Grading and ReportingGrading and ReportingChapter 15Chapter 15

Katie Binkley and Jane Casey

Grading and ReportingGrading and Reporting

This can be one of the more frustrating and time consuming areas of teaching.

How should all of student achievement be measured…is it just the end result or should we also look at time and effort as a part of the grading process?

We are going to look at 3 different types of grading. We will also discuss various reasons and ways you might report information to parents/guardians.

Why do we grade?Why do we grade?

Helps enhance student achievement. Parents need to know how their child is

performing. Helps students see their areas of strengths and

weaknesses. If done correctly, grading and progress reports can

also help teachers see areas where they need to enhance their teaching or make revisions to the lesson plan.

Three types of GradingThree types of Grading

Traditional Letter Grade-– A, B, C, D, F or numbers 100, 89, 75, 65 etc.– Concise, convenient and grades are easy to figure– Weaknesses as the only grading:

Combination of effort, work habits, and good behavior Proportion of students assigned each letter grad varies for

every teacher Do not indicate students areas of strengths or weaknesses.

Pass/Fail SystemPass/Fail System

Two category: pass or failUsed in high schools for elective coursesDoes not offer any indication of students

level of learningStudents may often just study to pass rather

than study to learn.Students are just expected to show mastery

of a particular area.

Checklist of ObjectivesChecklist of Objectives

Uses a check list and a letter is assigned to each task depending on how well the student performed.– Ex: Reading

Reads with understanding Works out meaning and use of new words Reads well to others Reads independently for pleasure

Check list continued…Check list continued…

The teacher would then apply a letter from one of the following:– O (outstanding)– S (satisfactory– N (needs improvement)

OR

– P (proficient)– PP (partially proficient)– N (needs improvement)

Multiple Grading SystemMultiple Grading System

A typical multiple grading system will use the traditional letter/number grade system, and then incorporate the checklist method.

This will often mean that two grades will be assigned. One for achievement and one for effort, improvement or growth.

This allows teachers a little more leeway when grading. (example p. 374)

Guidelines for developing a Guidelines for developing a multiple grading systemmultiple grading system

1. The development of the grading and reporting system should be guided by the functions to be served.

2. The grading and reporting system should be developed cooperatively by parents, by students, and school personnel

3. The grading and reporting system should be based on a clear statement of educational objectives.

Guidelines continued…Guidelines continued…

4. The grading and reporting system should be consistent with school standards.

5. The grading and reporting system should be based on adequate assessment.

6. The grading and reporting system should be detailed enough to be diagnostic and yet compact enough to be practical.

7. The grading and reporting system should provide for parent-teacher conferences as needed.

Assigning letter gradesAssigning letter grades

“Teachers often are comfortable with the notion that grades should be based strictly on achievement for students that they judge to be highly able. But they feel that effort should be considered along with achievement for students whom they judge to be less able.” p. 377

Drawbacks…Drawbacks…

This notion has some major drawbacks…– It is difficult, if not impossible, for a teacher to

adequately assess a student’s effort of potential.– It is difficult to distinguish between aptitude and

achievement even with the most sophisticated measures, as both depend on student learning.

– Using different bases of grading for different students sends a mixed message and may be unfair to students who are perceived as being more able than they are.

ValidityValidity

As we have previously discussed tests need to be valid and based on the material covered.

Grading is much the same. It needs to be valid, and based on the objectives that are set forward by the teacher. There should be specific guidelines that the student knows they must accomplish to get a specific grade. This way students know in advance what their grade is based on.

Guidelines for Effective Guidelines for Effective GradingGrading

1. Describe your grading procedures to students at the beginning of instruction.

2. Make clear to students that the course grade will be based on achievement only.

3. Explain how other elements (effort, work habits, and personal-social characteristics) will be reported.

Guidelines…Guidelines…

4. Relate the grading procedures to the intended learning outcomes (I.e. instructional goals and objectives).

5. Obtain valid evidence (e.g., tests, assessments, reports, or ratings) as a basis for assigning grades.

6. Take precautions to prevent cheating on tests and assessments.

Guidelines…Guidelines…

7. Return and review all test and assessment results as soon as possible.

8. Properly weight the various types of achievement included in the grade.

9. Do not lower an achievement grade for tardiness, weak effort, or misbehavior.

10. Be fair. Avoid bias, and when in doubt(as with a borderline grade) review the evidence. If still in doubt assign the higher grade.

ReportingReporting

Letters to parents/GuardiansPortfoliosParent-Teacher ConferencesReporting test results to parents

Letters home to parentsLetters home to parents

Provides greater flexibility. Allows for more detail about student

achievement, not just a letter/number grade.Can include students strengths and

weaknesses.Problems can include: time consuming,

information could be misinterpreted, don’t provide cumulative information.

PortfoliosPortfolios

Purposely selected materials that best reflect the students work.

Items should reflect a variety of work not just one specific area.

Should also show the growth the student has made throughout the year.

Parent Teacher ConferencesParent Teacher Conferences

7 tips:– Make plans for the conference.– Begin the conference in a positive manner.– Present the student’s strong points before describing the

areas needing improvement.– Encourage parents to participate and share information.– Plan course of action cooperatively.– End the conference with a positive comment.– Use good human relation skills during the conference.

P. 387

Do’s and don'ts of Do’s and don'ts of conferencesconferences

Do’s:– Be friendly and informal– Be positive– Be willing to explain in

understandable terms.– Be willing to listen– Be willing to accept

parents’ feelings– Be careful about giving

advice

Don’ts:– Don’t argue or get angry– Don’t ask embarrassing

questions– Don’t talk about other

students, parents, or teachers.

– Don’t bluff if you don’t know the answer

– Don’t reject parents’ suggestions

– Don’t be a know-it-all

p. 387

Reporting Standardized Test Reporting Standardized Test ResultsResults

Describe what the test measures– Do not call aptitude or learning tests

intelligence tests.– Do not tell parents that aptitude tests measure

fixed material, they measure learned abilities– Do not tell the parents that the test will measure

and tell them how well their child will do in school.

Reporting continued…Reporting continued…

Be able to explain to parents how the tests are scored and what their child’s score means. The percentiles and percentages are often confusing and misunderstood.

Make sure parents know the accuracy of the tests being given.

Discuss with parents how the test results might be used in reference to their child.