Just before the start of a new school year I have the same sort of conversation (most often with myself but occasionally involving a colleague or two) regarding grades, homework, tests and retakes, standards based grading, accuracy of homework vs. completion of homework,... The list of topics that I continue to wrestle with goes on and on.
As I try to figure out how I want to modify my current grading practices, I find myself researching these topics online. Reading about different viewpoints on how to implement standards based grading has provided me with some wonderful ideas for how to successfully make a switch, but it still makes me nervous.
Here are a few of the resources that I have looked into:
The Spirit of SBG by Frank Noschese - one of the first resources that I looked at that has really provided much food for thought in my journey to switch how I communicate information about student learning
Standards Based Grading: 5, 6, 8, 10 by Kelly O'Shea - another favorite blogger that gives great advice on implementing SBG, including student reactions to her methods
Implementation Challenges of Standards Based Grading by Jasmine Kullar - I think the name pretty much says it all...
Always Formative by Jason Buell - offers a lot of practical information on implementing standards based grading
As my struggle continues, I get closer and closer to making wholesale changes to my grading practices. Now I just need to get over this fear of change...
I totally get the grading blues! But I like how you are branching out and trying new and daunting things like standards based grading. It is frightening to think of changing something that you've been doing for a bit of time, especially something as ingrained in our practice as how we grade... Way to go!
ReplyDeleteWe are having this conversation in my department, about grades and assessments. I feel we are making progress as we share what each one does in the classroom. I took a class during the summer about standards based grading. I will share a link to a youtube video of Rick Wormeli talking about this topic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdbcrtQhfNQ
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