"A Repair Kit for Grading 15 Fixes for Broken Grades"

[SS Rocks!]

http://shop.assessmentinst.com/manuByID/649/images/7599-GradingBk-120x168.jpg

Has anyone read it?

I'm looking for your thoughts and any results you have had in implementing some of the books strategies.

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If you haven't read it, it is about what teachers can do to make grading more accurate. Some of the big points are...

-Grades should be based only on sumative assessments and not on practice work or compliance (participation/attendance).
-Students should receive a 50% for any work that they completed but did not earn above a 50. This is because the grade range for F is 6 times greater than the grade range for As to Ds.
-Students should receive an incomplete for work they do not turn in rather than a zero. Any work that is worth assigning is worth completing.
-Homework, if it is practice work, should not be graded.

[Brit]

sounds like what most people do anyhow. but would like to know people's view. SS, is it worth buying?

[SS Rocks!]

It's an interesting read and it makes you reflect on your grading practices.

Here are the fifteen suggestions...
1. Don't include student behaviors (effort, participation, adherence to rules, etc.) in grades.
2. Don't reduce scores on work submitted late.
3. Don't give extra credit unless it is something that shows work has resulted in a higher level of achievement.
4. Don't punish academic dishonesty with reduced grades. Apply consequences and reassess.
5. Don't factor attendance into grades.
6. Don't include group scores in grades...only individual scores.
7. Organize grades by learning goals, not by assessment methods.
8. Don't assign grades using unclear performance standards. Provide clear descriptions of achievement expectations.
9. Don't assign grades based on compared student achievement. Compare each student to preset standards.
10. Don't rely on evidence from assessments that fail to meet standards of quality.
11. Don't rely on the mean when calculating grades. Also consider student improvement. Use professional judgement.
12. Don't include zeroes in grades. Issue an "I" for work not turned in and a 50% for any completed work for which students earn below a 50%.
13. Only use summative assessments in calculating grades.
14. In learning that develops over time, emphasize the most recent assessment grades.
15. Involve students in the grading process.

Our school system has received a number of complaints over the years from parents disputing how some teachers grade. We, as a system, have a very weak grading policy and the goal is to draft a new one.

There has been a great deal of backlash at the talk of possible changes. Many teachers in our system think that the goal is eliminating homework since much of it couldn't be graded. (The complaint is, how do you motivate students to complete their math homework if it is graded?) I'm just wondering what everyone here thinks. Are my colleagues overreacting or would any of you object to what you have read?

I admit, I'm guilty of violating a number of these "fixes". I give a small participation grade, I deduct points for late work, sometimes I give extra credit points for work that isn't necessarily showing a higher level of achievement, I have some group scores (though, graded fairly), I don't grade by standards per se, I do include zeroes for work that isn't turned in, and some of my formative assessments have points awarded for the work being completed. Many of us (in my school system) came to the consensus that we have inherited some of the faulty grading practices of our school days.

I'm looking forward to reflecting upon my grading practices and making some reforms based on what I have read.

[Boxcar]

I find I don't agree with most of these fixes...

On the positive side, I think that it makes sense that "F" grades only go down to 50%. Would I give nothing lower than a 50%? I'm not sure. I understand the reasoning behind it, however.

[dsmms]

Our school did a workshop on grading practices last year. I agree that that our current scale is "bottom heavy." Anything below a 70 is failing, so if a student gets a zero on an assignment he/she has to make up 70 points just to get a D. The speaker at the work shop proposed that we go to a 50 point scale:

50 points=A, 40 points=B, 30 points=C, 20 points=D, 10 points=F.

It is just more balanced because the grades are incrementally equal. I like the idea myself.

I do take exception with these suggestions:

1. Don't include student behaviors (effort, participation, adherence to rules, etc.) in grades.
2. Don't reduce scores on work submitted late.
4. Don't punish academic dishonesty with reduced grades. Apply consequences and reassess.

6th grade students do not understand that assignments are designed for them to practice specific objectives and hone their study skills. I know that my students will not do assignments that they are not held accountable for. They have already become in tune with teaching practices of not taking grades on everything and often ask if I am taking a grade on an assignment. Translation: If you aren't taking a grade, I'm not going to bother doing the assignment.

I can tell you right now, if you don't reduce a grade for an assignment that is turned in late, you are perpetuating irresponsible behavior. Why should late work receive the same grade opportunity that work that has been turned in responsibly on time? This is unfair to to the students that do what they are supposed to do. I do believe in fairness though. If a student has extenuating circumstances that prevents him/her from turning in work on time, that should be taken into consideration. I also drop the lowest grade because we all have off days. So things aren't always as cut and dry as we wish they could be, but we use our instincts and compassion. If I know a student is working below what his/her capability is, I try to do more than just write a zero in the gradebook. I have seen students exceed what they believed they are cabable of as well, and that doesn't happen when I am lowering my expectation of them. I think when we lower our expectations of students, they will follow suit by by lowering expectations for themselves.

