KERRI MAROWSKE STUDENT TEACHER, MAR-LEE SCHOOL Should Every Student be able to Earn an ‘A’? A Philosophical Look at Assessment in a Middle School Classroom

Background Mar-Lee School 6 th, 7 th and 8 th grade Social Studies  8 th grade introductory French Class sizes: 13, 19, 20 and 29 students lee.org/Why_Mar_Lee.html

What Are Grades? “This critique of grades is predicated on a central notion, one left implicit in the creation of any report card-that a tiny inked marking, be it a letter or number, can well and accurately represent such matters as learning, knowing, and academic performance” -Charles Tocci, “An Immanent Machine: Reconsidering grades, historical and present,” (pgs ) A B C D E F

Criterion-Referenced Norm-Referenced Student performance is based on how they met certain criteria. Student performance is based on the scores and performances and others. “Curve” grading Types of Grading

Content Area Other Life Skills Math Science Social Studies English/Reading Other classes  Language  Physical Education Timeliness Courtesy Responsibility Respect Following Directions What Should be Taught?

What Should be Graded? Academic knowledge vs. “Other” “Harvard voted to…award grades only for scholarship, arguing that gentlemanly behavior should be accorded a different evaluation beyond straight calculation.” (Tocci, 764). Majority of students felt that the “other” should be included in a grade.

Student Survey

Student Responses Do you think that effort (trying hard, doing your homework, coming to class on time) should count in your grade? Why or Why not? -“Yes because if you don’t do those things than why is there even a point of coming to school. You should do all of the things above.” -“Yes because I always do that.” -“No [because] if they [get] the [answer] right it should be an A.”

Where Does the Responsibility Lie? “95% Student, 5% Teacher” – Teacher at Mar- Lee School Student Response: 31-Less student Responsibility 44-More Student Responsibility Teacher Students

Student Responses If you turn in homework late should you still be allowed to get an A on it? - “No because it’s not fair to the other people who turn it in.” - “Yes” - “No [because] [everybody] would turn it in late.” - “For 1 day late.”

How to Grade Fairly? OPTION: -Rubrics

Should There Be Grades? “Grades waste a lot of time spent on learning. Add up all the hours that teachers spend fussing with their grade books. Then factor in all the (mostly unpleasant) conversations they have with students and their parents about grades.” -Alfie Kohn, “From Degrading to De-Grading.” High School Magazine. March Web.

Conclusion Grades are meaningful. Not necessarily representative of all that they are supposed to be. Do not always reflect true knowledge and learning ability, but may reflect other aspects of that classroom environment and expectations. Don’t want to disadvantage students Honesty is the best policy

Works Cited Andrade, Heidi Goodrich. “Teaching with Rubrics: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” College Teaching (2005): Web. Clor, Amy. Personal Interview. 1 October Clor, Trevor. Personal Interview. 1 October Fazekas, Heather. Personal Interview. 3 November Finley, Rockne. Personal Interview. October Hassel, Holly and Jessica Lourey. “The Dea(r)th of Student Responsibility.” College Teaching (2005): 2-13, Web. Hendrickson, Jo M., Robert A. Gable and M. Lee Manning. “Can Everyone Make the Grade? Some Thoughts on Student Grading and Contemporary Classrooms.” The High School Journal (1999): Web. Henke, Chris. Personal Interview. September 2011-Present. Kohn, Alfie. “From Degrading to De-Grading.” High School Magazine. March Web. Levy, Clifford J. “My Family’s Experiment in Extreme Schooling.” The New York Times Magazine. 15 September Web. Manos, Chris. Personal Interview. September Ornstein, Allan C. “The Nature of Grading.” The Clearing House (1989): Tocci, Charles. “An Immanent Machine: Reconsidering grades, historical and present.” Educational Philosophy and Theory.

Thank You… Mr. Chris Henke, Mar-Lee School The faculty, staff, and students of Mar-Lee School Dr. Suellyn Henke, Dr. Mike Roessler, Dr. Kyle Shanton, Ms. Mary Weicht, Ms. Karen Hoaglin and Ms. Carol Gnich of the Albion College Fritz Shurmur Center for Teacher Development. Gary, Kathy and Troy Marowske (Jasmine & Skyler too)

ANY QUESTIONS? Merci Beaucoup!