Experimentation

I’m switching to standards based grading.

I've grown increasingly uncomfortable with my traditional grading system. I can't quickly tell by looking at my grade book what a particular student is struggling with. I mean, I can narrow it down to 3 or 4 possible topics, but that's it. I can't even tell if it was really a problem with the calculus ideas, or if it was due to algebra errors! I give lots of feedback on the what I return to students, but there isn't a good way to concisely incorporate that into my grade book. 

Then there's getting students to actually read the feedback I give them, and do something with it. Tests, quizzes, etc. get shoved in a folder, a locker, a laptop bag, who-knows-where and that was that. It took asking them to make corrections (entirely redoing each problem) for half points back on correct work for them to start reading what I wrote and asking me what I meant. And we all know why they did it - for the half-points they could earn. In the end, for my students (and most parents), it was about the final grade, NOT the fascinating, mysterious, totally awesome math (or physics) we'd been studying. 

While I was getting frustrated, I started working on a personal learning network, collecting blogs in an aggregator - especially blogs by other calculus and physics teachers. And the more I read about SBG, the more it felt like something I should do.

So now I'm meeting with my director later this week to go through the formal write-up of my policy (posted when it's done - it's mostly bullet points, at the moment.). She sounded excited about it. I'm looking forward to explaining my reasoning, and getting her advice on any possible improvements and phrasing. And if she knows exactly what my policy says, she can help correct any misunderstandings parents or students might come to her with. 

Next Monday, I'll introduce the policy to the girls. I like the idea of starting with a discussion of what grades mean and what they're for. I also want to get their opinions on what an A in the course would mean in terms of the values and number of scores earned. (I'm planning on a conjunctive grading scale - so something like "To get an 80% (B-), the lowest score you can have is 2, and you have to have at least a 3 on at least 75% of the standards.") I have a pretty good idea of what I want the final grading scale to look like, but they're more likely to buy in if their ideas are incorporated. And who knows - they might actually be tougher than I would be. That's what happened when we asked for student input on the academic integrity policy!

Parents will get to see the policy (sans the part about converting to a letter grade for the report card) when their daughters bring it home next week. The week after, we'll get a chance to sit down at meet the teacher night and discuss it. I think the biggest resistance to the change will be because it's a change. 

That's the roll-out plan... now to get the details written out coherently so I have something to roll out!