Nov 29, 2011 Standards

November 29, 2011

Standards

So I came to a “well duh” realization yesterday.  I have been implementing standards based grading.  Tests are chunked according to the standards being assessed.  Each standard is given its own grade. . . and then I go and average them together to get one grade for a test.  You moron! (I say to myself).  I just did what we complain so much about the points system.  Granted, the student can look at the separated scores and see which section was weaker but students are so engrained to look only at the final score that most aren’t putting it together.  They aren’t seeing how, for example, standard 2 was weak in the first assessment, on the benchmark midterm and on the final.  Since tests like the benchmark midterm and final are cumulative to the point of assessment, they cover several standards.  And dingbat that I am, I’ve been putting them all together, reinforcing the mindset I am trying to hard to chance.  What I need to do is just have multiple scores for one test and LEAVE IT THAT WAY.  The assessments need to be recorded with their standard and not as an average somewhere.  Funny how we, as teachers, think so hard and spend so much time plotting and planning and possible scheming when the answer we so desperately seek is plain as day in front of our faces.  Ugh, I’m so annoyed with myself.  I suppose I could make adjustments at semester.  Stop the averaging and put in multiple scores.  I don’t think it will mess with anyone’s understanding of the system.  If anything, it should make it easier to track patterns.  I still need to decide what I’m going to do about that tracking sheet for next year.  The one I use currently is too wide open and that makes it harder to keep assessments vs practice straight.  I think I might use the version I’ve mentioned before that includes a separate section for practice/formative, artifacts and summatives.