How You'll Be Graded
I. How Grades are Calculated
The way you are graded in my courses is most likely very different from what you are used to. I use a "Standards Based Grading System" to assign grades to my students. There is a great deal of educational research to support this type of grading system and in my professional opinion it is a very meaningful way to grade . Once you are used to it it is my hope that you will find that it supports your learning and helps you to better understand your grade. Here's a brief overview of how it works:
1. Everything unit of study we cover will be broken down into "Learning Targets." Learning Targets are very clear and specific learning objectives or goals and you work toward mastery of each target. Here is an example of a Learning Target:
"I can determine the greatest common factor (GCF) of two numbers or algebraic terms"
2. You will be given a list of these Learning Targets at the start of every unit in the form of a "WINK Sheet." WINK stands for "What I Need to Know." Click here for an example of a WINK Sheet. You will use this WINK sheet to track your own learning and progress toward each target.
3. During the course of each unit you will be given several "Learning Checks." These are formative assessments and DO NOT count toward your grade. They are so that you and I know how well you are doing in your progress toward your learning targets so that you can adjust your studying and homework and so that I can adjust my teaching to best help the class. Click here for an example of a Learning Check.
4. At the end of the unit you will be given an assessment THAT DOES count toward your grade so we call it a summative assessment. However, when you look at your assessments they look different from what you are used to. I grade each Learning Target separately so that you and I know exactly what your strengths and weaknesses are. I use a very specific rubric and assign each target a score of i to 4. Here is the rubric I use for each target on an exam:
Rubric
I – Incomplete - Student demonstrates little or no understanding of the learning target being concept assessed or has provided no evidence to determine any level of proficiency.
1 – Novice – Student demonstrates a very limited or partial understanding of the skill or concept being assessed, and/or multiple errors in mathematical procedures.
2 – Apprentice – Student uses a strategy that is partially useful, leading some way toward a solution, but not a full solution to the problem.
3 – Practitioner – Student uses a strategy that leads to a solution to the problem. Correct reasoning and mathematical procedures are used and all parts are correct. This score may be given to a student who makes only a minor calculation error but demonstrates complete understanding.
4 – Expert – Student uses a very efficient and sophisticated strategy that leads directly to a solution. Procedures are accurately applied, work is shown meticulously and the student verifies the solution is correct where possible. Where applicable, the student can apply the skill or target, draw inferences and demonstrates a great depth of understanding.Here are a few links to some of the research and articles that may help you to better understand this system of classroom grading:
Grading Research/grading_fixes.pdf
Grading Research/Inside the black box.pdf
Grading Research/Working inside the black box.pdf
Grading Research/Marzano Q and A on Standards Based Grading.pdf
II. Grading Policies
Now that you have an idea of how you are graded, I have some other policies you should be aware of:
I DO NOT count homework, class work, participation or any other "behavior" toward your grade. Your grade is completely based on your ACHIEVEMENT - what you know. I do REPORT your behaviors to you, your parents, guidance counselors etc so that you can determine what you need to work on to improve or maintain your grade. Think of this sort of like playing on a team - I am acting as a coach and assigning you different activities to help you perform better on game day. Practice is much like homework, class work, learning checks, etc and your unit summative assessments are like game day! The rubric I use to report you effort and behavior at the end of this section.
I DO NOT give any extra credit. I DO allow students to REASSESS on Learning Targets they have done poorly on. After providing evidence that they have taken additional steps to learn the material they would like to reassess on SINCE THE ASSESSMENT, students can then reassess and the grade will be replaced with the MOST RECENT evidence of learning.
Assignments and summative assessments always include material from prior units to reinforce your memory and offer more opportunities to show me what you know. Remember all grades for each target are replaced, not averaged, with the most recent evidence of learning.
