Personal Grading Beliefs
&
Effective Grading Statements
"Fairness in grading dictates that teachers inform students about their grading policies and practices in advance and then faithfully and consistently apply those practices"
(Guskey, 2002, p.779).
(Guskey, 2002, p.779).
According to Nitko (2001), "Grades...are used by students, parents, other teachers, guidance counselors, school officials, postsecondary educational institutions, and employers. Therefore [teachers] must assign grades with utmost care and maintain their validity" (Nitko, 2001, p. 365). Grades are a crucial component to classroom learning and achievement. They not only impact the student, but all stakeholders involved with the educational system. Teachers should choose what to grade and how to grade with caution, for it can greatly support or cripple student achievement and self-efficacy. Below are several practices and ideals that I will implement in my classroom regarding grading:
I will...
- I will communicate grading and reporting to enhance both teaching and learning through careful and intentional communication between students, parents, and other intended stakeholders (such as other teachers, principal, etc.). By doing this, students' learning is the focus and all parties can assist in their educational journey and learning process both in and out of school (Guskey, 2001). When grading, it is of high importance to not only communicate student achievement to students, but also communicate to the students about how they are or are not being graded.
- I will give appropriate and guiding feedback along with student grades. Feedback helps students know what they are doing correctly or what they need to work on, as well as creates an intrinsic motivation to get assignments done (Varlas, 2013). The feedback that I offer will occur on an individual level and the feedback will reflect students' specific needs (DuFour, 2009). There may be times, as well, that I will give general whole-class feedback on what I observe throughout the day, behaviors or specific tasks. When giving individual feedback, I will focus on academic content within that which I am assessing rather than critically judging student work. "Researchers found that feedback that included any type of elaborated information was consistently more helpful than feedback that informed learners whether their responses were correct or incorrect" (Lipnevich & Smith, 2008, p. 4).
- I will allow students to redo assignments. With the goal of student achievement in mind, I will allow students to redo assignments or retake tests in my classroom. Since learning is a process, students should be given the opportunity to prove that learning has occurred, even if this happens after the original is 'due'. According to Wormeli, "Allowing students to redo assignments and assessments is the best way to prepare them for adult life" (Wormeli, 2011, p. 22). Students must not adapt the mentality to simply 'give up' after a grade is earned. Taking the initiative to learn more and achieve a higher grade is a skill that will benefit students throughout their whole life. I will implement Wormeli's 14 Practical Tips for Managing Redos in the Classroom to ensure that students take responsibility for their learning (click HERE to view these tips). These policies for redoing assignments must be clearly communicated to make this practices successful (Varlas, 2013, p. 7). "The goal is that all students learn the content, not just the ones who can learn on the uniform time line. Curriculum goals don’t require that every individual reaches the same level of proficiency on the same day, only that every student achieves the goal" (Wormeli, 2011, p. 23).
- I will use grades to direct my instruction. Grades can have the ability to not only reflect student learning, or lack thereof, but also can be an indicator of effective or ineffective practices on behalf of the teacher. By using student grades to identify possible weaknesses in instruction and/or presentation of information, I will be able to fine tune the strategies and techniques that are used in the classroom. Through immediate remediation of problematic practices, I will give students another opportunity to show what they know after I have replaced poor instructional procedures with effective ones.
- I will grade less. It is important to remember that not every assignment, activity, or reading has to have a grade placed alongside of it. With the focus on formatively assessing students (without a grade) and providing substantial feedback and adjustments to instruction, I will grade only summative assessments of learning. With this, I will avoid "Semester Killers' (Reeves, 2008) by breaking up large assignments, projects and/or tests throughout the year so that they do not accumulate to an overwhelming project that could make or break a students' grade.
- I will gives students multiple opportunities to show me that learning has occurred by opening different avenues for success. "Our responsibility it to provide as accurate a picture of learning as possible" (Stiggens, et. al. p 306). For some students, this might mean taking the standard test, others may require a written summary, oral assessment, or perhaps a visual project that expresses student learning. According to Guskey, since learning is an ongoing process, students should be given multiple opportunities to practice and to demonstrate their learning and knowledge of the content (Guskey, 2002, p. 777). Not only will students be able to represent their knowledge in multiple ways, but content will not be assessed in a one time "you know it or you don't" fashion. Students will have various times in which they will be able to demonstrate mastery. "It is more important what you learn than when you learn it" (Varlas, 2013).
