Assignment: Course Overview and Grading Policy

Background:

Many teachers create a document one might call a “Course Overview and Grading Policy.” In some schools it is an administrative requirement. This document is short and informative—no more than two pages. It briefly describes the particular course and major expectations. It also clearly articulates the teacher’s grading policy (how an individual student’s quarterly grades will be computed). It is distributed to the students on the first day(s) of school and usually given to parents at an evening meeting in late September often called “Back-to-School Night.” Students are told to keep it in their notebooks. So it is an important document.

The purpose of this assignment is to allow you to demonstrate your ability to create an authentic “Course Overview and Grading Policy” document for one of the courses that you teach or will teach. It will be a professional document that you can use immediately or revise with future use.

Procedure:

  1. Consult the attached “Assessment List for Course Overview/Grade Policy”

2.  Review and critique examples of Course Overview/Grade Policies provided in class to stimulate your thinking and get ideas for your own document.

  1. Create your own professional “Course Overview and Grade Policy.”

RUBRIC FOR COURSE OVERVIEW & GRADE POLICY

Performance Criteria / Points
Overall
Document / A complete, professional document (ready to distribute): has a “heading” and a clear, effective “format” that’s organized well
(2 pages). Errors in capitalization, punctuation and spelling will result in -5 points/error. Late papers are -10/day. Please use googledocs. / 30
The document is attractive, clear, informative, and engaging; Considered use of white space and appropriate graphics.
The document addresses students (and their parents) directly and includes a sense of your “personal voice” and style.
Course Overview / Briefly and clearly describes your course (eg topics, goals, materials). / 30
Briefly and clearly describes your expectations of students and any policies and procedures (eg work habits, classroom rules, materials to bring to class, extra help availability, make-up work, contact information).
Grade Policy / Clearly describes your grading policy and how students’ quarterly grades are computed.
/ 40
A “variety” of assessments contribute to the grade. “Weighting” of assessments is clear. Assessments are briefly described as necessary.
Total / 100

A+ = 99-100 A = 96-98 A- = 90-95 B+ = 85-89 B = 80-84 B = 80-84 B- = 75-79