Report Card & Grading Innovative Policy

1. Report Card & Grading Innovative Policy By Maria Alvarez MED 5322 2-15-2012 • Sacred tradition • Students knowledge • Students future

2. Most common grading policies On the curve • Students are graded on terms of their relative standing among classmates • A very competitive learning for higher grades. • Negative relationship between teacher and student. • Class valedictorian • Excellence operate on the believe that must be only one. • Bitter competition among high-achieving students to be that one. • Excellence should be based on clear and high expectation that demonstrates excellence for all students.

3. Grades as punishment Based on teacher values and judgment. Students view high grades as a positive recognition of their success. Low grades cause students to withdraw from learning. Some teacher considered grades as a “weapon of last resort”. Students who do not comply with teacher requirements must suffer the consequences. Zero policy Do not reflect what students learn or are able to do.

4. DR. Robert Marzano suggested some recommendations to develop, and implement significant and accurate report cards grades. Phase 1 Build a team of experience teachers. Create rubrics and design assessment topics. Motivate teachers to become advocates and establish accountability.

5. Phase ll First group gets together with subject matter specialist. Social skill design should be separate from academic content areas. This design must be reviewed for teachers and stakeholders. Phase lll The whole process might take from one and half to 3 years. This time frame is intended to evaluate outcomes, make adjustments, corrections and additions to the new policy.

6. Guidelines: • For implementing this new grading policy: • Inform parents and students about expectations and what a letter or number will represent as a grade. • Grades should not be contaminated by social skills. • Base grades in a variety of quality assessment data and combined in a fair manner.

7. 4. Create rubrics that represent learning from simple to • complex. • 5. Revise grades data to give students feedback and • suggestions for improving learning.

8. “A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence stops.” Henry B. Adams