I have been working for many years to make my assessment and grading less like a game to be played, and have it be more about what students are learning. When I talk about why I grade the way I do, I talk to the students about the game we all play for points acquisition. Some points are meaningful, and some are not, but if you can accumulate enough you win! And, you may win short term, but it doesn't always mean that you learned.
I am not currently under a standards-based grading system, and though I do not think Standards Based Grading is full proof or a perfect answer, I do think it is a step in the right direction. I have been working toward this step, because it is research-based, and is a widely accepted form of grading. Since my school is not yet Standards-Based, I have had about 4 years or so of trying to be standards-based while amidst a traditional grading system.
One of the tricks that I have learned with the Skyward system is that I can actually have a category that is worth 0%. I am asked to enter a grade per week to keep parents updated (some check skyward several times a day) and entering a grade per week can be tough when you are assessing actual learning, as that can take time. I was not comfortable putting in a permanent grade that could affect their final grade in class on concepts that students were just learning.
I have one category that is 100% of students grades, and that category is assessment. I have a second category that is called Daily Work and is worth 0% of a students grade. When we are working on a concept, but are not at the point where I want to do a summative assessment, I enter something in the daily work category. This satisfies parties that want constant updates, yet doesn't penalize students when they are learning or practicing.
I am sure to explain to students and parents why the categories are set up this way and let parents know that students scores in the daily work category can be a good indicator of how they will do on the summative assessment and may indicate that they need more practice or more help.
This is one way I have tried to cheat the system so that I am compliant with school requests, yet I am still about student learning and not the points game.
How about you; do you have any tricks or tips about reinventing assessment?
I am not currently under a standards-based grading system, and though I do not think Standards Based Grading is full proof or a perfect answer, I do think it is a step in the right direction. I have been working toward this step, because it is research-based, and is a widely accepted form of grading. Since my school is not yet Standards-Based, I have had about 4 years or so of trying to be standards-based while amidst a traditional grading system.
One of the tricks that I have learned with the Skyward system is that I can actually have a category that is worth 0%. I am asked to enter a grade per week to keep parents updated (some check skyward several times a day) and entering a grade per week can be tough when you are assessing actual learning, as that can take time. I was not comfortable putting in a permanent grade that could affect their final grade in class on concepts that students were just learning.
**This is part of a skyward grade book. The yellow columns are my assessment categories, gray are my daily work category. Formative assessments in the daily work category and summative assessments in the assessment category have the same title so students know that they line up...exmpl, "Stretch and Explore check #1" and "Stretch and Explore"
I have one category that is 100% of students grades, and that category is assessment. I have a second category that is called Daily Work and is worth 0% of a students grade. When we are working on a concept, but are not at the point where I want to do a summative assessment, I enter something in the daily work category. This satisfies parties that want constant updates, yet doesn't penalize students when they are learning or practicing.
I am sure to explain to students and parents why the categories are set up this way and let parents know that students scores in the daily work category can be a good indicator of how they will do on the summative assessment and may indicate that they need more practice or more help.
This is one way I have tried to cheat the system so that I am compliant with school requests, yet I am still about student learning and not the points game.
How about you; do you have any tricks or tips about reinventing assessment?
If you have grades based on standards and participation, why do I not see them on your first image? Is this a different image?
ReplyDeleteAt the point I took the snapshot I had not entered participation scores yet. I was working on when and how to do that. Do you use any kind of citizenship scores?
Deletedo you have an updated image of what it looks like at the end of the quarter? Am I to assume you have many weeks of what they are up to?
ReplyDelete