Grading Practices Douglas Reeves, Ph.D. Deland Middle School 2008-2009

Grades Why do we have grades? What information do they tell us? How many grades are needed?

Grading Grades = Feedback to Improve Performance! If you have high levels of success and low failure rates, your policy is sound and should be left alone. If you have low levels of success and high failure rates, what you are doing is not working. The “Real World” is not “You have one chance at it and you’re done”. Grades must never be used as punishment. It doesn’t work! The Driver’s License Test example – chance to “re-do/re-take”

Toxic (Ineffective) Grading Policies The use of “zeroes” for missing work. Consequence should be to complete the work! The use of the “grading period killer” – the single project, test, lab, paper, or other assignment that will make or break students.

The Power of Zeroes Rick Wormeli, Middle Ground Convert “zeroes” to “50s” Conversion necessary so that any “calculating” is mathematically justified. Not using “zeroes” is a more accurate picture of the students’ ability. “Zero” has an undeserved and devastating effect on students and their grades – so much that no matter what student does, the “zero” distorts the final grade as a true indicator of mastery. Mathematically and ethically – unacceptable!

Negative Impact of “Zero” on a 100-Point Grading Scale What purpose does it serve to use a “zero” to indicate a student failed to demonstrate mastery? Should a string of perfect papers for a grading period combined with one paper not submitted equate to a lower grade? (NCLB-AYP) “Consider trying to find the average temperature over 5 days and recording 85, 82, 83, 86, then forgetting a day and recording “zero”. The average temperature would be 67, a figure that does not accurately show the weather from that week.

Expectations Behavior Students expected to behave Students expected to follow/obey rules Students expected to follow procedures Zero tolerance Misbehaving is not an option! Academic Students expected to complete/submit work? Students expected to follow directions of the assignment? Students expected to pass? Zero Tolerance? Failing is not an option!

Did You Know……….. Two common causes of course failures – 1)missing homework; 2)poor performance on a single major assignment. Adjusting your policy would have a huge impact on student failures. (Reeves) Assessments are used to provide the ladder for the student to crawl from his/her hole. Whether it is due to immaturity, behavior or cognitive readiness level, great teachers still provide the ladder. (Wormeli) Distorted and inaccurate grades are little more than harsh punishment. Students want to throw down the ball and go home. They see no reason to play. Grades that reduce the negative effects of an imperfect grading system keep students in the game. (Marzano)

Better Students, Better School, Better Climate. Douglas B. Reeves, Ph Better Students, Better School, Better Climate! Douglas B. Reeves, Ph.D When grading policies improve, discipline and morale always improves! When student failures decrease, student behavior improves, faculty morale is better, resources allocated to remedial courses and course repetitions are reduced, and resources invested in enrichment and other meaningful opportunities increase. When was the last time a single change in a school accomplished all of that?

The Grade Book Concepts NOT assignments! “Page 87” tells us nothing! If concepts are listed in the grade book: Teachers can easily tell parents, students, and administrators what concepts are mastered. IEP goals and objectives are easily written. Incomplete grades can be given to individual concepts- helping to identify areas that need more instruction.

What should NOT be included in a grade? Effort Participation Attitude Behavior Homework Group work

What is the point of homework?

Re-Do, Re-Take, Re-Test, Re-Submit! “The consequence for a student who fails to meet a standard is not a low grade but rather the opportunity—indeed, the requirement—to resubmit his or her work. “ -- Douglas Reeves

Re-Teaching and Re-Testing In Class re-teaching/retesting After School re-teaching & Extra Help Lunch/Recess re-teaching & Extra Help Student Accountability Builds Positive Relationships with Parents/Students

Accommodations If the idea is concept mastery, why do we assign timed tasks? Why do we require 25 correct demonstrations of the required task?

Incompletes “I” Contracts- for both individual concepts and final grades. Should clearly outline the desired learning outcomes. Should allow time for re-teaching. Communication with parents, students, and administration.

STUDENT CONTRACT FOR REMEDIATION OF FAILING GRADE Grading Period 1 2 3 4 _____ I, ________________________________, understand that my current grade for Reading Class is an F ( _____ % ), but will receive an “I” for Incomplete on the report card. _____ I understand that my teacher is giving me the opportunity to complete/retake specific assignments for the expressed purpose of not making a failing grade. _____ I understand that I have 3 weeks to improve my grade. All work, tests, and/or assignments that my teacher gives me are due on ___________________________ at the beginning of the period. _____ I understand it is my responsibility to complete this work at home. _____ I understand I must complete the work to get a good grade on it. I must give this work to my teacher to grade on or before the due date above. _____ I understand at the end of the 3 weeks my teacher will change my grade on the report card from an “I” to the appropriate grade after my work has been graded.

Grading Policy Grades will be based upon STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Grades will be based upon MASTERY OF CONCEPTS AND SKILLS Students should have MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES to demonstrate mastery

Resources O’Connor, “A Repair Kit for Grading:  15 Fixes for Broken Grades”  “How to Grade for Learning” Marzano, “Assessment and Grading that Works” Guskey, “Practical Solutions for Serious Problems in Standards-Based Grading”

Discipline and Grading Practices/Student Achievement Do you want to be right or do you want to solve the problem? -Dr. Phil

Your Turn In subject area groups – create an ideal grading system Percentage for each task (test, HW, labs, projects, quizzes, etc) Late work Missing work Be able to justify your decisions Share out with class