I will not...
- I will not give students a zero for unfinished or incomplete work. According to Guskey, "Many teachers see zeros as their ultimate grading weapon...Teachers also use zeros as instruments of control"(Guskey, 2004, p. 50). Zeros have been widely misused in the classroom. They do not portray an accurate reflection of the learning that has taken place or what the student is able to do. When teachers give zeros as a method for punishment, studies show that the implementation of zeros and the low grades that result only cause students to withdraw. Rather than punish students for incomplete assignments, I will show genuine interest in student success by requiring the student to complete the assignment. "When students realize that their teachers are serious about school responsibilities, they also get serious about them" (Guskey, 2004, p. 51).
Zeros drastically skew data when student grades are averaged. "If the grade is to represent how well students have learned, mastered established learning standards, or achieved specified learning goals, then the practice of assigning zeros clearly misses the mark" (Guksey, 2004, p. 51). Rather than giving students' zeros on unfinished assignments, I will assign an "I" or "Incomplete" and require the work to be completed. Additionally, I will report behavior aspects in a separate grade (see "Grading System/Scale" below). By requiring the students to do additional work to bring up their performance - or process - grade, "students learn they they have responsibilities in school and that their actions have specific consequences" (Guskey, 2002, p. 779).
- I will not grade homework. In my classroom, I will assign homework as a tool that is used for practicing content that has been taught. With this, extensive feedback will given for students to adjust their learning and seek additional guidance where necessary. I will continually monitor homework and not simply 'check off' that the homework has been completed. Homework "can actually have adverse effects unless the teacher carefully and promptly monitors each student's work because homework often causes students to internalize incorrect responses and strategies and can actually undermine student motivation" (DuFour, 2009, p. 1). If students will benefit from practicing a skill and receiving immediate and specific feedback, I will assign homework only when it is essential to student learning (DuFour, 2009). Grading homework limits students tendency to take risks and cheating becomes more prevalent (Varlas, 2013). "Homework carries no weight except in its worth for practicing for the assessment" (Varlas, 2013, p. 6). When changing the focus from receiving a grade and possible being penalized, to simply improving to get better at something (without a grade attached), struggling learners begin to do their homework and actively seek study advice. This creates an intrinsic motivation within students "because they are able to take risks, self-assess, adjust, practice, and find what works best for them, to learn something" (Varlas, 2013, p. 6). For these reasons, I will not grade formative homework assignments in my classroom.
- I will not use grades as a weapon. Grades will be used responsibly in my classroom and will be kept confidential. They are not a tool to humiliate students or demean their intellectual abilities. Confidentiality will be of utmost importance within the classroom so that students feel safe in the learning environment. Unfortunately, grades are too often used as a weapon instead of motivating tool toward student self-confidence and self-efficacy in the classroom. "Some teachers threaten students with poor grades in an effort to encourage more acceptable behaviors" (Guskey, 2004, p. 50). In my classroom, however, I will use student grades to enhance self-perception and empower students in their individual abilities to work towards an individual best.
Grading System/Scale
Standards-Based Grading System
This system has focused in on four main practices to improve grading and make the purpose of grading -- to show student achievement -- meaningful. These include (1) providing clear learning targets, (2) eliminating punitive grading practices, (3) grading less, and (4) assessing better. Standards-based grading revolves around students and learning (Varlas, 2013). In my classroom, I will base the grades students earn on specific criteria that is taken from the learning standards. Additionally, I will separate student grades into three distinct categories: product, process, and progress.
Although this approach is more time-consuming for teachers, it provides a more accurate and explicit descriptions and records of student achievement. In my classroom, family and community will be of high importance. With the SBG system, families are able to more easily understand the information being communicated, including students' learning strengths and areas where students' may be struggling. This "fair is not always equal" approach identifies students' needs according to specific standards. While SBG takes more time than traditional grading, "teachers were nearly unanimous in agreeing that the standards-based reports provided better and clearer information, and that families found them easy to understand...families favored the standards-based form over the traditional form" (Guskey, Swan, & Jung, 2011, p. 56).
