Standards based grades are an exciting option for making grades more meaningful. We look at some recent writings on how to avoid some of the most common mistakes in our gradebooks, and then consider how standards-based grades can support some of the best practices.
Later, we read some additional work suggested by one of our past authors. Her new work helps us connect our ideas on building student agency with professional development and collegial mentoring. How can we make our collaborations as effective as possible?
Aaron Mathieu joins us for the Peer Review this month to tell us how he approaches his curriculum. We discussed threshold concepts in episode 009, but how could driving questions meet the same goal?
- First Segment – 1:10 – Standards-based grades
- Second Segment – 24:04 – Elementary Science Professional Development
- Third Segment – 37:14 – Peer Review: Aaron Mathieu‘s Threshold Questions (009)
Featured Guest
Aaron MathieuBiology Teacher & Host of Life of the School
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School - Acton, MA
Primary Citations
Fair Isn’t Always Equal – 3 Grading Malpractices. (2018, April 09). Retrieved May 28, 2018, from https://www.middleweb.com/37435/fair-isnt-always-equal-3-grading-malpractices/
O’Connor, K., & Wormeli, R. (2011). Reporting student learning. Educational Leadership, 69(3), 40-44.
Manz, E., & Suárez, E. Supporting teachers to negotiate uncertainty for science, students, and teaching. Science Education.
Supplemental Citations
- Using Learning and Motivation Theories to Coherently Link Formative Assessment, Grading Practices, and Large‐Scale Assessment (Shepard 2018)
- Reading between the lines: The effect of contextual factors on student motivation throughout an open inquiry process (Adler 2018)
- What Is Standards-Based Grading? (Common Goal Systems)
- Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading (ASCD)
- 3 Peaks and 3 Pits of Standards-Based Grading (Edutopia)
- Norm-Referenced Test (Glossary of Education Reform)
- —
- Science GSE Phenomena Bank (GSTA)
- Phenomena for NGSS (TJ McKenna)
- Why Common Core Standards Alone Won’t Boost Test Scores (Forbes)
- Have States Maintained High Expectations for Student Performance? (Education Next)
Featured Beverage
We drink Dark Truth, an imperial stout from Boulevard Brewing Co. in Kansas City, MO.