The Edutopia team hosts a monthly chat to talk about education practices that work. Come with your questions and tips! Find more information about the chat topics here: http://www.edutopia.org/edutopiachat.
Peter Paccone, San Marino High School social studies teacher checking in early. Still at work and juggling, so not sure how much input I will be able to give. But looking forward to learning from you all. #edutopiachat
Laura Thomas, Antioch University New England (faculty in the Ed Department) and Harrisville Wells Memorial School (1 day a week librarian!) #edutopiachat
Hi, #edutopiachat! Robert here from Los Angeles. Middle school ELA teacher, regular Edutopia blogger, and author. 📖 Please check out my latest book! 📖 https://t.co/VXd8rwXinp
#edutopiachat | My kids live with their Dad, they are ages 20, 16, and 11 year old twins, I have a grand he'll be one. #edutopiachat | Long story, no comment though.
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
a1| #edutopiachat | Grading in schools is for assessment, to ensure subject matter is learned. |Yes, it is to find S/w - that's where rubrics come in I think.
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
#edutopiachat A1 Most would say that the purpose is to show mastery of learning, but we would be hard put to prove it...still using percentages and letter grades inconsistently across schools and courses.
When I'm lurking, typically I'll let you know, just like when I used to lurk in my kid's classes, I haven't done it in AGES, but I'm good at it. 🙂 #edutopiachat
A1 Interesting question! Grades are supposed to provide data about student progress so teams of teachers can analyze for instructional and curricular purposes. There is theory and then there is practice #edutopiachat
A1 Different teachers and administrators probably view grades in multiple ways at my school, but I am always focused more on student GROWTH. #edutopiachat
A1 we are moving to Standards Based Grading and a focus on Grading for learning so students receive actionable feedback from their grades and can take ownership of their learning.
#EdutopiaChat
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
A1: In theory, it is to measure a student’s proximity to mastery of a standard, part of a standard, or clusters of standards. All too often, in practice, it’s punitive or merely carrots and sticks. #edutopiachat
A1: Grades are viewed as data. They are used to determine where kids are in “objective” relation to everyone else or in relation to where they used to be/aim to be. #EdutopiaChat
A1. I don't use grades in my classroom, but evaluate on individual proficiencies - the intention is to identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth #EdutopiaChat
My school is working towards #SBG, but it’s a work in progress- Grades still feel like rewards or punishment. I know that documenting growth and mastery is how Ss should get assessed. #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat"
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
A1 At Jeffco Open, student self-assessment is supported by a robust feedback loop between instructor and student. This is achieved without the use of letter grades. #edutopiachat
A1: Grading in my prac class was mainly to sort in ability groups, by measuring progress.
In my kid's school, with the grades, they have started mentioning the strengths and weaknesses, showing the shift in focus. #edutopiachat
The work is messy. Building a plane while flying it would be a good analogy. I have confidence in our leadership, the process and our faculty though. #edutopiachat
We have been using standard's based grading K-6 for 3 years and love it! Communicating an adequate amount of information to parents is a BIG challenge. #edutopiachat
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
A1: We have been using standard's based grading K-6 for 3 years and love it! Communicating an adequate amount of information to parents is a BIG challenge. #edutopiachat
Shifting assessment and grading practices is ALWAYS a work in progress. The lack of the perfect plan or roll-out should not stop you from getting started. #edutopiachat
My school is working towards #SBG, but it’s a work in progress- Grades still feel like rewards or punishment. I know that documenting growth and mastery is how Ss should get assessed. #edutopiachat
A1 Unfortunately, grading has become huge stress. Ss earn a 50% for being in their seat. As a result, they have learned that all it takes is one or two assessments to be turned in for the quarter and they will pass with a B. Also, Ss no longer have to take exams #edutopiachat
