Through a couple of the other courses we're taking this semester, we've touched on the subject of grading and student assessment. It seems like a rather big deal. And I'm thankful that we're getting a chance to study it more deeply because it seems that student assessment needs a bit more thoughtfulness than printing off the exam given at the end of the chapter in the teacher edition of the book exhibits. Thus, I've been thinking a lot of late about some of the key concepts presented in the chapter--that there are better ways to serve students than the current practices, that grading needs to accurately and reliably communicate clearly about students' achievement of learning goals.
One thing I believe about grading that this introductory chapter didn't include is that I think there is a better way to grade that doesn't just assess the students' current achievement but also is the catalyst for more learning. I believe that there must be a method of assessing students that is more of a pivotal point in a conversation about their learning path, something they respond to and encourages their continuing growth, than it is a number at the end of the journey. At least, that's a dream of mine. I'm not all that familiar with what's out there.
That last paragraph is a great beginning to a life-long philosophy of grading: assessing current achievement AND catalyzing future learning!
ReplyDeleteHopefully, as we progress through Brookhart, you'll find the tools you need to do what you dream of doing.