Classroom Grades: ‘Keeping Hope Alive’

Classroom Grades: ‘Keeping Hope Alive’ Keni Brayton Cox February 16. 2011 California State University, Fullerton Cox, K. (In Press). Putting classroom grading on the table: A reform in progress. American Secondary Education Journal.

A boy named Manual

Traditional Grading Practices Tendency to do to our students what was done to us (Graham, 2005) • Competitive, zero-sum game with grades used as leverage • System of rewards and punishments • A “hodgepodge” of factors which may differ considerably from teacher to teacher

Significance of the study • Reform in grading lags behind other reforms necessary for standards-based practice. (e.g., Guskey, 2009; McMillan, 2001; Stiggins, 2005) • Grades affect student motivation and sense of self efficacy (Brookhart, 2004; Carifo & Carey, 2009;DeLisle & Hargis, 2003; Reeves, 2004; Stiggins, 1999)

Ending the Cycle of Predictability Academic success and high school completion continue to be statistically predictable based on color, class and language.

Background • 18 month study of an urban secondary school district in reform (2006 – 2008) • Majority Hispanic • >60% SED • 20% English learners • Common assessments and course-alike data meetings previously institutionalized

Districtwide Initiative: Grading Reform Purpose: To establish new norms for grading, norms to support the learning and improve the academic success of students at risk Goal: To close the achievement gap by keeping hope alive while holding students accountable

Motivation ”hope and optimism in a given situation and relative to a given problem have been shown to be strong determiners of both motivation and achievement” (Carifo & Carey, 2009)

Accountability • “We want to keep the hope there for the kids…it’s hard to motivate them without hope and they are looking for excuses not to do anything.” (Al)

Reforms in Grading • Consistency among course-alike teachers— • Acceptance of “late” work, no penalty • Minimum 50% F—elimination of the zero • Test-retake policy—permitting students to retake tests for full credit

Focus: Non- traditional Grading Practice 1. Grading practices of a group of classroom teachers – pioneers in grading reform 2. What they have to say about what they do and why

Focus: Practices and rationale of the “reformed graders”

What they said

Consistency in Grading “Before …students would complain that if they got teacher A, they could get an A, but if they had teacher B, they’d only get a C…it wasn’t fair for the students. [Now] they’re pretty much going to end up getting a similar grade.” (Cal)

Consistency in Grading “Before, you might have felt you were giving a grade as to what you felt was important so it was teacher to teacher…but with common assessments there needs to be an agreement as to what we want the students to understand…”(Jesus)

On late work policy… “I realized I had given my kids a test and some had done quite well [but] they had really poor grades…because they weren’t doing the busy work, the homework…I asked myself, ‘what are my grades reflective of?’ (Stan)

And.. “We all make mistakes. You have more than one chance to learn.” (Al) Rachel: “These are kids who are still building their confidence and figuring out like who they are…”

50% Minimum F “The thing is, we want to keep the hope there for the kid. It’s very important. It’s hard to motivate them to do anything without hope” (James)

50% Minimum F “Once a kid gives up, you can’t get through to them; they don’t come to school; they come late” (Jesus) “It’s still an F, but it does give the kid the opportunity to get out of the basement and get a passing grade [in the class]” (Cal)

Another thing, “It’s also hope for the teacher…when you have too many students who get an F, who are on the bottom, it’s pretty hard to motivate” (Jesus)

Re-testing “We know we can definitely drop the ball on certain topics and we don’t want our students to pay the price for that; and if there is something I totally misjudged or I assumed the kids would get quickly and they don’t, a retest is a fair opportunity to make up for that.” (Cynthia)

And, • “Do I care when they learn it? NO. I just want them to learn it. For some kids it takes more time.” (Michelle) • “The assessment is really to help the kid to learn…testing without penalty.” (all)

The Rest of the Story Traditional graders also have a story to tell.. Equally passionate and committed Believe they are doing the “right” thing

Implications Need to put “classroom grading on the table” • What is the purpose of grades? • What should grades convey? • To whom? What should be the purpose and nature of schooling?

Limitations • “Putting Classroom Grading on the Table: A Reform in Progress” – status check only • One district and 15 teachers within that district • Mathematics over represented

References Brookhart, S. (1994). Teacher grading: Practices and theory. Applied Measurement in Education. 7 (4), 279-301. Brookhart, S. (2004). Classroom assessment: Tensions and intersections in theory and practice. Teacher College Record, 106(3), 429-456. Carifio, J.& Carey, T. (2009). A critical examination of current minimum grading policy recommendations. The High School Journal, 93(1), 23-37. Crooks, T.J. (1988). The impact of classroom evaluation practices on students. Review of Educational Research, 58(4), 438-481. DeLisle, R. & Hargis, J. ( 2003 ). The big fish. Education, 125(4), 702-705. Docan, T.N. (2006)). Positive and negative incentives in the classroom: An analysis of grading systems and student motivation. Journal of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(2), 21-40.

References (cont.) Graham, P. (2005) Classroom-based assessment: Changing knowledge and practice through preservice teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 607-621. Guskey, T. R. (Ed.) (2009). Practical solutions for serious problems in standards-based grading. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. McMillan, J.H. (2001) Secondary teachers’ classroom assessment and grading practices. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 1, 20-32. Stiggins, R.J. (2005). From formative assessment to assessment for learning: A path to success in standards-based schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 87 (4), 324-328. Retrieved February 11 from Academic Search Premiere database.

Keni Brayton Cox, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Leadership 657 278 5663 kcox@fullerton.edu

Classroom Grades: ‘Keeping Hope Alive’