Student self-assessment is matched against at set of internally designed "standards" called graduation expectations. The expectations are in the personal, social, and intellectual domains. #edutopiachat
A lot of talk about process is encouraging. With technology, the ability to assess the process instead of merely the end product is easier than ever before. This opens new possibilities for traditional grading #edutopiachat
The work is messy. Building a plane while flying it would be a good analogy. I have confidence in our leadership, the process and our faculty though. #edutopiachat
Q2. Do you think your school is using grades appropriately, or is there a better approach? What do you think the purpose of grading should be? #EdutopiaChat
Q2. Do you think your school is using grades appropriately, or is there a better approach? What do you think the purpose of grading should be? #EdutopiaChat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
Interesting, I guess the question is what narrative are we (teachers) trying to construct and what is the best means for telling that story? #edutopiachat
A1 Grading in my school is to assess students’ growth towards proficiencies. It does also allow us to determine students who may need extra support. Grade reporting itself, is to communicate student growth and next steps to families and students. #EdutopiaChat
Q2. Do you think your school is using grades appropriately, or is there a better approach? What do you think the purpose of grading should be? #EdutopiaChat
A1. I would say it depends on the teacher at my school. For me, it is to measure mastery of content in terms of the ACTFL language proficiency levels: Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced. The hard part is assigning numbers to those concepts, esp. in lower levels. #edutopiachat
I have lots of rubrics for all different processes and products - they all have songs or movie titles to describe process - keep the convo on progress and not points! #edutopiachat
a2: I think an idea way to use grades to empower students for meaningful metacognition and powerful self-assessments (not as punishment). #edutopiachat
A2: Grades need to also reflect on instructional practices. We often talk about Ss accountability with grades, but we also need to talk about it with Ts. #edutopiachat#bendingED
A2: Too often at the high school level students are given grades for completion instead of mastery. This is especially the case in math classes. As a math teacher I prioritize revision, reassessment and mastery. But to do this my students work at their own pace. #EdutopiaChat
Q2. Do you think your school is using grades appropriately, or is there a better approach? What do you think the purpose of grading should be? #EdutopiaChat
A2 our grades right now need to be tweaked. We use letter grades but our state mandate requires us to use numerical grades. A lot of conversion gets lost because of two differing systems. #edutopiachat
A2: My school has been very intentional over the past couple yrs in discussing and evaluating our grading processes. Stepping away from traditional assessments towards more personalized learning. There’s county chat abt moving towards Standards Based Grading. #EdutopiaChat
A1. I'm finding it difficult to evaluate on the school level. Many Educators have individual practices as they relate to grades. Ultimately, I feel an educator's success is determined only in part by their grading practices. #edutopiachat
A2 #edutopiachat The purpose should be to communicate student progress in learning. In a learning organization, though, different people (teachers, admins, parents) are in different places of understanding, philosophy, and skill...so no, we aren't all using them appropriately
Q2 When Ss have multiple Ts w/ various expectations, grades are arbitrary. Setting a high bar for S work and having consistency among a team of Ts is essential! #edutopiachat
A2: I'm currently loving standard based grading. It's a lot of work and tracking on my part (building a plane as you fly it is a beautiful analogy), but seeing the progression is worth it. I think it gives a clearer picture of where each S is within our standards. #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "Q2. Do you think your school is using grades appropriately, or is there a better approach? What do you think the purpose of grading should be? #EdutopiaChat"
You will experience active & passive resistance to grading changes. You cannot make everyone happy. If you have built "Why change?" into your roll-out, you have a foundation to rely on. #edutopiachat
Very encouraging--thank you. Our district is trying to make shifts in the right direction but it's a scary process to try to keep everyone happy along the way!
