Guideline 1:

1. A+ B C- D+ Guideline 1: Basing grades on standards

2. The principle of a guideline • The use of principles and guidelines is as interchangeable in the teaching of instructors as it is the words in a book. Presenting them both will move between two book and throughout the teaching community. • How to grade for learning, Ken O’Conner • Classroom Assessment for Student learning, Rick Stiggins, Judith Arter, Jan Chppuis, Steve Chappuis

3. Relating grading procedures to learning goals • Using learning goals as a basis for grade determination and grade reporting • Use assessment methods as the subset, not the set. (O’Conner, 2009)

4. Grades Reflect Current level of Achievement • In a standard-based environment, grades must reflect our estimate of student achievement at the time the grade is given. (Stiggins, 2004)

5. Learning Goals • Goals/standards have a specific grade for the task being completed or leaning objectives • Grade should reflect the task or learning objective not the overall grade. They should be clear about what is being graded. • Grading should be specific to the task at hand and should guide the student in their learning. • Instructors should have a firm understanding of what the grade means.

6. Linking the three together

7. Curriculum; What is being taught to the students and what is the outcome. • Instruction; In what manner is the content being taught and what grading system will be used. • Assessment; how will the grade be achieved from the knowledge being taught.

8. Curriculum • Offer strict learning goals that will have specific outcomes that can be seen through varying types of assessments, and grades. “Guidelines require that grading procedures be aligned with stated learning goals. This alignment is direct, and ideally a grade is determined and reported for each learning goal with no overall grade”. (O’Conner,2009) • This gives a distinct assessment with a grade for one specific learning objective.

9. Instruction • There should be specific learning goals for the teachers to follow and the goals should be clear and directly to the point so there is no question in the students, parents nor the teachers mind of what is being taught and assessed (graded). • Staying on target with these goals is need to avoid traditional grading plans that tend to be vague and non-concise. • Example: percentage ranges for learning objectives in stead of exact point values. Quizzes 10-20% as opposed to quizzes 15 points each.

10. Instruction • Standards and strands are used to guide the students understanding and performance of a certain tasks being taught. • Examples of Strands: 1. Concepts and procedures 2. Problem Solving 3. Reasoning 4. Communication 5. Connections

11. Instruction • During instruction the ideal means to assess the instruction being given is to base the grading plan on the individual standard or Benchmark (O’Conner, 2009) • Using Assessments and standards Achievement charts or grading charts is the ideal means of tracking a students progress.

12. Assessments

13. Proper Assessments • Create evidence through grades of achievement • Guide the student through the curriculum • Give students a chance to be part of the grading processes • Provides clear goals • Realistically reflect the outcome in the curriculum • Links the standard to a grade

14. Achievement Evidence of grades

15. Giving control to the students • Rubrics gives the student a chance to have control of the outcome of the grade and of the standard being achieved • Rubrics prevent the learning grade from becoming vague • Rubrics give way to fairness and consistency

16. Achievement Evidence of grades

17. Teacher contribution • Rubric gives the teacher control over the the strands and standards being taught • Rubric gives the teacher the ability to directly links a strand to a grade • Rubric gives the teacher a visible curriculum to teach from • Rubric gives the equality and fairness to all students and teachers • Guides the teacher with the development of their assessments (O’Conner,2009)

18. Achievement Evidence of grades

19. Physical link • The report card links the grade to the standard • Gives the student a chance to follow their achievement • Keeps the grade for a standard equal for every student • Gives the student a chance to improve their skills they need work on

20. Reflection • Using these means of linking grades to learning, does have drawbacks. It is not fair to all learning and teaching styles (O’Conner,2009). • It may give an Idea of achievement but limits abilities in specific areas i.e. attendance, effort, skill-set. • Limits creativity (O’Conner, 2009) • Limits learning goals( O’Conner,2009) • Creates a problems for unusual subjects

21. Reflection • Is very structured and provides clear goals • Helps new teachers control the learning goals and grades being linked • Is consistent state wide even when many standards are present • Links strands to standards

22. References • Stiggins, R. (2004). classroom assessment      for student learning. New Jersey: Pearson • O'Conner,K. (2009). How to Grade for Learning.   Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin