GRADING

1
GRADING

• For Success

Vannetta Chapman 1st Floor, English
2
Lets take a little walk . . . . . . down
memory lane.

• Briefly describe the fairest teacher/professor
  you have ever had. What made him/her fair?

3
Lets take a little walk . . . . . . down
memory lane.

• Briefly describe the least fair teacher/professor
  you have ever had. What made him/her unfair?

4
Lets take a little walk . . . . . . down
memory lane.

• Choose one of those and share it with someone
  sitting near you.

5
Lets take a little walk . . . . . . down
memory lane.

• Notice I didnt ask who was your HARDEST teacher.
• There is a difference between being a demanding
  teacher, having high expectations, and being a
  fair teacher.
• What is the difference?

6
District Requirements

• What does Irving ISD state is FAIR grading?
• (Read the handout and circle words you think are
  important.)

7
District Requirements Six Weeks Grades

• Three fourths ( 75) of the total six week grade
  will consist of daily grades.  At least two
  grades and/or evaluations will be given each
  week.  These grades can consist of written
  assignments, oral assignments, notebooks (which
  should not count more than a major test grade),
  compositions, laboratory projects, homework,
  unit/departmental tests, class participation,
  independent practice completed in class, special
  projects, and criterion referenced tests.  The
  daily grades should be an appropriately balanced
  representation of the work done during the
  marking period.  Six week tests will count
  one-fourth (25) of the total six week grade.  A
  six-week test will be an evaluation of material
  covered during the grading period. 

8
District Requirements Six Weeks Grades

• You get to determine ratio of daily to test
  grades. I use
• 65 / 35
• daily test
• See page 2 of district grading requirements.

9
District Requirements Six Weeks Grades

• The most important thing is that no one grade
  should count for more than 25 of a student's
  grade.  If your percentages are 65 (daily) / 35
  (test) then you must give more than one test in
  my opinion you should always give more than one
  test anyway.
• See page 2 of district grading requirements.

10
Planning Your Six Weeks Grades

• 12 Grades 2 grades/week
• 1/class some weeks
• 1/1.5 class some weeks
• In my class EVERYTHING counts. No one has to ask
  Does this count for a grade? It all counts!

11
Planning Your Six Weeks Grades

• EVERYTHING counts.
• How in the world do I do that? I cant spend all
  my time assessing, or Ill never have time to
  teach. I cant possibly GRADE all that stuff, I
  had 165 kids last year.
• Ideas anyone?

12
Planning Your Six Weeks Grades

• How can EVERYTHING count?
• Combine grades (warm-ups)
• Classroom folders help here. Otherwise, they
  take part 1 home and you NEVER see it again!
• Layered Curriculum grades (be careful)
• Visual checks, must complete a certain portion
  each day. Daily grade PLUS overall grade.

13
Planning Your Six Weeks Grades

• TYPES OF GRADING
• One-on-One Grading
• Student brings work to my desk, and I grade it
  there while he watches, and put a grade in the
  grade book at that moment.
• Visual Grading
• I walk around, check, and put a grade in the
  grade book at that moment.

14
Planning Your Six Weeks Grades

• TYPES OF GRADING
• Blackboard Grading
• I run a report, put a grade in the grade book,
  and file the report.
• Turn-it-in Grading
• Pass out of class (no zeroes)
• I stay late and grade until I pull my hair out.
• Class Grading ???

15
Grading Tools

• There are SEVEN items in my toolbox.
• Each of you get one (or one per group). You have
  to come up with 3 ways that this will help you
  better ASSESS whether or not your students have
  learned the material you taught.
• You have FIVE MINUTES (stop complaining and get
  busy).
• If youre not sure what a term means GUESS!
• YES THIS IS FOR A GRADE!

16
Grading Tools

• Rubrics
• Self-Assessment
• Grade sheets
• Progress Reports
• Parents
• Extra Credit
• Other teachers/ your vp

17
Grading Tools

• Rubrics
• Lets look at some examples.
• I think this is by far the FAIREST way to grade.
• Students know ahead of time what portions count
  the most (a good bad thing they CAN add)
• Students stop feeling their grade has been pulled
  out of a hat.
• Its easy to modify for sped students (Rubric 4).
• (See Ruby Payne, page 135)

18
Grading Tools

• Self-Assessment
• Ive provided one example.
• Students learn to stop and consider the value of
  the work they have done.
• Students are rewarded for assessing their work
  objectively a skill they sorely need!
• You have great documentation for any grade
  disputes!

19
Grading Tools

• Grade sheets
• See grade sheet 1.
• I begin the year with a paper grade sheet (and
  colored folders).
• If I need an additional grade, I will take a
  completion grade over it.
• Grade sheets and folders stay IN THE CLASSROOM (I
  may grade them any time).
• Students never have to ask me what their grade is.

20
Grading Tools

• Grade sheets
• See grade sheet 2.
• By the second six weeks, weve moved to an excel
  grade sheet.
• This computes automatically.
• Students are able to fill in future grades and
  see what they need to make.
• When parents contact me, I can say, Has Johnny
  shown you the grade sheet on his computer?

21
Grading Tools

• Progress Reports
• Progress reports are printed BY FLOOR at the 3
  week period.
• Unfortunately theyre not printed until the end
  of the 4th week. By that time theres only 2
  weeks to raise grades, IF the progress report
  even makes it home.
• This report lists the grades for all classes, but
  with no detail.