A2 the purpose of grading is to create an accurate BUT holistic picture of student performance. It’s not enough that knowledge is assessed but application and understanding too. #edutopiachat
A2: I've had so many conversations with teachers who take a really punitive approach to grading. If it's a weapon, we can't use it to help kids learn. #edutopiachat
Grades are used to determine GPA, class tank. There are 4 categories with assessment carrying the most weight. They are the traditional A, B, C, D, F #EdutopiaChat
Q1. What's the purpose of grading at your school? Is it to sort students, identify strengths and weaknesses, measure mastery, or something else? #EdutopiaChat
A2: in the words of @SirKenRobinson “Don’t be surprised when a system does precisely what a system’s been designed to do.” Traditional grading is a byproduct of the system in which it exists. It ranks and files. Appropriate? No. Expected? Yes. #edutopiachat
Q2: I feel it’s devaluing in a way, students often seem far more concerned with the point value of an assignment than the knowledge gained from the process of completing it. #edutopiachat
A2 I would bet that any experienced educator has wrestled with the appropriate role of grades more than any other edu issue. I know that in the past 25 yrs, I have continuously fiddled with my grading policy— still to no complete satisfaction. #edutopiachat
A2: One of the things I love best about @AntiochNewEng is that we don't grade- we give feedback, we have conversations, we help learners learn how to move learners along #edutopiachat
I use a variety of assessments, CE, projects, discussion, small group to determine if skills/concepts are mastered but we still use grades and they get report cards #EdutopiaChat
Still trying to figure this out. I like to include assignments from time to time that help students practice a skill without fear of earning a particular grade. #EdutopiaChat
I am from the states, when my children mention a grade they got on an assignment, my Canadian friend doesn't understand what they mean. To him, the same number means something very different. Letters & numbers seem so arbitrary #edutopiachat
A2. There's a better approach. I'd like a flexible grade reporting platform, where it would be possible for Ts to separate compliance-based grades from grades for mastery of the content/standards #EdutopiaChat
A2: One of the things I love best about @AntiochNewEng is that we don't grade- we give feedback, we have conversations, we help learners learn how to move learners along #edutopiachat
A2 but grading shouldn’t be about letter grades and all. It’s about understanding your student. The best gauge of student performance is when you converse with your student and hear from them their learning. #edutopiachat
I understand. #edutopiachat It does take longer to grade when you're really going into detail about the project, and having an Assistant isn't something all T's have at all.
I am from the states, when my children mention a grade they got on an assignment, my Canadian friend doesn't understand what they mean. To him, the same number means something very different. Letters & numbers seem so arbitrary #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "Q3. What keeps the grading system at your school in place? What would need to change to open the process to other possibilities? #EdutopiaChat"
A2 Absolutely not. It's become a game of "beat the system," The word "grading" should be changed to "goals." Goals means progress, I'm working toward something and I'm just not there yet. To me, grades are so definite. Goals are fluid #edutopiachat
When creating standards based reporting card we grouped several standards into categories and even left out some. Doesn't mean we don't teach it, but parents need bigger picture. If we reported on every standards parents would become overwhelmed. #edutopiachat
A1 it’s too inform and lead to discussion. When our parents receive their child’s development profile we discuss goals, strategies, anecdotes and from there we create their direction for the next term #edutopiachat
A2: Feedback is essential for students to grow. Do grades, in the traditional sense, accomplish the goal of feedback? Or can they be an impediment because of the focus on product evaluation rather than the learning process? #EdutopiaChat
Q2. Do you think your school is using grades appropriately, or is there a better approach? What do you think the purpose of grading should be? #EdutopiaChat
When we focused on a skill, I had my students self assess using a rubric and explain their self assessment. Their confidence depends on the skill. I then know who to give extra support to and who to challenge #EdutopiaChat
A2 one observation I have made is that innovation has been focused on teaching and learning. I have been trying to push myself to develop and implement innovative assessment to tackle grading issues in HE #edutopiachat
Yes, Alfonso! I make the time to have regular face-to-face writing CONVERSATIONS (not “conferences”) with my ELA students. I want equal input and interaction between teacher and student. #edutopiachat
And they don't mean the same thing to everyone. We have a 6 tiered rubric, but it doesn't line up with an A-F in any way. It's a process for our students to understand that the middle column doesnt't= C #edutopiachat
A3: I am sure this is the case in many of your schools, but I suspect it’s a “This is the way that we’ve always done it” kinda situation. People need to dare to challenge that attitude. #edutopiachat
a3| #edutopiachat | I would assume that a T's syllabus would keep all accountable. To open to something else, I'd assume that various teams of T's or administration would have to supply different information.
