grading reform

10 Common Grading Concerns And Answers

As a high school English teacher, teacher coach, and grading and assessment consultant, I hear lots of teacher concerns about grading reform. Below are 10 of the most common grading questions/concerns that I hear from teachers, along with my short response to each. Isn’t minimum grading just giving lazy students something for nothing? A: Minimum… Continue reading 10 Common Grading Concerns And Answers

grading reform

Purposeful Grading Reform: Beginning with a Purpose Statement

For those looking to either begin grading reform or continue some initial work they’ve begun, an important early step is to create a grading purpose statement. Such a statement allows students and parents to better understand your grades. It also helps you to make consistent and focused grading-related decisions. But Why Is This Necessary? A… Continue reading Purposeful Grading Reform: Beginning with a Purpose Statement

grading reform

Helping Teachers to Begin Grading Reform: A Staff-wide Grading Email

If you've taken steps to improve your own grading practices to be more accurate and equitable, then hats off to you. But a big part of a teacher's grading reform work should also be helping other teachers to do the same. Few teachers, if any, receive any education on effective grading in their teacher preparation… Continue reading Helping Teachers to Begin Grading Reform: A Staff-wide Grading Email

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Reflections on First Semester Grading Reform: 3 Successes

It’s approximately the half-way mark of the school year, and to me, this means a couple of especially important things. It means the first semester is finished and grades have become a permanent part of student transcripts. With the second semester comes the opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges of the 14 grading… Continue reading Reflections on First Semester Grading Reform: 3 Successes

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Going All In on Grading Reform: An Overview of My Implementation of 14 Practices & Policies

For a number of years, I lacked the courage to go all in on grading reform. I long knew of the problems with traditional grading practices, but my concern about pushback from students, parents, and even administrators tempered my enthusiasm for beginning a large-scale reform.  Further, I was concerned about the implications of grading in… Continue reading Going All In on Grading Reform: An Overview of My Implementation of 14 Practices & Policies