KENI BRAYTON COX

FEBRUARY 16. 2011

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON

Cox, K. (In Press). Putting classroom grading on the table: A

reform in progress. American Secondary Education Journal.

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Classroom Grades: ‘Keeping Hope Alive’

A boy named Manual2

Traditional Grading Practices3

Tendency to do to our students what was done to us (Graham, 2005)

Competitive, zero-sum game with grades used as leverage

System of rewards and punishmentsA “hodgepodge” of factors which may

differ considerably from teacher to teacher

Significance of the study4

Reform in grading lags behind other reforms necessary for standards-based practice.

(e.g., Guskey, 2009; McMillan, 2001; Stiggins, 2005)

Grades affect student motivation and sense of self efficacy (Brookhart, 2004; Carifo & Carey, 2009;DeLisle & Hargis, 2003; Reeves, 2004; Stiggins, 1999)

Ending the Cycle of Predictability5

Academic success and high school completion continue to be statistically predictable based on color, class and language.

Background6

18 month study of an urban secondary school district in reform (2006 – 2008)

Majority Hispanic >60% SED 20% English learners

Common assessments and course-alike data meetings previously institutionalized

Districtwide Initiative: Grading Reform

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Purpose: To establish new norms for grading, norms to support the learning and improve the academic success of students at risk

Goal: To close the achievement gap by keeping hope alive while holding studentsaccountable

Motivation8

”hope and optimism in a given situation

and relative to a given problem have

been shown to be strong determiners

of both motivation and achievement”

(Carifo & Carey, 2009)

Accountability9

“We want to keep the hope there for the

kids…it’s hard to motivate them without hope

and they are looking for excuses not to do

anything.” (Al)

Reforms in Grading10

1.Consistency among course-alike teachers—

2.Acceptance of “late” work, no penalty

3.Minimum 50% F—elimination of the zero

4.Test-retake policy—permitting students to retake tests for full credit

Focus: Non- traditional Grading Practice

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1. Grading practices of a group of classroom teachers – pioneers in grading reform

2. What they have to say about what they do and why

Focus: Practices and rationale of the “reformed graders”

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Reported practices of high implementer focus group

Focus Group

Course Alike Agreement

Minimum 50%“F”

Test Retake Policy

Late Work Policy

7 Algebra ITeachers

“pioneers”

YES YES YES

Full Credit

YES

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What they said

Consistency in Grading14

“Before …students would complain that if they got teacher A, they could get an A, but if they had teacher B, they’d only get a C…it wasn’t fair for the students. [Now] they’re pretty much going to end up getting a similar grade.” (Cal)

Consistency in Grading15

“Before, you might have felt you were giving a grade as to what you felt was important so it was teacher to teacher…but with common assessments there needs to be an agreement as to what we want the students to understand…”(Jesus)

On late work policy…16

“I realized I had given my kids a test and

some had done quite well [but] they had

really poor grades…because they weren’t

doing the busy work, the homework…I

asked myself, ‘what are my grades reflective

of?’ (Stan)

And..17

“We all make mistakes. You have more than one chance to learn.” (Al)

Rachel: “These are kids who are still building their confidence and figuring out like who they are…”

50% Minimum F18

“The thing is, we want to keep the hope there for the kid. It’s very important. It’s hard to motivate them to do anything without hope” (James)

50% Minimum F19

“Once a kid gives up, you can’t get through to them; they don’t come to school; they come late” (Jesus)

“It’s still an F, but it does give the kid the opportunity to get out of the basement and get a passing grade [in the class]” (Cal)

Another thing, 20

“It’s also hope for the teacher…when you have too many students who get an F, who are on the bottom, it’s pretty hard to motivate” (Jesus)

Re-testing21

“We know we can definitely drop the ball on certain topics and we don’t want our students to pay the price for that; and if there is something I totally misjudged or I assumed the kids would get quickly and they don’t, a retest is a fair opportunity to make up for that.” (Cynthia)

And,22

“Do I care when they learn it? NO. I just want them to learn it. For some kids it takes more time.” (Michelle)

“The assessment is really to help the kid to learn…testing without penalty.” (all)

The Rest of the Story23

Traditional graders also have a story to tell..

Equally passionate and committedBelieve they are doing the “right” thing

Implications24

Need to put “classroom grading on the table”

What is the purpose of grades? What should grades convey? To whom?

What should be the purpose and nature of schooling?

Limitations25

“Putting Classroom Grading on the Table: A Reform in Progress” – status check only

One district and 15 teachers within that district

Mathematics over represented

References26

Brookhart, S. (1994). Teacher grading: Practices and theory. Applied Measurement in Education.

7 (4), 279-301.

Brookhart, S. (2004). Classroom assessment: Tensions and intersections in theory and practice.

Teacher College Record, 106(3), 429-456.

Carifio, J.& Carey, T. (2009). A critical examination of current minimum grading policy

recommendations. The High School Journal, 93(1), 23-37.

Crooks, T.J. (1988). The impact of classroom evaluation practices on students. Review of

Educational

Research, 58(4), 438-481.

DeLisle, R. & Hargis, J. ( 2003 ). The big fish. Education, 125(4), 702-705.

Docan, T.N. (2006)). Positive and negative incentives in the classroom: An analysis of grading

systems

and student motivation. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(2), 21-40.

 

References (cont.)27

Graham, P. (2005) Classroom-based assessment: Changing knowledge and practice

through preservice teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 607-621.

Guskey, T. R. (Ed.) (2009). Practical solutions for serious problems in standards-based

grading. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

McMillan, J.H. (2001) Secondary teachers’ classroom assessment and grading

practices. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice,

1, 20-32.

Stiggins, R.J. (2005). From formative assessment to assessment for learning: A path

to success in standards-based schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 87 (4), 324-328.

Retrieved February 11 from Academic Search Premiere database.

 

 

 

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Keni Brayton Cox, Ph.D.Assistant Professor,

Department of Educational Leadership

657 278 5663kcox@fullerton.edu