Grading principles

•Your grade should be determined by how well you understand physics, and nothing else.

•Homework is practice, it should not affect your grade.

•It doesn’t matter when you learn it, so long as you learn it.

•Assessments must guide you on how to improve.•Assessments need to provide incentive for you to do the work required to improve.

Guiding Principles of Grading in this class

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Time

Und

erst

andin

g of

Phy

sics

Student B

Student A

End of Semester


Ideas are categorized in 3 ways in this classA (Core) These skills are fundamental to this physics class and future study of science. In order to pass, you must achieve proficiency in all of them.

B (Intermediate) These concepts represent more advanced skills that indicate a deeper understanding of physics. In order to achieve a grade of A, you must achieve proficiency in all of them.

C (Advanced) These concepts represent the most advanced skills and ideas in this physics course. Achieving proficiency of these ideas is an indicator of significant achievement.


Many ways to measure understanding•Written questions on assessments

•Answering a directed question in class

•Blog about it

•Talk about it with me 1-on-1

•And many more—rap it, write a play, what else?

Lots of chances to demonstrate improved understanding(see reassessments)


How I classify your understanding4 (Advanced): I know you’ve mastered it

•I understand the content/skills completely and can explain them in detail.

• I can explain/teach the skills to another student.•I have high confidence on how to do the skills.•I can have a conversation about the skills.•I can independently demonstrate extensions of my knowledge.

•I can create analogies and/or find connections between different areas within the sciences or between science and other areas of study.

• My responses demonstrate in-depth understanding of main ideas and of related details

3 (Proficient): I know you understand it

•I understand the important things about the content/skills.

•I have confidence on how to do the skills on my own most of the time, but I need to continue practicing some parts that still give me problems.

•I need my handouts and notes once in a while.•I am proficient at describing terms and independently connecting them with concepts.

•I understand not just the “what,” but can correctly explain the “how” and “why” of scientific processes.

•My responses demonstrate in-depth understanding of main ideas.

2 (Developing) I think you may understand it

•I have a general understanding of the content/skills, but I’m also confused about some important parts.

•I need some help from my teacher (one-on-one or small group) to do the skills correctly.

•I do not feel confident enough to do the skills on my own.•I need my handouts and notebook most of the time.•I can correctly identify concepts and/or define vocabulary; however I cannot not make connections among ideas and/or independently extend my own learning.

•My responses demonstrate basic understanding of some main ideas, but significant information is missing.

1 (Beginning): I know you don’t understand it•I need lots of help from my teacher (one-on-one). •I have low confidence on how to do the skills and need more instruction.

•I need my handouts and science notebook at all times.•I do not understand the concept/skills.•I cannot correctly identify concepts and/or define vocabulary.

•I cannot make connections among ideas or extend the information.

•My responses lack detail necessary to demonstrate basic understanding.

Most recent assessment score = your current understandingThursday, August 19, 2010

Prepare for this question at the end of each quarter:Based on the scores you’ve earned on each of the learning standards so far,

tell me what you think your overall grade in this class should be. Do you agree with this assessment of your understanding?

Explain, with EVIDENCE.Numeric Grade

Letter Description

<70 F I have not achieved proficiency (3) on all of the core (A-Level) concepts

70 C- I have achieved proficiency (3) on all of the core (A-Level) concepts

75 C In addition to previous levels, I am developing understanding (2) of all of the (B-Level) standards

80 B- In addition to previous levels, I have achieved proficiency (3) in at least half of the B level standards.

85 B In addition to previous levels, I am developing understanding (2) of the remaining half of the B-Level standards.

90 A- In addition to previous levels, I have achieved proficiency (3) in all of the B-Level standards

95 A In addition to previous levels, I have achieved proficiency (3) in many of the C-Level standards.


What? No Homework? •“Homework is practice, it should not affect your grade.”


Feedback Grading≠


Documents

Grading principles