[Brit]

where can I buy a copy of this?

[SS Rocks!]

6th grade students do not understand that assignments are designed for them to practice specific objectives and hone their study skills.

This is one of my big concerns. In order for this system to work you have to drill it into students the importance of practice work. It would involve a major school culture shift because, like you said, if they don't get "paid" (a grade) their thinking is, why should they do it.


I can tell you right now, if you don't reduce a grade for an assignment that is turned in late, you are perpetuating irresponsible behavior.

This is another one of my big problems. The book argues that we are supposed to be measuring achievement, not work ethic. I feel like there does need to be some kind of penalty for late work otherwise, why complete the assignment on time.

What happens if you pay a bill late? Late fee. Some deadlines in the real world can be flexible and if a student comes to me in advance about a problem with meeting a deadline, I'm flexible too.

[SS Rocks!]

where can I buy a copy of this?

http://shop.assessmentinst.com/servlet/ProductView?command=cp&supplierID=649&commodityID=23863&searchIndex=3

Don't go to Amazon. They only have copies for sale through outside vendors and they are quite expensive.

The link above is from ETS (the Praxis people) and costs US$28 for 1 copy.

[SS Rocks!]

Also, I may have neglected to mention this, the book is based on using standards based grading.

[teacher5]

:confused:SS Rocks - I have been teaching for over 30 years at the upper elementary level and have experienced at least 6 report card changes. This last one is pretty close to being objective. We use a 1-5 system with 5 as being defined as the student has mastered the material and can apply strategies taught independently. A 4 reduces that language to has learned most strategies and often can apply them independently. At level 3 the language changes to is making progress, but needs support and guidance. Most at risk kids, inclusion kids, resource room, spec. ed. kids who try and make some kind of progress can get a 3 and never anything higher. They often don't understand they can never get anyting highter than a 3. At level 2 it says they seldom learn strategies taught. At level 1 it says they are unable to demonstrate strategies taught. Even with this rating system, in 5th grade kids and parents are still craving and demanding a traditional number grading system which translates into this 1-5 report card rating system. Therefore, we give chapter tests, unit tests, quizzes in between chapters and units, and have rubrics for reports and projects which translate into number grades. Students are penalized for late or incomplete work. I totally agree they need to begin to learn that there are deadlines to meet. This is part of the real work world they will enter. They need to experience this. Basically, students who consistently score 90% or better area able to achieve a 5, between 80-89 a 4, between 70-79 a 3, and below 70 a 2. Parents and students seem to understand this grading and reporting system because there has been little or no feedback. There is talk of changing the language of the 2 and 3 ratings for this coming school year. Strangely it has come from administration and not the teachers, parents, or students. Something to the affect that the "3" language will become a "2". I can't wait to see it. This problem will always exist, even after I leave the profession. I don't think there is a quick fix unless you can be totally objective.

[Clearly Canadian]

There has been a lot of debate about the points mentioned in the book you've read. Another book along the same lines as this one is "Talk about Assessment" by Damian Cooper. It has almost the same points in it as you mentioned SS. Some of what the author's propose does not seem very real world to me. We have a late policy among the grade 7 and 8 staff at our school that anything handed in after the due date is less 20%, and anything handed in after the interim report (not an official report card, just an update to parents) is less 50%.

I'm not sure how to translate the idea of incomplete assignments, because the issue of how they affect the final grade has never been resolved satisfactorily. So does an incomplete get averaged in with the other grades and if so how? Is it a zero? Does it count at all? My concern with some of the grade 7's and 8's would be they would do one assignment, ignore the rest, and then what? If they scored 100% on the one assignment they did, do they get 100%? That hardly seems fair!

At our school we do count participation/cooperation as part of the grade, but only at 10% for the whole term.

In the Damian Cooper book, he uses sports as an analogy for school. When kids play sports, they have practice times, where they work on skills, do drills, take advice from the coach in order to improve. During practice the kids aren't being assessed they are merely working to learn and improve. During the game (test, project, whatever is being summatively assessed) is when students need to demonstrate their ability and that is what counts for a grade, like the score at the end of a game.

There are good points for pondering in regards to assessment. I don't know that all of them need to be adopted at the same time or to the same degree.

If you had to choose one or two to try, SS, (or anyone else) which ones would they be? :idontknow:

[dsmms]

This is another one of my big problems. The book argues that we are supposed to be measuring achievement, not work ethic. I feel like there does need to be some kind of penalty for late work otherwise, why complete the assignment on time.

