five parts. Religion, Math, Comm Arts, Science, and Social Studies. I do have a problem with The Comm Arts part because, it is very broad and covers to many things. I think it should be revised. I really liked the idea of having things visible for the students to see. I think that some students need to learn by seeing things. This year in my classroom more than any other year. Since, I have a wide variety of learners this year. I think it is important to use different techniques in your classroom.
I disagree with Principle 5. I think we should be grading on averages. In my school, Tests count for 40%, Quizzes 20%, Homework 10%, Participation 10% and Projects are 20%. We use Power School, which automatically calculates the students' grades as of a particular date, once grades are entered. I think these weights are fair. Every student is graded as a separate entity. Students may compare each other's grades, but they are really only in competition with themselves.
ReplyDeleteI know what an excellent project looks like, what an average one looks like and what a below average one looks like. The same goes for all the other categories we use.
Principles four resonates most with me. I do not think it’s fair to grade a student’s formative assessments or practice work. I often hear teachers say that they do not have enough grades to close out a marking period…this statement perplexes me greatly. If our children are going to ever make true academic strides they must be allowed the sanctity of a practice zone where they can make mistakes and learn from them. That is how true learning…acquisition of skills and ultimately competency occurs. In my class students are encouraged to write in pencil as it facilitates easy correction. I think it says that everyone including the “all knowing teacher” makes mistakes. It’s part of the learning process.
ReplyDeletePrinciple five is also an important one in that student learning can no longer be encapsulated into an average score. How do we determine how much the kid with an average score of 80% knows? Obviously he knows 20% more than the kid with an average score of 60%. Consequently, does the kid with an average of 100% really know 100% of the material covered? I would like to see yet another bold shift in the paradigm where all school should have academic based report cards. I think this would clear up huge gray area for all concerned…teachers, students, and parents alike.
Grading is definitely a hot topic at our school. Each teacher, at least right now, has their own grading scheme. There is one teacher that believes 50% should be attributed to class participation. I happen to believe that a variety of assessments should be utilized from a grading perspective. Some students excel on collaborative learning exercises as opposed to tests, etc. so we need to take the variety of assessments into account. Fortunately, our district is currently working on grading guidelines for teachers to use. If we have flexibility within these guidelines, I think that will help reduce any ambiguity that exists amongst teachers.
DeletePrinciple 4 resonates with me the most. I agree with Rachel that not everything needs to be graded. If you grade everything, then you are training students to think they have no room to practice and make errors. I think that is a negative signal to send.
Principle 6 struck a nerve for me. If I’m not grading effort in an elementary Art class, then what exactly am I grading here? Not all of my students are capable of holding a paintbrush or pencil correctly but they try. They listen and they follow instructions and they understand the idea; but can not perform at the “normal” level yet… whatever normal is. So I should grade them on their ability? That doesn’t sound fair to me.
ReplyDeleteAnother note on this, I see the kids 6 times before the school system wants a grade from me…. So if not effort then what exactly? I also know that if I gave a student a D for example that report card would come right back to me from the principle, demanding that I change the grade, they would never let it happen..
Many of my ABA and LD students don’t even do their own work and have paras doing it for them, I have said something about it but was quickly told that this is how they work and to just let it be.. So how do you grade that.
This grading thing has always been an issue for me while I’ve been teaching elementary. I student taught at the High School level and it was much easier to grade them and the grades could be reported accurately.
My dream assessment would be #6, or as described in the article, giving one grade for achievement, then reporting separately on the individual student's growth/progress and separately on work habits. The way most of us are forced to grade (I am required to follow a district formula of weighted grading ) often rewards compliance at least as much as mastery.
ReplyDeleteI had an interesting experience in class last year. My students and I read an article on schools that don't use letter grades, but instead report on mastery and growth. I then asked them to argue for or against such a system.
It was amazing - all of my high achieving students were incensed at the idea of doing away with grades. One of them said "Why should WE be punished?" They did not feel at all that this idea would be freeing or more meaningful. Instead, they were focused on losing their reward (reputation/advantage getting into college/status) for doing well in school. It was disappointing, but I shouldn't have been surprised, after reading so often how grades can be disincentives for high-end achievers.
My students who don't traditionally score high in school - freqently because of time management and organization skills (to say nothing of home factors) - thought it was a great idea to get rid of grades. They perceive grades as an albatross around their necks.
I would love to grade achievment, progress, and work habits separately - it would be so great to be able to provide that kind of feedback.