the grading conundrum
Alright teachers, you know the purpose of those grades you assign to your students.
So,is it?
- to provide feedback?
- to evaluate student work?
- to communicate success to students and/or parents?
- a measure of how well a student is doing in relation to your curriculum?
- a form of rewards and punishment?
- all of these and more?
Ask yourself a few more questions:
- Are you happy with your grading practices/methods?
- Does all your grading create a true picture of a student’s work and effort?
- Should grades be administered more equally between subject areas/disciplines?
- Should grades be administered more equally locally, nationally, or internationally?
[Hmm? What would classes look like if there were no grading practices?]
When you start talking about grading practices and experiences, it’s like opening a can of worms. Or, one of those spring-loaded surprise gags. There appear to be two main camps of believers when it comes to grading: (a) I am happy with what I have. So, LEAVE ME ALONE! (b) This whole grading shtick needs to change…AND FAST!
True, there is some middle ground. You may be a teacher forced to use your school, district or other grading method. Yet, all the while wishing, hoping, and praying that things were different.
Or, maybe, you happen to be in a school system that has a grading policy. And, they leave it up to the teacher to decide the parameters for grading.
My own past experiences (and possibly yours) fall into the “Or, maybe…” category. There is a grading policy (in my cases the A-F format). But, the setting of grade parameters within that policy is up to me. In most cases, for most students, this worked out well.
Now, think about the other adjustments you have to make. For instance, grade adjustments for ELL, special needs, and 504’s… When you add this to the mix, it becomes quite a daunting task.
One size doesn’t work out so well. “But”, you say, “it doesn’t have to. Why all this fuss? Why does it even matter?”
How many times have you faced this situation. It’s time to put in a semester (quarter/yearly) grade and the results aren’t what you had envisioned.
Pretend scenario: Thinking back over the period of the semester (or other), you ponder “Sally has done most if not all I have asked of her. Her grades are decent. She’s not perfect. But, she’s a good student and has shown improvement. Now, looking at her final grade, it’s not quite a true reflection of her skills and abilities. Why is that? This isn’t right. What’s going on?” So, you adjust her grade. And, then begin wondering about others that fit the same mold. Or, maybe you let it ride and stand by your system. Yet, in the background, wonder if it is fair.
For myself, as the years went by, I wondered about these and other quirks. Take for instance the large gap representing failure (usually 0-59.9 points) in an A-F system. “What?” I thought to myself. “Four passing grades fit an approximately 40% range. While the failing range was close to 60%. Huh?! In an equal spread of points, that means there is a greater chance for a failure than a pass (some don’t consider a D as a great pass range).“
True, most of my students, were in the 40% range. And, some that failed did so because of apathy, laziness, absences, home life, or similar reasons. “So, what are you gripping about?” you reply. In the back of my mind, the “Sally’s” came to mind. I could never justify someone who “tried”, “gave it their best”, or “put in the energy and effort” (all or most of the time) as failing.
What about the student who does well on your tests but never if hardly ever does the day-to-day work? Is that fair? If your grading is solely test-based, he’s fine. But, what of the ones who don’t perform well with tests? They do okay with class work. It’s just the tests that get them.
Is there an answer to these issues?
Is there an alternative?
The next post or two will attempt to uncover different grading practices. And, to some, offer a degree of hope.