What happens if you pay a bill late? Late fee. Some deadlines in the real world can be flexible and if a student comes to me in advance about a problem with meeting a deadline, I'm flexible too.

I wonder why achievement and work ethic are not treated equally. If students learned by osmosis it would make sense not to include work ethic.

"Okay students, I would like for you to "absorb" chapter 1. Assessment will be next Friday."

I'm sorry, it takes a bit of work to make it happen!!!! I often tell my daughters that things worth having are worth working for - education included!

[SS Rocks!]

In the Damian Cooper book, he uses sports as an analogy for school. When kids play sports, they have practice times, where they work on skills, do drills, take advice from the coach in order to improve. During practice the kids aren't being assessed they are merely working to learn and improve. During the game (test, project, whatever is being summatively assessed) is when students need to demonstrate their ability and that is what counts for a grade, like the score at the end of a game.

This author uses a very similar analogy.


If you had to choose one or two to try, SS, (or anyone else) which ones would they be? :idontknow:

I'm actually planning on trying a few this year. I'm dropping my participation/preparation grade. I plan on ramping up my classroom monetary system in its place.

I'm also planning on not giving scores below a 50% unless the work is not turned in at all. Our school has a policy where students cannot earn below a 50 on their report card anyway. The way I see it, this is doing the same basic thing.

I don't give much practice homework in social studies but, this year I will be teaching math as well. I plan on experimenting with not grading students' practice homework. I think it's a bad idea but our administration wants feedback from people that have tried out some of the strategies in the book.

We'll see how it turns out.

I still plan on giving zeroes for work that is not turned in and I still plan on deducting points for work that is not turned in on time.

[Clearly Canadian]

I'm curious about how students don't get score's below 50%? I've seen other postings about this but I don't really understand how it works. Can students fail a course? What constitutes a failing grade in your school system? For our division we have letter grades assigned to percent ranges. Anything below a 50% is a fail.

[SS Rocks!]

I'm curious about how students don't get score's below 50%? I've seen other postings about this but I don't really understand how it works. Can students fail a course? What constitutes a failing grade in your school system? For our division we have letter grades assigned to percent ranges. Anything below a 50% is a fail.

Our current grade scale is
100-90 A
89-80 B
79-70 C
69-60 D
50-0 F

The book says that since the range of an F is six times greater than for any of the other grades, you should not assign a score below a 50%. So, if a student earns a 23% on a test, you would input the grade as a 50%.

According to the book, work that is not turned in should be entered into the gradebook as "Incomplete" until the student turns the work in. The author says that any work worth assigning and grading is worth tracking the student down to get it from them.

I don't recall the book saying whether or not a student could fail a course but I would assume it has to be possible.

[LeAnna]

What a great converstion!
Our district is still struggling with producing standards based report cards. There are far too many versions of report cards being used in our district. In desperation my grade level did research on our own and using another districts standards based report card, formulated one for our school site and grade level. Having piloted it this last year I found it to be efficient in addressing whether a student has mastered or begun to master the key standards the district has identified as being essential for our grade level. I feel that the creation of a standardized report card needs to be done by a team of teachers and administrators who have a foundational understanding of what it is we really are measuring. At my grade level we do not issue letter grades, but have a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = not meeting grade level standards, 2 = progressing towards meeting standards, 3 = at grade level, 4 = exceeding grade level standards). It is still a work in progress and I look forward to reading the book and seeing more comments here.

[LeAnna]

5. Don't factor attendance into grades.

I would love to know how your district deals with students who are habitually tardy for significant portions of the school day or have excessive absenteeism?

My district has a policy of not passing on a student who has missed over 80 days of the school year. My problem with this, is that I can get a student who missed 79 days of the 180 day school year and they are not ready for the next grade level! Also, I have had students who are never "absent" yet come to school 2 to 3 hours late every day. And they have not mastered the curriculum.

Also retention is a choice in our district. And most of my behavior issues with students are rooted in their not being ready for my grade level and have parents/caregivers unwilling or unable to assist them at home or able to get them to school on time each and every day!

[herdgrad]

Our county has a truency officer. Once students reach a certain number of absences (3 tardies or early checkouts equal 1 absence) then the students and the parents get a visit from the officer. If it continues the truency officer and the school takes them to court. The parents are then held responsible. It can even go to criminal court.
Attendance is a factor when considering retention. It can not be the only factor, but it does factor in.

[Cybrus]

I agree with all the suggestions. A few responses:

To those who disagree with deducting marks on assignments, I refer you to your standards. Your standards to not say "Johnny will divide fractions within the first half of the year" it simply says that Johnny will divide fractions. If a student is able to demonstrate understanding (the point of assessment) what does it matter when they hand it in?

