Abstract:
Chapter 13 is all about grade book formats and what kind of format works best for differentiated instruction. Ken O’Connor suggests that differentiating teachers record formative assessments as well as summative; this way, teachers can track progress with accompanying “f’s” that indicate formative assessment in the grade book, and determine a final grade with those items with an “s.” The overall gist of this chapter is to make sure your grading system and grade book reflects you and the way you teach, and your students and the way they learn.
Reflection:
Our group agreed with most of the suggestions given by the author in this chapter. We all appreciated the discussion on grade book formats, because it is not something that we would have really thought about until we faced the situation. I personally am most familiar with the date format, but the other options seem interesting and may be more useful once I become more comfortable with them. Grade books should reflect our teaching styles and differentiated instruction but as Abbie said "we need to find a balance between grade books that focus on our students, but that are also set up in a comfortable and relatively easy format for us to manage."
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Fair Isn't Always Equal Chpt. 8
Abstract:
This chapter talks about the purpose of grading, and if we should consider effort, attendance and behavoir into the equation. The chapter lists reasons given by teachers as to why give a grade. While to document progress, provide feedback, and inform structional decisions are usefull in grading the other reasons provided were not. Those were to motivate, punish, and sort students. These end up diluting the accuracy of the grade and its usefullness. It is important to use the first three to help students.
Then the chapter talks about incorporating behavoir, effort, and attendance into grading. There is an issue of these factors causing a grade to not entirely reflect the mastery of the material in the course. There is also reason to use these factors, and an example is given of a student who is an active learner, but due to issues at home, absenses occur and work assign for outside class doesnt get done. Under normal circumstances of this school that student would get an F. The teacher of this student did not agree with this however.
These are important factors to consider when grading. Though another concern is when other factors are considered in a grade, the meaning of the grade itself changes.
Reflection: These are deffinately important points to consider when grading. It seems there are reasons to support both sides. We as teachers would like to have behavoir, attendance and effort count for something positive, since they surely are a factor in failing a student. The problem then comes to how do we fairly grade our students, while still keeping the purpose of a grade and its meaning to the student, teacher, and parents?
This chapter talks about the purpose of grading, and if we should consider effort, attendance and behavoir into the equation. The chapter lists reasons given by teachers as to why give a grade. While to document progress, provide feedback, and inform structional decisions are usefull in grading the other reasons provided were not. Those were to motivate, punish, and sort students. These end up diluting the accuracy of the grade and its usefullness. It is important to use the first three to help students.
Then the chapter talks about incorporating behavoir, effort, and attendance into grading. There is an issue of these factors causing a grade to not entirely reflect the mastery of the material in the course. There is also reason to use these factors, and an example is given of a student who is an active learner, but due to issues at home, absenses occur and work assign for outside class doesnt get done. Under normal circumstances of this school that student would get an F. The teacher of this student did not agree with this however.
These are important factors to consider when grading. Though another concern is when other factors are considered in a grade, the meaning of the grade itself changes.
Reflection: These are deffinately important points to consider when grading. It seems there are reasons to support both sides. We as teachers would like to have behavoir, attendance and effort count for something positive, since they surely are a factor in failing a student. The problem then comes to how do we fairly grade our students, while still keeping the purpose of a grade and its meaning to the student, teacher, and parents?
Fair Isn't Always Equal -chapter 9
Fair Isn't Always Equal
Chapter 9
Abstract:
Chapter nine examines ten things to avoid when differentiating assessments and grading. These include the practice of incorporating nonacademic factors such as behavior into a final grade; penalizing students for multiple attempts at mastery, and grading practice homework. The author also warns teachers to avoid withholding assistance when it’s needed, to avoid assessing students in ways that do not accurately indicate their mastery, to avoid allowing extra credit and bonus points, and to avoid group grades. Finally mentioned is grading on a curve, along with giving zeros for work not handed in, and averages.
Reflection:
In thinking about such a difficult and time consuming process, this chapter offers plenty of advice for how to make grading that much less challenging and risky. First, we'll address the penalty for multiple attempts at mastery; there needs to be some incentive for students to do their work and to push themselves to gain an understanding of the topic. If they are allowed to make up homework and tests for full credit over and over again, students will take advantage of it and chaos will ensue.
As far as extra credit is concerned, as long as it is used correctly to benefit students in need, and it is not used to the point that students have the opportunity to abuse it, it should certainly implemented in the classroom. Zeros, I believe, should be recorded; students need to be held responsible for their actions. What do you tell the student that worked really hard but is simply having trouble with the content and gets a sixty on a project when his/her peer gets a sixty recorded in the gradebook because the peer simply didn't do it? Do we tell that struggling student that by putting a zero in there we're ensuring that the average isn't thrown off? It's an insult to the student that is struggling, and it's handing credit/points to a student who has yet to prove that he/she has a grasp of the concept.
