This chapter goes over the idea that grading is an abstract concept. It explains that it is hard to determine the validity of grades because all teachers grade differently. Teachers have a bad habit of grading students based upon personal reasons, whether consciously or not. This is something that needs to be avoided completely. It is completely wrong to grade someone based on their personality or home situation. The chapter explains that one must have a system in place to ensure that they grade consistently each and every time they grade. It is also encouraged that teachers collaborate with other teachers who have the same students, in order to discuss grading and methods of doing so. However, this can become a touchy subject because all teachers have differing perspectives on grading. They should also be careful not to compare students' grades with other students. The book explains in an example that a single essay, given to several teachers, has received grades ranging from A's to failing. There is really no explanation for why our society relies so heavily on grading to determine so much in a students' future, since grading does not necessarily express the appropriate level of mastery. Since grading is so objective, the chapter emphasizes that teachers provide ample feedback to students' work, that way students understand what can be improved and what has been done well, rather than having a simple letter that is an unclear indicator of achievement.
The class generally seemed to agree that grading is a very abstract concept. Many recounted stories in which their teachers were not clear about assessment--they simply received letter grades for their work with no feedback and no understanding of how things could be improved. Many also commented on the fact that grading is an unfair practice since it tends to be so inconsistent. The majority of responses mentioned that feedback is far more important than grading, so that students know what they have done right and wrong. Many explained that grading does not accurately symbolize mastery--leaving several with the question, "Why DO we use grades?"
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2 comments:
I thought that the Teaching Effectiveness Program website on grading was fantastic! There were a lot of other resources on the site explaining how to improve existing lesson plans and lectures, so it was very helpful! I will be sure to give my students feedback on their work rather than just emphasize existing grades. Great job, Melissa!
I thought your links were really helpful. I liked the first one, because it had some really great tips, like try to avoid competition and give lots of opportunities to grade students so they can mess up a little, and their grade won't be severely hurt. So yeah, good job overall, keep up the good work! Even though this is the last synthesis, but still, keep up the good work in general!
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