Student Questions

1. Do you understand why we are taking this approach in class?
2. Do you understand that you are only being compared to yourself?
3. Do you understand that effort and behavior are important even though it is not part of your grade?
4. Do you understand that you still need to do homework even though you do not receive a grade for it? Do you understand how homework counts?
5. When we answer questions on notecards, do you understand what that is for?
6. When you receivea grade of 3 on something to you know what that means?
7. Do you understand why there is a 5,4,3,2,1 scale?
8. Do you know why our class is trying to use the 5,4,3,2,1 scale?
9. If you have a grade of two on something what should you do?
10. If you have a grade of three on something what should you do?
11. If you have a five does that mean that you never need to think about it again?
12.

update

One important thing that has come up in our work with competencies and graduation expectations is that the process weeds out things that do not fit within the goals of the district and school.

Just like a bulls eye on a dartboard the idea of focusing on goals

List of Recommendations:

Feedback and Assessment from Bob Marzano and Tom Guskey
1. Classroom Assessment Feedback should provide students with a clear picture of their progress on learning goals and how they might improve.
2. Feedback on Classroom Assessments Should Encourage Students to Improve
3. Classroom Assessments should be Formative
4. Formative Classroom Assessments should be frequent.

Grading Scale--From Bob Marzano
5. A grading scale should measure learning over time.
6. Rewrite the standards (competencies) according to this scale

Grading--From Ken O'Connor
7. Grading is not essential for learning
8. Grading is complicated
9. Grading is subjective

Base grades on intended learning goals
10. Use criterion referenced performance standards as reference points to determine grades
11. Limit the student attributes included in grades to individual achievement—not on effort, participation, etc.
12. Sample student performance—do not include all scores in grades.
13, Keep records that can be updated easily—meaning they can change if a student shows you new evidence.
14. Crunch numbers carefully if at all. Consider the median, mean or Olympic (throw out high and low.)
15. Use quality assessments and properly record evidence of achievement.
16. Discuss and involve students in assessment throughout the teaching and learning process.

A Good Friend

I have always hoped that they will put the title of this post on my tombstone.

I have always worked hard on my friendships. I have tried hard to keep in touch

Thinking about grading and feedback

 I was thinking about grading and feedback after a meeting I had this week.

I wandered around the house this weekend looking for books that spoke to this very thing. I wound up scanning several pages from great works by Wormeli, Guskey, O'Connor, Wiggins, McTighe, Vander Els, Stack, and several more.

Here are the clips I took.

On Feedback and Grading

I think it is the science teacher in me but I really like things like the Marzano complete scale.

Movies to play if I'm at the end of life

 Not a fun subject -- maybe -- but if I'm in a coma or in a place where I'm still alive but will pass away soon....I don't want music. I would like you to play movies.

• The Original Superman with Christopher Reeve
• Lonesome Dove -- Especially anything with Augustus McRae
• Any Spiderman movie
• She Said
• All the President's Men
• Spotlight
• Any of the Lord of the Rings
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• You could do the whole MCL from Iron Man to Endgame
• North by Northwest
• Rear Window
• Devil Wears Prada
• If the girls are there watch something we used to like together like Father of the Bride or the Parent Trap
• Crazy Stupid Love
• Star Wars 3,4,5,6,7,8,9 NOT 1 or 2.