(Guskey, Swan, & Jung, 2011).
- Product - This grade constitutes all that is academically achieved by students according to the designated and clearly communicated learning targets and standards. In this grade, I will include only summative forms of assignments and/or tests. Formative assignments will not be counted for a product grade because students are still learning the material and have not had the opportunity to reach mastery. Major exams, compositions, unit tests, quizzes, and oral reports are examples of assignments that may be included in the product grade (as long as they are on a summative level).
- Progress - While this grade does not focus on academic achievement, per say, it highlights students' academic improvement. This will be an important aspect in my classroom because I want students to be able to have tangible proof and evidence of their growth and understanding from one point in the year to another. I would use this as a motivational tool to empower students. I want students to feel capable of success and hopefully, this progress grade would convey that message. To show the academic growth, I would have students create portfolios, keep journals/notebooks, and observe their progress throughout daily lessons.
- Process - These are the behaviors that are often mistakenly included in the overall product grade. The process grade includes all non-academic conditions including behavior, effort, participation, class attendance, etc. In my classroom, this will be a completely separate grade on the basis that product grades should represent purely academic achievement. The non-academic aspects of grading will still be an important aspect in my classroom, however, and I will use the process grade to communicate non-academic conditions to students, parents, and other stakeholders.
(Guskey & Jung, 2010).
Although this approach is more time-consuming for teachers, it provides a more accurate and explicit descriptions and records of student achievement. In my classroom, family and community will be of high importance. With the SBG system, families are able to more easily understand the information being communicated, including students' learning strengths and areas where students' may be struggling. This "fair is not always equal" approach identifies students' needs according to specific standards. While SBG takes more time than traditional grading, "teachers were nearly unanimous in agreeing that the standards-based reports provided better and clearer information, and that families found them easy to understand...families favored the standards-based form over the traditional form" (Guskey, Swan, & Jung, 2011, p. 56).
(Guskey, Swan, & Jung, 2011).
Scales
Product Grade
- This academic achievement grade will be identified by using a 9-point scale. The image to the right is an example of what this might resemble (it would be adapted to satisfy the criteria and needs of my classroom). While a 4 point scale is very popular (Guskey, et. al, 2011), the 9 point scale offers more accuracy and detailed description than a 4 point scale. This would align with the Standards-Based Grading approach. A number, 1-9, would be placed next to a specific standard expectation to identify how that student is achieving in that learning target/standard.
- If the school I was teaching at required a single letter grade for the Report Cards, I would average the grades of the summative assessments and assign accordingly.
Progress Grade
- The academic improvement grade will be communicated through anecdotal notes to the students and parents. Not only will students and parents obtain tangible evidence of improvement (or lack thereof), but I will hold parent-teacher conferences in which the students will be strongly encouraged to attend. I will then communicate, through reading my anecdotal notes and having the students explain portfolios, journals, etc., the academic progress that is or is not being made. At this time, I would also include non-academic progress that was being made at the conferences.
- According to Lepnevich and Smith (2008), letter grades and numerical scores would tend to channel students’ attention to the self and away from the task. This often lead to negative effects on performance. Similary, Black and Wiliam (1998) "drew from their review of literature on formative assessment was that descriptive feedback, rather than letter grades or scores, led to the highest improvements in performance" (Lepnevich & Smith, 2008, p. 13). Anecdotal notes regarding academic progress would encourage the students by focusing on the task and giving examples as to why they are performing the way that they are.
- The image to the right is an example of what anecdotal notes may look like in my classroom.
Process Grade
- For reporting non-academic conditions, I will use a combination of descriptives (++, +, -), and anecdotal notes to communicate student achievement in this area of classroom learning and behavior. The combination of these two methods will enhance understanding and allow all parties involved to understand why the students received a ++ (consistently demonstrated behavior), + (moderately), or - (Rarely). I will address this grade in the parent-teacher conferences along with the product and progress grades.
- For an example of a report card utilizing both descriptives and anecdotal notes, view the picture on the left or click HERE.