22
Grading Tools

• Progress Reports
• I print a detailed report at the end of the 3rd
  week, and hand it out the Monday and Tuesday of
  the 4th week.
• Students must compare the report to the graded
  papers in their folder.
• They can only dispute a grade IF they have the
  graded paper in their folder.
• If they take it home and get it signed, they get
  extra credit.

23
Grading Tools

• Progress Reports
• If students find an error in their favor, they
  are instructed NOT to tell me. My mistake they
  keep it.
• If students find an error that hurts their grade,
  all they have to do is show me and I change it
  (usually with a few bonus points added on).

24
Grading Tools

• Progress Reports
• If you would like step-by-step instructions for
  how to print out detailed progress reports, email
  me at Vchapman_at_irvingisd.net and I will be happy
  to send them to you!
• I do this at the 3 week period, and at the end of
  the six weeks. I encourage students to staple
  all of their graded work to the progress report.
  (This is their pass out of class.)

25
Grading Tools

• Parents
• Surprised to see parents listed here?
• They are your greatest tool!
• If parents understand how you are grading, or
  what upcoming grades are, they will back you up.
  They will encourage their children. (More of
  this in my parent contact workshop).

26
Grading Tools

• Parents
• I always email parents that progress reports are
  coming home.
• If they email me that they never saw it, I copy
  and paste another into their email.

27
Grading Tools

• Extra Credit
• I try to offer one extra credit assignment per
  six weeks.
• I give restroom passes that can be used for extra
  credit (see handout).
• I give extra credit for finding my errors!

28
Grading Tools

• Other teachers/ your vp
• There will be times when you dont know whats
  fair.
• Ask someone!
• The teachers around you and your floor vp are
  good resources. Sometimes they can be more
  objective than you!

29
District Requirements

• Semester grades
• (Back to your first handout.)

30
District Requirements Semester Grades

• Each six week grade will represent 25 of the
  student's work.  The semester exam will represent
  25 of the student's work.  This exam should be
  over material taught all three six weeks.  All
  semester and exam grades are to be recorded in
  proper columns in the grade book.

31
District Requirements Semester Grades

• A waiver has been granted from TEA to exempt
  junior and senior students from final
  examinations for the spring semester if the
  student's grade average is not less than 85 and
  the student has missed no more than 2 classes
  during the semester.  If a semester exam is not
  given in a course, an average of the three six
  week grades should be recorded as the semester
  exam grade.

32
A few final grading notes . . .

• Make-up work
• You are required to allow it! Especially for
  excused absences.
• I have students sign a makeup work log showing
  they received the work and the date it is due.
• They are to ask for it the first 5 minutes of
  class, or the last 5 minutes or they can come
  by after school.

33
A few final grading notes . . .

• Re-dos
• Should students get a second chance?
• What are the pros and cons?
• In what instances is this a good idea?
• (Ruby Payne goal setting, pg 96)

34
A few final grading notes . . .

• Re-dos
• If it gets the students back into the material
  one more time, it might be a good idea. (How can
  it be bad for them to go over vocabulary one more
  time?)
• I often tell them that they MUST redo it until
  they get an 85! Boy does that irk them, but they
  do it! )

35
A few final grading notes . . .

• Re-dos
• I usually say the highest you can get on a redo
  is 89. If you wanted an A, you should have
  studied more.
• I NEVER let students come in several weeks later
  to redo. What is the point in that? I dont do
  that end of six weeks thing. In fact . . .

36
A few final grading notes . . .

• Grade cut-off
• In fact . . . I cut my grades off at the end of
  the 5th week. Only the first six week period
  ends up being short.
• I have time to print reports and let them check
  my grades against their papers.
• Parents are aware that I stagger my grading
  period.

37
A few final grading notes . . .

• Grade cut-off
• I dont have trouble getting my grades in on
  time.
• Students are able to focus on my class the 5th
  week, and on other classes the 6th week!

38
A few final grading notes . . .

• Paper Grade Book
• I love the computer! But I do keep a paper grade
  book also. It helps me to see, at a glance, who
  was absent and needs makeup work. It helps me to
  grade as I walk around the room.

39
A few final grading notes . . .
ES Grades

• Paper Grade Book
• At the end of week 5, you will have to rate EACH
  of your students in 5 areas (ES Grades).
• I keep columns at the end of my paper grade book!

40
A few final grading notes . . .
ES Grades

• Paper Grade Book
• When someone uses their computer inappropriately,
  I redirect them and they see me lower their ES
  grade.
• If someone is rude or disrespectful, I correct
  them and they see me lower their ES grade.

41
A few final grading notes . . .
ES Grades

• Paper Grade Book
• Im ALWAYS the first one on my floor getting my
  ES grades in. Its very easy. I just look at my
  columns!

42
A few final grading notes . . .
ES Grades
43
A few final grading notes . . .

• Please email me
• If you have questions about any handouts,
  questions, procedures, etc.
• If I dont know, Ill direct you to someone who
  does.

44
A few final grading notes . . .

• Please be fair
• We have many disenfranchised students. We have
  many teachers who are not fair. Be one of the
  fair ones.

45
A few final grading notes . . .

• Remember to teach
• It is not all about the assessment. Youre hired
  to teach. If you do so in an organized way, the
  assessment will be much less difficult. If you
  find yourself grading all the time, step back and
  re-assess what youre doing with your class time.
  

46
GRADING

• For Success

All errors, omissions, and distortions of reality
are my own.