Chapter 9
Abstract:
Chapter nine examines ten things to avoid when differentiating assessments and grading. These include the practice of incorporating nonacademic factors such as behavior into a final grade; penalizing students for multiple attempts at mastery, and grading practice homework. The author also warns teachers to avoid withholding assistance when it’s needed, to avoid assessing students in ways that do not accurately indicate their mastery, to avoid allowing extra credit and bonus points, and to avoid group grades. Finally mentioned is grading on a curve, along with giving zeros for work not handed in, and averages.
Reflection:
In thinking about such a difficult and time consuming process, this chapter offers plenty of advice for how to make grading that much less challenging and risky. First, we'll address the penalty for multiple attempts at mastery; there needs to be some incentive for students to do their work and to push themselves to gain an understanding of the topic. If they are allowed to make up homework and tests for full credit over and over again, students will take advantage of it and chaos will ensue.
As far as extra credit is concerned, as long as it is used correctly to benefit students in need, and it is not used to the point that students have the opportunity to abuse it, it should certainly implemented in the classroom. Zeros, I believe, should be recorded; students need to be held responsible for their actions. What do you tell the student that worked really hard but is simply having trouble with the content and gets a sixty on a project when his/her peer gets a sixty recorded in the gradebook because the peer simply didn't do it? Do we tell that struggling student that by putting a zero in there we're ensuring that the average isn't thrown off? It's an insult to the student that is struggling, and it's handing credit/points to a student who has yet to prove that he/she has a grasp of the concept.
DI/UbD -Chapter 8 synthesis
DI/UbD
Chapter 8
Abstract:
Chapter 8 discusses the difficulty teachers face when it comes to grading in a differentiated classroom. It states that if we choose to look at grades as a means of providing clear and helpful feedback to important audiences such as parents and students to further the learning process, then we are following the inherent beliefs and methods of backwards design.
Grades should reflect personal ability based on standards; they should not be based on a student's placement in comparison to the rest of the class. Grading should focus on achievement and report evidence of learning and the evidence should be a valid indicator of the student’s understanding of the learning goal. Emphasis should be placed on what students learn as opposed to when they learn it. The author goes on to discuss what should and shouldn’t be factored into the final grade: pre-assessment clearly should not be, and formative assessments should only be included now and then because their primary purpose is to provide feedback and direction.
Reflection:
We agree that students should be aware of the standards because it may help them with direction, and their grades reflect student understanding of those standards; grades should use assessments, but assessments do not, and should not, always be graded. There must always be an alternative for assessing student's learning; students learn differently, and we must remember not to grade a student relative to the rest.
We disagreed amongst ourselves on the topic of whether or not “other factors” such as effort, participation, attendance, behavior, etc., should be counted. I say that ALL OF THOSE FACTORS come into play in student achievement, especially when some of them may or may not affect the learning of peers. Meanwhile, Carrie says that there are certain things she certainly wouldn't include because those things wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of her unit, and that the grades she gives her students should reflect what she wanted them to gain from the unit.
Chapter 8
Abstract:
Chapter 8 discusses the difficulty teachers face when it comes to grading in a differentiated classroom. It states that if we choose to look at grades as a means of providing clear and helpful feedback to important audiences such as parents and students to further the learning process, then we are following the inherent beliefs and methods of backwards design.
Grades should reflect personal ability based on standards; they should not be based on a student's placement in comparison to the rest of the class. Grading should focus on achievement and report evidence of learning and the evidence should be a valid indicator of the student’s understanding of the learning goal. Emphasis should be placed on what students learn as opposed to when they learn it. The author goes on to discuss what should and shouldn’t be factored into the final grade: pre-assessment clearly should not be, and formative assessments should only be included now and then because their primary purpose is to provide feedback and direction.
Reflection:
We agree that students should be aware of the standards because it may help them with direction, and their grades reflect student understanding of those standards; grades should use assessments, but assessments do not, and should not, always be graded. There must always be an alternative for assessing student's learning; students learn differently, and we must remember not to grade a student relative to the rest.
We disagreed amongst ourselves on the topic of whether or not “other factors” such as effort, participation, attendance, behavior, etc., should be counted. I say that ALL OF THOSE FACTORS come into play in student achievement, especially when some of them may or may not affect the learning of peers. Meanwhile, Carrie says that there are certain things she certainly wouldn't include because those things wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of her unit, and that the grades she gives her students should reflect what she wanted them to gain from the unit.
