Ch. 7 SYNTHESIS

Overall, we agreed that grading would be the most difficult and dautng task of our profession because there is no right or wrong way. I feel awkward judging my students, that is how I felt whenever I handed in my work. I knew I would be compared to others and it would be daunting to see grades on the board and always be on the bottom. That would definately lower self-esteem and we're supposed to motivate and encourage students to accomplish the set goals with flying colors. Through Alfie Kohn, we figure out not how, but why we should grade and the importance of the curve, incuding when and how it should be used. Many of us did not understand the curve. It does not allow everyone to get A's or even all passing grades. Sometimes a curve can acually harm a student's growth. I believe schools should eventually do away with this aggravating system. A final place to go for grading techniques and evaluating questions is the center for teachers. Overall,I think this chapter and these resources gave us a better idea on how to grade effectively and for the student.I no longer feel like a judge, but a teacher instead!

ch. 7 ABSTRACT

In this chapter Wormeli basically covers the topic of grading. When should teachers grade? What should teacers grade? How should teachers grade? Grades should be based on how much of the topic/unit you mastered and not on the efforts of some peer. Unfortunately, teachers use scales or percentages that compare you to another student. One way to track grading is through gradebook. This a place where teachers track test and quiz gades, particiation, and attendance. MBMS, where I am placed, uses power school, which like gradebook, students can check for misssing work and parents can watch the progess of theirchildren. They also have the availibilty to use e-mail to keep in contact with teachers or their peers. Wormeli discussed what each grade meant and deamed the 'D' as the coward's 'F' (page 97). Should schools even give F's? What about the grading curve--is it useful? In the real world, we must understand that no two teachers are alike. They have different standards and through out different challenges. Grades overall, should not just be written down, but commented on and evaluated. We should always be open to students questions and learn to grade the whole process and not just one piece of the puzzle. Here are some tips on grading succesfully for everyone of the students weather gifted, challenged or just an average teenager.

Ch. 14: Responsive Report Card Fomats

Wormeli explain the importance of making the report card or any official document clear in this chapter. We need parents and students to understand what we mean when we put certain grades on a report card. If we record two grades, we should give students the higher grade. But, if a lower level student achieved we need to show the achievements as well as preparing the next teacher for his/her struggles. We must be fair, but explain how we got there. In some schools they put the letter and than a number next to it (A3). The letter is the grade and the number is the achievement/growth 4 being highest and 1 being the lowest. If you have a straight D student who doesn’t try he or she would get a D1, but if you have a C student who work extremely hard to get a higher grade, you could record a B3 to show growth and the grade he or she deserved. Parents and students must be able to understand the grading process and this might include using a key. I think it would be hard to grade for everyone fairly. Hopefully this advice will help me.

Ch. 13: Gradebook Formats for theDifferentiated Classroom

Everything we do should promote students learning. If a student comes up to ask for a grade, we must be able to give it correctly and be able to explain why they have what they have in my class. To get to this organizational result, we can group assignments by standards/objectives/benchmarks, weight/category, date or topic-based. I find the topic-base grade-book confusing and hard to follow. Wormeli sees this as an appealing way to grade and keep track of work because it has a key. I don’t think any of this will be much of a problem because nowadays, teachers have online grade-books in which students and parents can check for themselves. It is not a bad idea to keep a paper grade-book in case anything happens, but nonetheless, they should be clear, organized and easy-access.

Ch. 12: Grading Scales

At the beginning of the year, you must decide on a grading scale and stick to it. The two most popular scales are the 4pt and the 100pt. On both scales an A means that the student has mastered the material. With a 4pt system, there is more leeway because there is a list of what you are looking for. The looking for items include recognizes what they need to do, understanding, doing it correctly, double checking and arriving at the correct response. Students gain credit for each piece that is correct, unlike the 100pt scale, where you only look for the answer. With the 100pt scale, you are either right or wrong. I think it is unfair to be either correct or incorrect, because in my high school we used to get ½ a credit for being ½ right. This got confusing because grades would round up and that ½ would become a whole. We also have to take into consideration to not base all grades on a rubric and learn to differentiate and reexamine grades before recording them. I think the most important question to consider in teaching is, “What is fair for my students?” We need to ask ourselves this with every assignment and every grading process to meet the needs of our students and their personal growth.

Ch. 11: 6 Burning Grading Issues

Wormeli answers questions on how to record a failing grade, how to grade gifted/special needs students, whether or not we should weigh grades, automaticity vs. attaining concepts, and grading late work throughout this chapter. I think it is adequate punishment for a student to get a 0 because they gain nothing if we consistently give students 60s. It is fair to put an “I” in the grade book for incomplete and then giving a lower grade when handed in. If we take 10 pts off being late for one student, this practice NEEDS to happen for everyone. We cannot favor one student over the other no matter their excuse. Weighing grades can be beneficial, but I still don’t like the idea. Why give someone a higher grade if they do not deserve it? Grading becomes harder when we differentiate, but sometimes differentiation needs to happen. We need to take every one of our students into consideration when we record grades into our books. This might include talking to paraprofessionals, parents, a community team and the student themselves.

Ch. 10: Conditions for Redoing Work for Full Credit

Redo-work should always be allowed, but there must be stipulations. Wormeli suggested not having redo-work due the week before a grading period ends. This will keep us sane. He also urged us to stay away from bonus work and extra credit. I always hated that teachers would not allow this because I wanted to achieve higher grades, but I understand. Teachers want learning to be met at their digression so that we know standards are met properly. I would stay away from the parents signing redo assignments because it should be the student’s responsibility. Some of Wormeli’s stipulations will travel with me, but I will also end up making my own over time.