Anyone too busy to reflect on one’s practice is also too busy to improve. Robert Garmston

1. Anyone too busy to reflect on one’s practice is also too busy to improve. Anyone too busy to reflect on one’s practice is also too busy to improve. Robert Garmston Robert Garmston

2. Moving to a Standards-based Grading System: lessons learned Presented by: Ria A. Schmidt, Ph.D.

3. Standards-Based Grading • “If the goal of today’s educational system is to determine when (and if) students have met course standards, should we not be keeping achievement records that match the standards we are expected to teach instead of records that are labeled test, homework, book report, class work, quiz, project, presentation or class participation?” --Bruce Oliver

4. Standards-Based Grading • “How confident are you that the grades students receive in your school are consistent, accurate, meaningful, and supportive of learning?” • --Ken O’Connor

5. TODAY’S OBJECTIVES • Participants will: • Identify and discuss the steps for transitioning from traditional grading to a standards-based grading (SBG) system. • Connect Common Core to process of planning and implementation of SBG. • Receive and utilize practical resources for planning and implementation of SBG.

6. Change • All changes, even positive ones, are scary. Attempts to reach goals through radical or revolutionary means often fail because they heighten fear. But the small steps of kaizen ("improvement") disarm the brain’s fear response, stimulating rational thought and creative play. --Robert Maurer

7. Alksjfalskfjslkdfjskdfja;slkdj;aa;lkjfa;slkjfsal;kjsa;kljfsdlks;lkjfsavvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv;lkjs;lAlksjfalskfjslkdfjskdfja;slkdj;aa;lkjfa;slkjfsal;kjsa;kljfsdlks;lkjfsavvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv;lkjs;l Change Toolkit. Reinventingeducation.org. IBM (2002) http://www.reinventingeducation.org/RE3Web/

8. First vs. second order Change • Have no doubt, transitioning to a SBG is a Second Order Change • “involves dramatic departures from the expected, both in defining a given problem and in finding a solution” (Marzano et al, 2005) or deep change.

9. Why change (especially when it’s so hard)? • The answers are quite simple: • 21st Century Learner

11. WHY CHANGE (ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S SO HARD)? • The answers are quite simple:

12. WHY CHANGE (ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S SO HARD)? • The answers are quite simple: • “Grades are so imprecise that they are almost meaningless.” • Marzano, R. J. (2000)

13. Small steps It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward.” --Old Chinese Proverb

15. So where do we begin . . . • Start wherever you are and start small. --Rita Bailey

16. So where do we begin . . . A vision . . . . . . is a clearly stated, achievable, even optimistic organizational aspiration. . . . needs to paint a picture of a brighter, better future for all school stakeholders (teachers, staff, and students).

17. So where do we begin . . . What is your philosophy of grading or vision? You may want to consider: • Why we grade students: • Motivation? • Communication? • Honor roll/High Honors? • To get them ready for the next level? • Determine placement? • Accountability?

18. Begin with a vision • Take a few minutes to write a draft of your philosophy of grading or vision . . . • In our school/district, a grade represents a clear and accurate indicator of what a student knows and is able to do. With grades, we document the progress of students and our teaching, we provide feedback to students and their parents, and we make instructional decisions regarding the students. sample

19. importance of leadership Leadership responsibilities: • Know effects of change and provide vision

20. importance of leadership • Leadership responsibilities: • 2) Drive and Motivate

21. importance of leadership Leadership responsibilities: 3) Know theory and research

22. Sharing information • Throughout entire process . . . with EVERYONE • Continual education/professional development for EVERYONE

23. Who is everyone? • Board of Education • Administrators • Teachers • Instructional Staff • Staff • Parents • Students • Community Members • Anyone else not mentioned here who is involved in school/district

24. importance of leadership • Leadership responsibilities: • 4) Take a risk/challenge the status quo • “Why fix it when it ain’t broken!” • .

25. importance of leadership • Leadership responsibilities: • 5) Evaluation • Data • Hard • Anecdotal

26. importance of leadership • Leadership responsibilities: • 6) Be like Gumby • Flexible • Open to input

27. Step 1: Develop a timeline • 2010-2011: • Deconstruct Common Core • 2011-2012: • Professional Development on Standards-based Grading Philosophy • Create SBG Committee • 2012-2013: • Continued Professional Development • Develop format for report card

28. “On Target” Students can hit any target they can see and which stands still for them. (Stiggins, R.)

29. Step 2: Deconstructing the common core • Things to keep in mind: • Keep the content to what can actually be taught in the time you have. • Should be written in a way that enhances classroom instruction and assessment. • Must be measureable • Must be unidimensional

30. Step 2: Deconstructing the common core • Begin by creating a content area (e.g., ELA) committee of teachers and administrators • Divide the committee into grade bands, such as: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 • Provide resources • Professional development • Technology

31. Step 2: Deconstructing the common core • Questions to ask: • What must students know? • What must students be able to do?

32. Step 2: Deconstructing the common core • Knowledge • Reasoning • Performance/skills • Products

33. Reading Standards for Informational Text K–5; Key Ideas and Details Grade 5 : Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text. Learning Targets: Knowledge Targets Reasoning Targets Skill Targets Product Targets Understand the concepts of main idea and key details Identify main ideas and key details in text Analyze the themes and main ideas of a work considering its audience and Purpose Explain how Key details support main Ideas Summarize Text

36. “I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” --Albert Einstein

37. Step3:Develop Guidelines • differentiation • separate behavior and academic grades • purposeful homework • formative assessments/feedback • averaging • late work/incompletes • extra credit • zeroes • multiple summative assessments

38. grading/assessment guidelines • Differentiation

40. grading/assessment guidelines • Separate behavior and • academics

41. grading/assessment guidelines • Homework • Purposeful • Graded? "Think left, and think right, and think low, and think high. Oh the thinks you can think if only you try."~Dr. Seuss

42. grading/assessment guidelines • Averaging “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” --Albert Einstein

43. grading/assessment guidelines • Late work/incompletes

46. grading/assessment guidelines • Extra credit “Don’t give points for extra credit or use bonus points; seek only evidence that more work has resulted in a higher level of achievement.” O’Connor, K. (2010)

47. grading/assessment guidelines

48. grading/assessment guidelines • Zeroes • On a traditional scale, the % range for each level is 10% • Teachers will use “I.D.” (insufficient data) on the progress report.