Assessing Grading Diocese of Harrisburg

1. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg T.E.C.H.OUT Conference March 27, 2007

2. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg Define each grade A: B: C: D: F:

3. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg �Fair isn�t always Equal� Rick Wormeli, 2006 Example of the graphic organizer Embedded in our Catholic Faith �Catholic Education is intentionally directed to the growth of the whole person. An integral education aims to develop gradually every capability of every student, his or her intellectual, physical, psychological, moral, and religious capabilities. Vatican document speak of an education that responds to all the needs of the human person.� The Holy See�s Teaching on Catholic Schools, 2006

4. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg Four Questions on DI: What if we DI for all students, K-12? What kind of person would we graduate form our schools? What if we never differentiate for all students, K-12? What kind of person would we graduate from our schools? Is the real world differentiated? Did our own teachers differentiate for us when we where students? Rick Wormeli, 2006

5. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg WWJD DI is doing what is fair for all students. �DI occurs as teachers become increasingly proficient in understanding their students as individuals, increasingly comfortable with the meaning and structure of the disciplines they teach, and increasing expert at teaching flexibility in order to match instruction to student need with the goal of maximizing the potential of each learner in a given area� Tomlinson, Learning & Leading with Technology, 2005

6. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg Guiding Premises in Developing Grading & Reporting System Primary Goal is COMMUNICATION Grading & Reporting are INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE INSTRUCITONAL PROCESS Good Reporting is based on GOOD EVIDENCE Changes in grading & assessing are best accomplished through the development of COMPREHENSIVE REPORTING SYSTEM Thomas Guskey, 2001

7. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg Developments that Make Change in Grading & Reporting Systems Imperative The growing emphasis on Standards & Performance Assessment makes current reporting practices inadequate. Parents are demanding more and better information about student learning process. Advances in technology allow for more efficient reporting of detailed information on student learning. Grading and Reporting are recognized as one of educator�s important responsibilities There is a growing awareness of the gap between knowledge base and common practice in grading and reporting. Thomas Guskey, 2001

8. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg �We are One in the Spirit� ��Educators should develop a willingness to collaborate among themselves�Their Communion fosters appreciation of the various charismas and vocations that build up a genuine school community and strengthen scholastic solidarity. Educators, administrators, parents, and bishops guide the school to make choices that promote overcoming individualistic self-promotion, solidarity instead of competition, assisting the weak instead of marginalization, responsibilities participation instead of indifference. The Holy See�s Teaching on Catholic Schools, 2006

9. Assessing & GradingDiocese of Harrisburg The Leap of Faith �� it might be accurate to say that these changes will require a certain amount of persistence, even courage, on the part of educators. I sincerely encourage those in positions to facilitate these changes to stay the course� What is required now is for some members of that group to take the lead � to be the vanguard.� Robert Marzano, 2000