My biggest takeaway from the book would be evaluating what I currently do with grades and what changes I will make in the future. There are some fixes that I won't really need to take into account because I don't do them anyway. However, fixes 4, 11, 12, 13, 14 will be something I will need to look at a little more closely. Fix 5 will effect the current attendance policy, but won't really have an affect in the individual classroom. If changes are coming district-wide, then consistency might be the biggest takeaway. If there are only a few teachers changing their old ways, it will not work. Also, if we are trying to make too many changes all at once, I think there will be resistance from a number of teachers. I think some of the fixes in the book may be a little radical, and therefore don't have a strong "selling point."
I don't think we need to totally reinvent the grading policy, but be open to a few changes that will logically fit with standard-based grading. Some of the things we currently do in the classroom are opposite of what standardized grading is... I think, anyway. I've never done standard-based grading. I think changes are easier to accept if the people using the changes are the ones creating them, which seems to be the case.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Fix #2:
I understand the point the author was trying to make about zeros not being a true reflection of what was learned or achieved, but where does responsibility fit? I understand that there can be other "punishments" besides hurting the grade, but if those other punishments aren't met, then what?
I'm thinking from a parent's point of view...If my son had all the time in the world to do as assignment, you'd better believe he'll use it. He will be overwhelmed by the end of the quarter with all these assignments that he can still hand in because he knows they will still be accepted.
Fix #4:
As an English teacher who tries to "scare" the students into thinking they will be kicked out of college for plagiarism, I wonder how else to punish kids who cheat. They make reference to the "real world" in the book, and how you get second chances to fix your "sin." Is that really how it is? There are punishments in the real world for copyright infringement and things like that, so what punishment fits the crime of cheating, I don't know.
I understand the point the author was trying to make about zeros not being a true reflection of what was learned or achieved, but where does responsibility fit? I understand that there can be other "punishments" besides hurting the grade, but if those other punishments aren't met, then what?
I'm thinking from a parent's point of view...If my son had all the time in the world to do as assignment, you'd better believe he'll use it. He will be overwhelmed by the end of the quarter with all these assignments that he can still hand in because he knows they will still be accepted.
Fix #4:
As an English teacher who tries to "scare" the students into thinking they will be kicked out of college for plagiarism, I wonder how else to punish kids who cheat. They make reference to the "real world" in the book, and how you get second chances to fix your "sin." Is that really how it is? There are punishments in the real world for copyright infringement and things like that, so what punishment fits the crime of cheating, I don't know.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)