Now, the obvious argument of "But that teaches them bad habits" - I agree! However, just as in the "real world" when we are tardy with an assignment for work, we find ourselves working hours we wouldn't usually work! My students know that after the due date, they are in for their breaks until they finish the work. I let the parents know, who are usually more than happy to curtail some of their weekend plans until the assignment is complete. Once it's done, all marks the student deserves are awarded.

In regards to not grading math practice - GOOD! Practice is practice, and you shouldn't be graded on it - otherwise, you are afraid to do badly on the homework, and tend to cheat/copy the book for answers. If you know your teacher will help you finish the work you couldn't understand without consequence, you're more willing to try.

Behaviour should NEVER enter into an assessment - there should be other consequences for that. Again, the standards say that Johnny will multiply fractions, not that Johnny will multiply fractions with a good attitude.

Giving a zero is like saying to students "It's okay, you failed...no problem". What have they learned? Make them do it! They will discover that putting in some effort is better than putting in none, and they will learn more too...

Anyway, my 2 cents, from north of the border :)

[hweber]

I don't grade homework either. I do a homework heroes board that students put a star on when their homework is complete. At the end of a week or 2 those that have all homework done get a treat. At the end of the quarter, they get a certificate at the awards assembly.

I agree that student's should be awarded a grade lower than 50% simply because if it classwork or whatever, they at least tried and turned in something.

[Clearly Canadian]

5. Don't factor attendance into grades.

I would love to know how your district deals with students who are habitually tardy for significant portions of the school day or have excessive absenteeism?


For our school division there really is no consequence for missing that many days. We have a handful of students, maybe 10 our of a population of 500 at our middle school, who are chronically absent. Their parents are really the ones who are at fault. A student was due in my room for detention at lunch to complete work that was not done, and he didn't show up. I looked up his attendance and sure enough he was absent, and the reason given was "Refused to come to school". The student was in grade 8. It is difficult to follow through with any sort of consequence when parents are part of the problem.

We have officials at our head office who are alerted to problems like this and I believe the families are put in touch with family liason (something like a social worker) to help the situation.

Anyway, attendance is not part of our formal grading system, but it certainly has an impact. If a student isn't there to complete the work, during the regular school day or during the extra hours we offer, then unfortunately that reflects on their report card, and final grades. Our school division does not use "incomplete" or "insufficient" for missing work, it is simply assigned a zero. Good, bad or ugly it gets a zero.

[christine]

I'll start out by saying that my school has had a pretty strong grading policy that incorporates many, but not all, of these ideas for the last 5 or so years.

I'd like to throw in our rationale on the attendance policy. Someone has already stated it, though indirectly. If a student is absent all the time, that student's grades likely already reflect that fact. You don't need to take MORE points off because they're not learning what they're missing in class and it shows.

As for the late work, UGH. Despite the fact that we have adopted many (the most controversial of which is the "no grade lower than a 50") of these ideas, we do not have a policy regarding late work - instead leaving it up to individual teachers.

I generally treat this on a case-by-case basis. If a student turns in a single assignment late, I do not deduct points. Every body has a bad day, forgets to do something, is overwhelmed by their work load, etc. If, however, a student routinely turns in late work, they may lose points or more likely, they will find themselves sitting with me after school doing the work they've missed.

As far as grading on work ethic - nothing drives me crazier than one of my gifted kids doing NO work at all and acing the assessment. This, however, is my problem and not his. If s/he doesn't have to do any work and can still ace the assessment the work is not appropriate for that student. On the other hand, you can have a struggling student work really, really, really hard and still not understand the concept. In good conscience, I can't pass that child because they "worked hard". They'll never understand division if they didn't understand multiplication no matter how hard they worked.

AND...work ethic is truly subjective. How do you know how hard a student worked?

It is definitely not a perfect system, but I think that for the most part it does help set students up for success.

[zachaa]

I, too, have a problem with not deducting points for late work. I completely agree with the poster who already mentioned what happens if you pay a bill late. There should be some sort of consequence.

What I do is I accept late work but they can earn up to 70% C. My rationale is that they did the work, so it should pass. But it can't be "above average" (B) or "exceptional" (A) because to me those include the stipulation that it is done on time.

However, I also agree that individual consideration and compassion is needed. I would definitely consider a "one free pass" because, yes, we do all have our bad days.

The one thing I do struggle with is giving zeros. I completely agree that if work is turned in, the lowest it should get is 50%. It is mathematically unfair to give it less, if it is worth turning in. However, last year I kept zeros for assignments that were NEVER turned in and tried to get kids to re-do those assignments. I was not very good or organized at it, as it was my first year, but I am hoping for better results this year. I'm wondering if I should consider giving 50% for no assignment turned in, and a 60% as the lowest grade possible for something that was turned in, but was complete crap. A D is still failing, right?