Grades are a merger of where we’ve been (at best). But they’re used to determine our future value. Working full inclusion over the last 16 yrs I’ve not seen grades reflect future performance. Development is unpredictable. #edutopiachat
A3: Every single educator in our school went through an education program that involved traditional grading measures. To change this would mean sending us all back to school/ REALLY good PD, halving our class sizes...I need more characters to cont. #edutopiachat
A3 #edutopiachat Our last accreditation report pushed our district into examining grading policies and procedures. Four years later, we are still working on it and the accreditation folks will be back soon. :)
A3: We use this as a guide to help our students understand our feedback. I'd love to go back to our previous system (pure narrative feedback), but alas, or accreditors require more than that. https://t.co/95Ikx6PD7Q#EdutopiaChat
I think the challenges that keep grading systems in place are parent expectations, college admissions concerns, "tradition," fear of how to replace current grading systems. #edutopiachat
A3: 15 years ago when we tried to go to standards based grades with a continuum report card for each standard it was parents who just wanted letter grades. #edutopiachat
A3 Our district is largest in state; urban. All Ss receive free breakfast and lunch. Our literacy #s, math #s, & science #s are bad. By implementing this grade policy, our Ss look much better. Smoke & mirrors. In the meantime, our kids will eventually pay the price #edutopiachat
Grades are a marker of where we’ve been (at best). But they’re used to determine our future value. Working full inclusion over the last 16 yrs I’ve not seen grades reflect future performance. Development is unpredictable. #edutopiachat
Q2: As an administrator, I see the way we use grades/mastery as the vehicle to get us where we need to be with our students. We are in our second year, but changed our data warehouse program (that set us back a bit). My teachers find it challenging but insightful. #edutopiachat
A3 We have been in the process of moving towards #SBG for 2+ years. I appreciate the time we’ve been given to analyze our assessments and observe the differences between the “now” system and the SBG system. #edutopiachat
Yet, consider colleges giving up requiring test scores and asking for more letters (narrative feedback) and portfolios... grades aren't helping them understand their applicants #edutopiachat
A3: Ugh, very traditional. I would love to go full #sbg but work in a large county so it would have to start at the very local level, maybe a few Ts in a school as a vanguard. #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "RT teacherforest: A2 the purpose of grading is to create an accurate BUT holistic picture of student performance. It’s not enough that knowledge is assessed but application and understanding too. #edutopiachat"
RT edutopia "RT jeffcoopen: I think the challenges that keep grading systems in place are parent expectations, college admissions concerns, "tradition," fear of how to replace current grading systems. #edutopiachat"
A3 The key word in this question about grades is PROCESS. Learning is an ongoing process where progress needs to be valued in both advanced and developing students. We're ALL in some stage of development. #edutopiachat
A3: At the high school level it is driven by the college application process. For letter grades to change, colleges will need to approach the admissions process differently. I imagine this trickles down to the lower grade levels #EdutopiaChat
RT teacherforest: A2 the purpose of grading is to create an accurate BUT holistic picture of student performance. It’s not enough that knowledge is assessed but application and understanding too. #edutopiachat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
RT jeffcoopen: I think the challenges that keep grading systems in place are parent expectations, college admissions concerns, "tradition," fear of how to replace current grading systems. #edutopiachat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
A3. In looking over all the answers to Q3, I've become convinced it's not just one thing keeping the old grading system in place, but many different things, and all powerful in their own right #edutopiachat
A3: In the fight for teacher autonomy (a fight that has become entirely too polarized as there is benefit to autonomy but not if collaboration lies dead in its wake) grade books have sadly become the hill that many teacher groups have chosen to die on. #edutopiachat
A2: I don't think our grades give me enough information about my students. Standards-based grading would give me more information to know exactly what a student could and couldn't do. #edutopiachat
The district needed to get parents on board BEFORE the continuum reporting card was developed. With major changes, it always helps to get ALL stakeholders involved. #edutopiachat
A3 College admissions have not been an insurmountable challenge for us Jeffco Open. Research on our school shows 90% continue their education. According to Rick Posner's book Lives of Passion, School of Hope. #edutopiachat
A3 equal focus on the knowledge and the socio-emotional; the unwritten achievements and the quantifiable measurements. The next challenge is making everything objective without prejudicing anyone. #edutopiachat
Which is so funny, because colleges really don't care. We're used to all kinds of stuff. Q&A: Nancy Davis Griffin, VP of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs for the University of Southern Maine Via @NEWENGLANDSSChttps://t.co/pGQvENxhBw#edutopiachat
What is the policy. I also teach in an urban district. Test scores are low and there is a lot of pressure for raising achievement but I feel the standards and expectations are the same.
