This is from a blog I've read for some time. It is all about grading and has links to posts about writing student-friendly goals. I know this is a big part of our Science units and AFL - so I thought I'd share it. Please read and leave your comments. We have a lot of work to do this year! :)
Rethinking Grading Policies in a PLC - The Tempered Radical
I really liked this one. I also clicked on the links within the post and there were a lot of helpful ideas in there. I like the idea of giving the parents a work ethic type of chart to show them how they are doing in class. I think that would help with communication and with allowing us to try and keep the grade mostly (dare I say only) about mastery of the content, especially with science. I think we have a great opportunity with science to keep the grade only about mastery of the standard or standards group. But, I do wonder about the outliers like my J. last year. who most likely will not master the content, but that doesn't mean she will get an F on the report card. Or the homework discussion that 5th grade had all year. Do we not give homework to keep the grade from becoming about turning in paperwork? And, if we decide that we don't give homework then what about reading logs (and 5th also talked about typing logs and math fact practice). Does 5th still want to talk about having only those assignments as homework?
ReplyDeleteI still want to have that conversation. Maybe the homework logs are part of a chart like this. We can still keep track of them and report to parents that they've been turned in completed or not as a part of the effort. So when the conversation comes around to "why does he have a D?" we could have HW habits as a possible explanation, even if they aren't part of the grade.
ReplyDeleteI think grades should be masterry only. For the outliers we have to work on our conversations with parents and the students about their grades. But what are we really accomplishing by pretending they are getting a C or B?