Thinking about Formative
Assessment and Grading…
High Schools that Work
May 5, 2010
The Context
How teachers “grade” student work and
determine student grades is part of the
larger question of “assessment” practices.
Increasingly, educators are being asked to
think of assessment in two different,
although related, contexts …
Two Dimensions of Assessment
Assessment OF Learning:
How much have students learned as of a
particular point in time?
Assessment FOR Learning:
How can we use assessment information
to help students learn more?
Historically,
educators have
not paid a great
deal of attention
to the latter …
Assessment FOR
Learning …
In a word,
assessment FOR
learning asks, “How
might we use
assessment of
student work to
motivate students to
work harder and
more effectively, as
well as improve …
raise the level of
their achievement?”
Grading and Reporting are NOT
Essential to the Instructional
Process
Teachers can teach without grades.
Students can and do learn without grades
Checking is Essential – Because it is
diagnostic!
Consider Grading in that Context …
A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s and F’s …
What do they really mean? Are they
really objective? Fair and accurate?
Do our current practices encourage
students to do their best, or discourage
students from doing their best?
Typical Misunderstandings
A’s, B’s … F’s … % …
Letter grades carry a universally-accepted
meaning or stand for an amount/quality of learning,
and are more meaningful than reporting attainment
of standards.
Norm-referenced tests measure what kids know
and can do.
Percentile ranks are important, providing precision
in scores, the nutrition label from the cereal box.
We don’t test the basics; we’re more interested in
creating thinking and cooperative learning.
From the Akron Beacon Journal
(April 4, 2005)
“GRADING SCALES VARY THROUGHOUT
REGION, AKRON BOARD WEIGHS PROS, CONS OF
TIGHTER SCALE, PLANS TO STUDY UP Making the
grade is more difficult in some local school districts than
others. A high school student who scores 90 percent in
Wadsworth now earns an A. But getting that top grade in
Canton takes at least 93 percent. The Akron school
board will examine the grading systems used by area
districts in the next month as it weighs whether to adopt
a tougher scale. A sampling done by the Akron Beacon
Journal found that grading differs widely among both
local and "Big 8" urban...”
It is all well and good to concern ourselves with “grading
scales”, but the more significant question is …
What is the Purpose for Grades?
The purpose should be to
communicate.
Communicate what? Student
achievement …
More specifically – student
achievement at a point in time …
But in reality (rightly or wrongly),
grades serve multiple functions:
Communication
Motivation
Control/punitive
Administrative
Instructional
Multiple Functions Results in a
Lack of Shared Meaning:
Achievement
Attitude
Effort
Behavior
Participation
Attendance
Creating a Success Bias
Through Grading Practices
52% of teachers report that they took
“student ability” into account when
assigning grades.
42% report that they factor “effort” in
the final grade.
An Example - “Effort” … How to
Measure?
If included, it typically isn’t known to students.
They think the grade is bona fide.
When counting effort, we consider students with
varying abilities differently … usually giving
someone a break.
Effort is very difficult to measure. No specific
criteria = subjective judgments …
The “interested pretender” or the “out-to-lunch
concentrator?”
Intellectual effort is not the same as good or bad
behavior.
(Recommended) Types of Learning to Be Used
in Grading and Reporting
Sum Total of Everything Students Do in
School/Classroom
Selection of Most Valued Items for Reporting Purposes
Progress Criteria
* Learning Gains
Selection of Achievement Items for
Grading Purposes
* Improvement over time
Product Criteria
Process Criteria
* Exams
* Work Habits
* Reports/Projects
* Attendance
* Culminating Demonstrations of learning
* Effort
* Participation
* Homework
Report
Grade
The Dilemma of Late Work
Imagine that your 10th grader’s midterm report indicates a “C”, yet
everything you’ve seen has an “A” or
“B” on it. She’s done all the work and
can’t explain the “C.” You meet with
the teacher and the computer printout
shows four entries: 95, 85, 85 and 40%.
The last assignment was one week late
and the teacher deducts 10% per day.
Your Reaction? …
Alternatives to Assigning Zeros:
Assign “I” or “Incomplete” Grades.
(Include specific and immediate consequences.)
Report Behavioral Aspects Separately.
(Separate “product” (Achievement) from “process” and
“progress.”)…”Social Probation” – North Union Local
Schools
Use the Most Appropriate Grading Scale…
Grading Formulae and Scales:
What Grade do Students
Deserve?