Colleges already are approaching differently: common app allows portfolio type submissions, many colleges are test optional, essay prompts are so much better & allow students to show selves in a multidimensional way. And S's can use soc media to interact w/ schools #edutopiachat
The district needed to get parents on board BEFORE the continuum reporting card was developed. With major changes, it always helps to get ALL stakeholders involved. #edutopiachat
Colleges know how to deal with nontraditional grades and transcripts. We get applications from homeschoolers, international students, private schools...all work in different ways. #Edutopiachat
A3 Total agreement. Can we add "goals" to that process? We worry so much about the product, what about learning from the process? So we start with a goal. What do you want to achieve? Let's focus on process while we get there...Why can't we just run the world? #edutopiachat
A3 The key word in this question about grades is PROCESS. Learning is an ongoing process where progress needs to be valued in both advanced and developing students. We're ALL in some stage of development. #edutopiachat
A3: Reimagining the process of “reporting progress” will require significant stakeholder education efforts. Parents will need to understand the need for change, why this is best for kids, and—most importantly—what will replace honor roll bumper stickers. #EdutopiaChat
RT edutopia "Q4. What are changes at the classroom level you can make to improve feedback to students? To measure their mastery of a subject? #EdutopiaChat"
I also think Ts worry that Ss won’t be motivated by feedback, and need a grade to keep them focused/engaged. Obviously if that’s the case, maybe the class itself needs to change! #edutopiachat
A4: Engage students in the grading process. Have conversations about how they believe they are performing. They’d surprise you. They’re usually more honest than you’d think. #EdutopiaChat
A4 easy! Visible thinking routines over traditional pen and paper tests, student conversations, and anecdotes to support each skill or learner profile. #edutopiachat
A4: Asking students to reflect on their own learning, keep learning journals, know that not fully understanding is normal and learn to embrace the experience of learning. #edutopiachat
A4: Small group instruction and conferencing with students when handing back work. The Conference need only last 1 minute per student but well worth it! #edutopiachat
A3 Non-graded systems benefit from public defense or presentations of learning where the student provides documentation of mastery as a "defense" to show they have met their goals. This supports honest self-assessment. #edutopiachat
A4: Allow students to set goals that are measurable and attainable. Allow them to come up with action plans to meet goals and let them see that failure is okay and it will eventually lead to success. Goals are more like real life. #edutopiachat
A4. To improve feedback at the classroom level...Make it timely!! This is something I have made an effort to do better this year. I like on-demand formative assessments for speaking and writing- allows me to give Ss immediate feedback. #EdutopiaChat
A4: The most profound change I made was transitioning to a blended model to allow student to work at their own pace. This frees me up to spend the whole class providing feedback, measuring mastery and engaging in small group instruction #blendedlearning#EdutopiaChat
A4: I’m lucky enough to teach at a school where I can leverage technology to improve feedback to students. After going 1:1, @msonenote has allowed me to more frequently engage with my students’ work process! Less kids falling through the cracks until test time. #edutopiachat
A4 students are less stressed out when they know that that test I gave will not be the end all and be all of their lives. I love it when students see the work they put in as purposeful and relevant to them #edutopiachat
A4 1:1 conferences, ask Ss how they would like to be assessed, alternative assessments, opportunities to have work published, hung up, viewed, spoken and assessed by experts in the community/people in the field. Make it REAL!! #edutopiachat
Not all standards are grouped, some are very specific with an accompanying rubric scaled score. There is a small narrative to provide more detail if necessary and1st trimester is always handed out at conferences so we can explain the SB report card. #edutopiachat
#edutopiachat Absolutely! Articles like this one can help them relax a little. (I"m a mom and nothing gets my mama bear on like something that could hurt my kids!) Navigating the College Application Process with Your Standards-Based Transcript
https://t.co/sUQ8btZt3z#Edchat
A4 I think there is a problem with the obsession with mastery and measurement. I focus much more on each student MOVING FORWARD each day. There is no end, there is no “mastery”— only progress. #edutopiachat
A4: Students must be part of the process! When student can describe own goals and explain obstacles, strategies and evidence of achievement, then everyone will know what and how they have learned and why. And that student will learn for life (not for a grade) #edutopiachat
I hear you. It is tough. I'm an Instructional Coach/Reading Specialist, so I don't have my own kids or my own classroom or my own grades. But I work with 65 teachers and they are all saying the same thing. Our kids are suffering - only they don't know it #edutopiachat
We have a similar policy and have similar concerns. It’s been a rough week and I’m glad to connect to others on this thread that understand this issue. Thank you.