Assessing Chapter 14
Abstract:
The main idea of this chapter is about adjusted or modified curriculum. It offers another way to grade students while using their progressive learning. There is mention of a slightly different way to represent a grade by using a letter and number. The letter represents their grade, and the number represents their progress over time. This will give more feedback to the student, not just showing a letter grade but telling them how they have improved their learning.
Reflection:
Giving feedback on grade as well as improvement is a good idea. This concept is supported by a good amount of students and may be prefferable to students as well. The more feedback the students have, the better off they will be. It is important to notice improvement and think about that when grading becuase some one who worked hard throughout a year and improved much deserves a good grade. If us as teacher are grading a students ability to learn material, then growth and improvement is very important.
The main idea of this chapter is about adjusted or modified curriculum. It offers another way to grade students while using their progressive learning. There is mention of a slightly different way to represent a grade by using a letter and number. The letter represents their grade, and the number represents their progress over time. This will give more feedback to the student, not just showing a letter grade but telling them how they have improved their learning.
Reflection:
Giving feedback on grade as well as improvement is a good idea. This concept is supported by a good amount of students and may be prefferable to students as well. The more feedback the students have, the better off they will be. It is important to notice improvement and think about that when grading becuase some one who worked hard throughout a year and improved much deserves a good grade. If us as teacher are grading a students ability to learn material, then growth and improvement is very important.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Assessing 11
Abstract:
Chapter 11 discusses the six major issues concerning grading. One of the big issues is whether to give an zero for work not done or a 60. The author's argue that giving a 60 instead of a zero is a more fair assessment of student understanding. It argues that if every other letter grade has a ten point grade window, then why does an F have fifty points within it?
Reflection:
Our group had many different points of view regarding this chapter. For example, I agree with not giving students zero on work they don't hand in. My mentor teacher gives out 60 points for work thats not handed in and it seems to wokr out well. Carrie doesn't agree with the 60 instead of zeros, she believes that a students that does zero work should recieve zeros.
Chapter 11 discusses the six major issues concerning grading. One of the big issues is whether to give an zero for work not done or a 60. The author's argue that giving a 60 instead of a zero is a more fair assessment of student understanding. It argues that if every other letter grade has a ten point grade window, then why does an F have fifty points within it?
Reflection:
Our group had many different points of view regarding this chapter. For example, I agree with not giving students zero on work they don't hand in. My mentor teacher gives out 60 points for work thats not handed in and it seems to wokr out well. Carrie doesn't agree with the 60 instead of zeros, she believes that a students that does zero work should recieve zeros.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Assessing Ch. 10
Abstract:
This chapter is devoted to setting up a system for teachers to be able to allow students to redo assignments. This privilege is often subjectively given by teachers and can end up being very unfair to students, and risky to teachers. Thus, this chapter offers some advice to teachers on how to solve this problem and avoid all of the consequential negativity. Involving parents in the "redo" and changing the assignment the second time around are two of the major things to consider. It also suggests that teachers have students complete a time-line for completion of the assignment, as well as have them hand in the original assignment for consideration in the overall grading process.
Reflection:
As a group, we all agreed that this chapter offers invaluable advice which could potentially keep us from being taken advantage of by students and teachers. We feel that the more comfortable we can become with our own beliefs and ideas about our own systems, the more prepared we will be to handle situations like this. We all seem agree with this chapter about making rules (about redoing work) clear from the beginning so that there can be no conflicts about it. It has always been obvious that the teachers who have taken time to make their rules and systems are the ones who firmly believe in them and end up having no issues surrounding them.
This chapter is devoted to setting up a system for teachers to be able to allow students to redo assignments. This privilege is often subjectively given by teachers and can end up being very unfair to students, and risky to teachers. Thus, this chapter offers some advice to teachers on how to solve this problem and avoid all of the consequential negativity. Involving parents in the "redo" and changing the assignment the second time around are two of the major things to consider. It also suggests that teachers have students complete a time-line for completion of the assignment, as well as have them hand in the original assignment for consideration in the overall grading process.
Reflection:
As a group, we all agreed that this chapter offers invaluable advice which could potentially keep us from being taken advantage of by students and teachers. We feel that the more comfortable we can become with our own beliefs and ideas about our own systems, the more prepared we will be to handle situations like this. We all seem agree with this chapter about making rules (about redoing work) clear from the beginning so that there can be no conflicts about it. It has always been obvious that the teachers who have taken time to make their rules and systems are the ones who firmly believe in them and end up having no issues surrounding them.
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