1. Grading Practices: Reflective Conversations with Educators
Summer Leadership Conference
2015
Presenters:
Mrs. Jan King (NCDPI/HCPS) & Dr. April Spencer (WRESA)

2. Why should we talk about this?

3. Our thinking… Our customers deserve to know what a grade means.
Grades are more transparent than ever before. So, what they mean should be clear.
A leader’s philosophy on grading practices should not be a mystery.
Common sense is not always common.

4. Our thinking… Our customers deserve to know what a grade means.
Grades are more transparent than ever before. So, what they mean should be clear.
A leader’s philosophy on grading practices should not be a mystery.
Common sense is not always common.

5. Our thinking… Our customers deserve to know what a grade means.
Grades are more transparent than ever before. So, what they mean should be clear.
A leader’s philosophy on grading practices should not be a mystery.
Common sense is not always common.

6. Our thinking… Our customers deserve to know what a grade means.
Grades are more transparent than ever before. So, what they mean should be clear.
A leader’s philosophy on grading practices should not be a mystery.
Common sense is not always common.

7. Proactive vs. Reactive?

8. Format for Today: Discussion starters
Customize ideas for your school/district

9. Talk It Out: Making Sense of Grades
3 scenarios
April reads them
Discuss in partners or trios

10. Scenario #1: Elementary School
Real scenario as Principal
Triplets – parents wanted them in 3 different rooms
Then grading practices became very apparent

11. Scenario #2: Middle School
Real Scenario as Parent
One team of 4 teachers
Various #s of grades, weights, input timelines

12. Scenario #3: High School
Perfect = 100
Miss 1 = 67
Miss 2 = 34
Miss 3 = Zero
The 3 Question Quiz
Real Scenario as Colleague and later as a Parent
3 question quizzes

13. Which scenarios will you use? Turn and Talk:
Think about the grading complaints you have heard. Could you put those into scenarios to start a staff or PLC meeting?

14. Student Voice: What is your grading pet peeve?

15. Which are your building’s grading pet peeves?
Can you survey and share?
Follow-up

16. What do the experts say?

17. Dr. Ken O’Connor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGcjhaQuXK8#t=26
How confident are you???????

18. How confident are we that our grades are
consistent, accurate, meaningful,
and supportive of learning?
Evidences?
PLCs – look at & discuss

19. Dr. Rick Wormeli

20. Myth-busting: “Preparing you for the real world…”
ADD College Diploma
Connections vs. knowledge – “in the club”

21. How confident are we that our grading practices represent
hope and growth mindset?

22. Which student do you want to pack your parachute?

23. Lynn Canady’s Work on Averaging
“Averaging is not typical of the working world; for example, we do not average praxis scores when teachers re-take tests or when lawyers re-take the bar examination.”

24. Formative Assessment Practices
Revisiting Classroom
Formative Assessment Practices
PARACHUTE SLIDES BEFORE THIS
MOVE TO PARACHUTE ACTIVITY

25. From the NC Code of Ethics: Which statement is truly found there?
Educators have academic freedom to assign grades to students based on an approved system of the educator’s choosing that is fair and research-based.
The educator evaluates students and assigns grades based upon the students’ demonstrated competencies and performance.
Educators routinely communicate student progress using progress reports and report cards to inform parents and guardians of student performance.
State Board Policy
Part of teacher evaluation

26. From the NC Code of Ethics: Which statement is truly found there?
Educators have academic freedom to assign grades to students based on a personal system of the educator’s choosing that appears fair and research-based.
The educator evaluates students and assigns grades based upon the students’ demonstrated competencies and performance.
Educators should routinely communicate student progress using progress reports and report cards to share grades with parents and guardians.
State Board Policy
Part of teacher evaluation
Yellow one is correct.

27. Using a Case Study

28. Another Case Study
Proactive conversations

29. And yet another

30. proactive or reactive with these conversations about grades?
Are we being
proactive or reactive with
these conversations about grades?

31. Contact us: Dr. April Spencer WRESA aspencer@wresa.org (828) 418-0011
Mrs. Jan King
NCDPI/HCPS
(828)