A4 Conferencing with students on a 1:1 basis provides opportunities for deep academic discourse between student and instructor. Meaning and deep feedback is provided during these conferences. #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "RT MrKrapels: A4: Engage students in the grading process. Have conversations about how they believe they are performing. They’d surprise you. They’re usually more honest than you’d think. #EdutopiaChat"
RT edutopia "RT Beyond_Tutoring: edutopia A4: Asking students to reflect on their own learning, keep learning journals, know that not fully understanding is normal and learn to embrace the experience of learning. #edutopiachat"
A4: It is always impressive to see how teachers create time to meaningfully engage students in feedback conversations for a cognitive give and take that actually leads to students growing. Difficult to do given class sizes, content expectations, and time restraints. #EdutopiaChat
A4: Having just finished high school I found it most helpful when teachers would mark what was wrong, then take the time to go over what was wrong and why. Then after it was gone over students were given the chance to write explications and hand the test back in #edutopiachat
A3 Significant shifts in grading practices happening around the country. Competency education and mastery learning moving forward in a majority of states. #edutopiachat
A3: I think we would need a solid, strategic plan to change the grading system. Teachers would need lots of training and support. As a teacher, I would be open to such a change, but with my overwhelming task load I would need it to be manageable. #edutopiachat
A4: I am going to translate standards-based grading into a letter grade (number of standards mastered divided by total standards) for study skills this semester. It's a small start as I learn more about this topic. #edutopiachat
Informal assessments can be done in very creative & innovative ways. But the assessment is step 1. Step 2 is having the Ss analyze their work while step 3 is provided appropriate feedback 2 help progress #edutopiachat
RT MrKrapels: A4: Engage students in the grading process. Have conversations about how they believe they are performing. They’d surprise you. They’re usually more honest than you’d think. #EdutopiaChat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
RT Beyond_Tutoring: edutopia A4: Asking students to reflect on their own learning, keep learning journals, know that not fully understanding is normal and learn to embrace the experience of learning. #edutopiachat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
RT teacherforest: A3 equal focus on the knowledge and the socio-emotional; the unwritten achievements and the quantifiable measurements. The next challenge is making everything objective without prejudicing anyone. #edutopiachat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edte…
A4: students can self assess themselves on a skill and explain. I did this recently and it helped me understand why my students struggle. I was able to@use that feedback to drive instruction/assignments. It really helped make better connections too #EdutopiaChat
Ideally grades reflect level of mastery but because they encourage fixed mindsets for high achieving students they probably do more harm than good. #edutopiachat
A4 Giving Ss a Mastery Tracker w/ each unit standard allows Ss to track their own progress and gives them multiple “trys” to make progress towards that skill or standard. #edutopiachat
A4: My students know there are no traditional tests in my room. I want to see growth and I want to see reflections. Tells me so much more about what they know than MC or TF ever can. #edutopiachat
A4: I don’t put x’s on my students assignments or tests. I circle the ones that need work and reteach in small group. Then we reteach again and again in different ways till they master it. 👍 #edutopiachat
A4: allowing students to make corrections and resubmit. I find that if they have this chance, they do read my comments and do seek extra help. #EdutopiaChat
Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat
That's where I started, Heather! Back in the day (waaaayyy back- when the interwebs were new) I made a list of stuff kids had to demonstrate in my class. Their final grade was based on the % they demonstrated! #edutopiachat
A4: We are starting to use @Seesaw and Google Classroom to allow students to receive more individualized feedback from teachers, parents, and students. #edutopiachat
Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat
I think traditional mindsets keep the current grading system in place. We need the educational community to embrace it. The other pieces will fall into place. #edutopiachat
Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
A5 In my role, I collaborate w/ Ts & Ss all day, so I'm able to suggest new ways to goal setting and new ways to assess. Ts don't want "one more thing to do." Show them that alternative assessments are so much more doable and viable than traditional tests. #edutopiachat
A4: I've been using a contract grading system in my classroom this last trimester. It's really helped to give students ownership and set out clear expectations from the beginning. #edutopiachat
A5: Changing assessment is a big part of changing grading. Have teams of Ts review a project-based unit to look for points of student learning, then discuss product to consider evidence of learning. No grades involved, low risk #edutopiachat
A5: By refocusing our grading systems around mastery. Rather than demanding that student work at the same pace, we should demand that students show mastery before moving forward #EdutopiaChat
Save the date for our next #edutopiachat on Feb 7, 2018. This month we'll be discussing assessment and the article "Will Letter Grades Survive?" https://t.co/FaM5Tyqy8M
A5: School and district leaders (and teachers and parents and students) need to see how more meaningful or alternative grading measures both work and are effective tools for growth. Anytime I learn something new, I always ask, “But what does this LOOK like?” #edutopiachat
A5: They need to see the results first hand, and more importantly talk to the students. Listen to them
& find out what they're learning and why they like learning that way. #edutopiachat
Couldn’t grades be looked on an individualized scale? For example, maybe An A for one student would be different than an A for another. Depending on ability, experience, understanding
Yes! And, are you teaching students or teaching content? So are you measuring growth or recall? Which matters more?
What is the best way to measure and communicate? #edutopiachat
A5: Get stakeholders in the same room and ask hard questions like "Is the current grading system working?" "What are alternatives?" "Why do the alternatives improve feedback and ultimately learning?" #edutopiachat
A5: It needs to be a school-wide effort. Professional learning opportunities and collaboration with instructional coaches is one way to help shift traditional mindsets to grading. #edutopiachat
A5 Exhibitions of learning with district officials and community members serving as panel members is a great way to show the power of non-graded authentic assessment. Seeing is believing! #edutopiachat
A5 Maybe we should start by asking the students themselves: What kinds of assignments, assessments, and feedback are most meaningful to you?
(Isn’t the feedback— grades, portfolios, or whatever— meant most for the students???) #edutopiachat
Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat
RT edutopia "RT teacherforest: A3 equal focus on the knowledge and the socio-emotional; the unwritten achievements and the quantifiable measurements. The next challenge is making everything objective without prejudicing anyone. #edutopiachat"
RT edutopia "Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat"
RT edutopia "RT RewardingEdu: A4 I think there is a problem with the obsession with mastery and measurement. I focus much more on each student MOVING FORWARD each day. There is no end, there is no “mastery”— only progress. #edutopiachathttps://t.co/5Ex9jyNj9P"
A5: Show them the benefits of formative assessment that includes an emphasis on precise, clear feedback, learning portfolios, conversations and observations. #EdutopiaChat
A5: My district and our leadership are very innovative. I think they would be on board if it was proven best for kids. That’s what we are all in this for! #edutopiachat
RT RewardingEdu: A4 I think there is a problem with the obsession with mastery and measurement. I focus much more on each student MOVING FORWARD each day. There is no end, there is no “mastery”— only progress. #edutopiachathttps://t.co/HSGY90bVt7 New posts for #learning#pln #…
RT jeffcoopen: A5 Exhibitions of learning with district officials and community members serving as panel members is a great way to show the power of non-graded authentic assessment. Seeing is believing! #edutopiachat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
RT TynansClass: A4: I don’t put x’s on my students assignments or tests. I circle the ones that need work and reteach in small group. Then we reteach again and again in different ways till they master it. 👍 #edutopiachathttps://t.co/7fiJP3pijZ New posts for #learning#pln …
