The important thing for teachers and administrators is to be very honest with ourselves about why we are giving a grade for an assignment. Is the grade a measure of mastery of content, is it a tool to keep students compliant, is it a ranking system, or is a carrot/stick reward system?
For me, it is a measure of mastery. I know that I hear that same sentiment from teachers and administrators everywhere. Since I use grades as a measure of a learner’s mastery of the skills and knowledge I need them to acquire to be successful after my class is over, I must be intentional about how I use them. Using grades for mastery is tricky. It is too easy for grading to slip into being a punishment system or a crude sorting method. I won’t delve into it here. Check out Rick Wormeli’s video on that here (link). He does a great job of laying it out. Grades being a reflection of mastery goes back to my philosophy of learning (see post here). I have to be very careful and intentional about how I use and apply grades. If it starts becoming a carrot/stick or compliance tool, then I will squash any hope of developing a growth mindset in my learners. Learning must come from within. As I get ready for the year, I have to be careful to nurture the learner’s mindset within my students and allow them room to grow. I will get more into this in my next post...
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About me & this blogThis blog is for things related to my class, PL, coaching, or just teaching in general. You can follow me on Twitter @myakSTEM Archives
June 2021
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