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Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

Presented by:

Travis Burns, Ed.D.

Principal of Northumberland High

Northumberland County Public Schools

Contact Information:

Email:

Work Phone: 804-580-5192

Twitter: @Dr_TravisBurns

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

Perhaps the most counterproductive aspect of schooling as we know it is the conventional system of letter grades. The problem with grades is not the use of symbols, but the absence of any defensible plan for coming up with the symbol…most grades reflect what is easy to count and average into a final grade.

-Grant Wiggins

OVERVIEW

This presentation will highlight grading practices that inform and enhance student learning experiences. Participants willcompare and contrasttheir respective grading principles and practices with group members. There will be an emphasis on grading practices that promote student achievement through meaningful feedbackand extended opportunities to learn from mistakes

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

· What is a grade?

· Do grades help students learn? Do grades motivate students?

· Should students who fail to complete work be required to complete the work before, during or after school hours?

· Should there be consistency in the number of grades per quarter and/or semester by teacher, subject areas, or curriculum departments?

· Should grades measure what students know and understand as opposed to what students do and don’t do?

· Should students be given opportunities to correct mistakes (re-dos, retakes, do- overs)?

· Do your teachers give extra credit? Why or why not?

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

AGREE OR DISAGREE STATEMENTS

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

Read the statement, and decide if you agree or disagree with the statement.

1) All work assigned by a teacher should be graded. Agree or Disagree

2) Grades should be based on what students know and understand. Agree or Disagree

3) Grades should be based on what students do and don’t do. Agree or Disagree

4) Students who fail to complete work for a course are challenging the authority of the classroom teacher. Agree or Disagree

5) A check mark is a grade. Agree or Disagree

6) A zero will lead to improved student performance. Agree or Disagree

7) Semester grades should be based on the overall average of how a student performs during the semester. Agree or Disagree

8) Semester grades should be based on how the student performs toward the end of the semester. Agree or Disagree

9) An appropriate consequence for not completing work is to have students complete the work before, during, or after school hours. Agree or Disagree

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

SEVEN CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS IN GRADING

1. Zeros

2. Accepting late work

3. Averages

4. Semester killers

5. Homework

6. Extra credit

7. Re-dos, retakes, and do-overs

HOW TO GRADE FOR LEARNING

Based on work of Ken O’ Connor (2011), A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015

1. Include only achievement in grades. Do not include student behaviors (effort, participation, manners, etc.) in grades.

2. Do not take letter grades off for late work. Is LATE better than NEVER?

3. Don’t give points for extra credit.

4. Don’t punish cheating or academic dishonesty with reduced grades. Reassess and determine actual level of achievement.

5. Do not include attendance in grade determination.

6. Do not include group scores in gradebook. Use only individual level of achievement.

7. Report grades based on degree of mastery of a given standard or intended learning objective or goal (standards-based grading).

8. Provide clear descriptions of expectations for mastery.

9. Do not assign grades based on student’s achievement in comparison to other students. Compare student’s performance to preset standards.

10. Use quality assessments to determine student mastery (Use a table of specifications to assist with alignment).

11. Do not rely on averages or the mean; consider alternative approaches.

12. Do not include zeros in grade determination when evidence is missing or as punishment. Zeros kill averages.

13. Do not use formative assessment and practice to determine grades. Use only summative assessment as evidence. Students should not be afraid to learn from mistakes or failures. Allow student opportunities to re-do work.

14. Do not summarize evidence over time. Emphasize recent achievement as learning is developmental.

15. Involve students in the grading process. Give them input and opportunities to assess their achievement.

Informative Assessment: The Artifacts of Learning, Student Grades

88th Annual Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference and Exposition

July 28 – July 1, 2015