A4: I don’t put x’s on my students assignments or tests. I circle the ones that need work and reteach in small group. Then we reteach again and again in different ways till they master it. 👍 #edutopiachat
I think it also has to be about whether we're measuring what we think we're measuring? Social Justice and issues of equity have to be at the forefront of our thinking. #edutopiachat
I think it also has to be about whether we're measuring what we think we're measuring? Social Justice and issues of equity have to be at the forefront of our thinking. #edutopiachat
A5: If our data shows that brown and black kids, our boys (or our girls), etc aren't doing as well as their white peers or their more affluent peers...we have a problem. #edutopiachat
A5: Show them how new grading practices and standards-based grading are better at showing mastery. They're interested in data and standards, so appeal to that interest. Just like we appeal to the interests and needs of our students with our lessons. #edutopiachat
A5 At Jeffco Open the culmination of the HS experience is a narrative document or "transcript" generated by the student. The document is approximately 40 pages and details the students personal, social, and intellectual growth. #edutopiachat
I love this. #edutopiachat | Primarily because kids without, can perform, they may need a little more attention, but they can and WILL. And would like to as well.
A5: If our data shows that brown and black kids, our boys (or our girls), etc aren't doing as well as their white peers or their more affluent peers...we have a problem. #edutopiachat
A5: We also have to keep in mind that many of our traditional assessment tools assess how facile a kid is in reading and writing, rather than their grasp of the content. #edutopiachat
A4: Embed feedback in electronic portfolios where students can go back, review the growth of their thinking and learning, self-reflect and co-determine (with the teacher) the next best steps. #EdutopiaChat
A5: And kids who are afraid aren't going to really show us what we need to know. Assessment is an external manifestation of an internal process. We're literally trying to read kids' minds. #edutopiachat
A4: Effective feedback needs to be specific and immediate. The goal should always be for students to obtain mastery, and having multiple paths to mastery should be expected. #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "RT jeffcoopen: A5 Exhibitions of learning with district officials and community members serving as panel members is a great way to show the power of non-graded authentic assessment. Seeing is believing! #edutopiachat"
RT edutopia "RT TynansClass: A4: I don’t put x’s on my students assignments or tests. I circle the ones that need work and reteach in small group. Then we reteach again and again in different ways till they master it. 👍 #edutopiachathttps://t.co/cpwv69eFO8"
RT edutopia "RT CriticalSkills1: I think it also has to be about whether we're measuring what we think we're measuring? Social Justice and issues of equity have to be at the forefront of our thinking. #edutopiachat"
A4: Incorporate student choice into writing and performance assessments. When tasks are aligned with skillsets and interests, students can better demonstrate their mastery of the subject matter. #edutopiachat
RT edutopia "RT autismdoesntwin: A5 For me, it came down to, what does an "A" mean? What does a letter tell you about what a student can really do? #EdutopiaChat"
Yes, unless we start giving them chances to speak their minds and engaging them in dialogue! Grades shut that dialogue down or turn it into point-grubbing! #edutopiachat
RT CriticalSkills1: I think it also has to be about whether we're measuring what we think we're measuring? Social Justice and issues of equity have to be at the forefront of our thinking. #edutopiachat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
RT autismdoesntwin: A5 For me, it came down to, what does an "A" mean? What does a letter tell you about what a student can really do? #EdutopiaChat New posts for #learning#pln#education#edtech#edchat
Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat
Q5. How might we help school or district leaders who use the traditional approach to grading find more meaningful ways to assess and evaluate students? #EdutopiaChat
Jeffco Open has a 40 history of a non-graded system. Ultimately, this is based on the philosophical foundation that students must learn to be the owner of their education through honest self-assessment! #edutopiachat