From Tom Guskey…(See Related
handout)
Discuss (and Jot down a
Response) for the Following:
What does a “C” communicate to
others?
What problems does the practice of
reducing the grade for late work solve?
What problems does it create?
What are the teacher’s options for
dealing with late work?
Homework: Discuss with a
Partner …
What is (are) the purpose (s) for homework?
What % of your (individually) students’
summative (grading period) grades are
determined by homework?
If a student gives you solid evidence (by
quizzes, tests, etc.) that he knows the
material, but does not complete his
homework consistently, would you lower his
grade? Why, or why not?
Ken O’Connor has suggested
specific guidelines for
grading.
Let’s look at them (Refer to
your handout) …
Guideline #1: Relate grading procedures
to learning goals (i.e., standards).
Guideline #2: Use criterion-referenced
performance standards as reference
points to determine grades.
Guideline #3: Limit the valued attributes
included in grades to individual
achievement.
Guideline #4: Sample student
performance – Do not include all scores in
grades.
Guideline #5: Grade in pencil – Keep
records so they can be updated easily.
Guideline #6: Crunch numbers carefully, if
at all.
Guideline #7: Use quality assessment(s)
and properly recorded evidence of
achievement.
Guideline #8: Discuss and involve
students in assessment, including grading,
throughout the teaching learning process.
Applying the Guidelines …
Scenario #1
Mr. Marlow’s 9th grade English class has
students of varying abilities. During this grading
period, the students’ grades are based on
quizzes, tests, and homework assignments
that involve practice exercises. Kelly has not
turned in any homework assignments despite
frequent reminders. His grades on the quizzes
have ranged from 65% to 75%, and he received
a “D” on each of the tests. What should Mr.
Marlow do in determining Kelly’s grade? The
options …
Mr. Marlow’s Options
1. Assign Kelly a “0” for the homework
assignments and include this in his
grade, thus giving him an average of “F”
for the grading period?
2. Ignore the missing homework
assignments and assign Kelly a “D”?
3. Ignore the missing homework
assignments and assign Kelly a “C”?
4. Something else?
Per the Guidelines …
Not option 1 because of Guideline #2 - Distortion
The “answer”? … Choose options 2 or 3
because of Guideline #5 – Do not include all
scores on practice work. Base the grade on
summative assessments. To assign a “C” or
“D” would depend on the grading scale. The
only caveat is if homework would provide
additional information about student
achievement; then, consideration could be given
to assigning an incomplete.
Scenario #2
Mrs. Exponent is teaching high school
algebra. In her class, she gives two tests
each grading period. David received an
“F” on the first test and a low “B” on the
second. How should Mrs. Exponent
determine David’s grades? The options …
Mrs. Exponent’s Options
1. Assign David an overall grade of “D” based on
the average of his performance on the two
exams?
2. Assign David an overall grade of “C” because
he showed improvement on his performance?
3. Assign David an overall grade of “B” because
that was the level of his performance at the
end of the term?
4. Something else?
Per the Guidelines …
The answer depends on whether the second
test covered material also covered on the first
test. If the student really did use the material on
the first test to learn the material, then Guideline
#6 holds – Use the most current information.
Therefore, option 3 (grade of “B”) is best.
If the tests covered different material, then select
either option 1 or 2, depending on the relative
weight of the two tests.
Scenario #3
Mr. Paderewski is the teacher in a 9th grade
heterogeneously grouped class. Chris, one of
his students, has strong academic abilities as
shown by her previous work, test results, reports
of other teachers, and his own observation. As
he looks over her work for the grading period, he
realizes the quality of her work is above average
for the class, but it doesn’t represent the best
she can do. The effort shown has been minimal,
but, because of her ability, the work is
reasonably good. What should the teacher do?
Mr. Paderewski’s Options
1. Grade Chris on the quality of her work in
comparison to the class, without being
concerned about the quality of work she
should have done?
2. Lower Chris’s grade because she did not make
a serious effort in this class: she could have
done better.
3. Give Chris a lower grade to make her work
harder?
4. Something else?
Per the Guidelines …
Not option 1 because of Guideline #3 – Don’t
grade on the curve (norm referenced). Use
criterion referenced grades.
Not option 2 or 3 because of Guideline #5 –
Include only achievement in the grade.
Choose option 4 – Grade on a pre-set criterion
referenced standard.
Critiquing the Guidelines …
Your comments …