1. Stonewall Middle School IB grading

2. "If you wanted to make just one change that would immediately reduce student failure rates [and improve teaching and learning], then the most effective place to start would be challenging prevailing grading practices.“ - Douglas B. Reeves

3. How do you get ready for the Big Fight?
Sparring
Running
Punching Bags
Sit-ups
Push-ups
Weight-lifting
Footwork
Studying your opponent
Let’s begin by identifying who is this man. Does anyone know?
Muhammad Ali: bigger boxer of all times.
If you are Muhammad Ali’s coach, how do you help him get ready for the Big Fight?
Audience intervention
Display some “formative” activities that would help M.A. win the fight
Clarify that training would be formative (informal or formal) and the Big Fight is the summative assessment (formal)
Same thing applies to students…

4. Should we average times?
London 2012 Olympics
World Records
Gold Medals
Should we average times?
Do we count qualifying races against finals times?
Should we average ALL competition times to come up with a “swimmer score”?
Do we assess/record their times during training and practice?
If a runner stumbles during a race do we take away medals/records?

5. Why do this to our students?%

6. So how do we change this system?
Before:
Add EVERYTHING up and divide by the total number of grades
We find the Average
NOW:
Grades are placed into 2 categories:
Formative Assignments (Process)
Summative Assignments (Product)

7. Before: Grade-book

8. NOW: Grade-book
Formative - Process
Summative – Product

9. NOW: Grade-book
20%
80%
Formative - Process
Summative – Product

10. Formative Assignments - Process
These are PRACTICE assignments
Class-work, Homework, Exit Slips, Bell Work, Class activities, Processing assignments, Labs, Vocabulary Worksheets, Quizzes . . .
Teachers will give FEEDBACK to students so that they can improve the skills being assessed at the end of the unit
Should NOT weigh as heavy as the end of the unit assessment
Counts for 20% of the unit grade

11. Formative Assignments

12. Summative Assessment - Product
This is the END OF THE UNIT ASSESSMENT
Test, Essay, Short response, Project, Analysis . . .
Teachers will build the skills necessary for success throughout the unit with the formative assignments.
This is where students show where they are with the skills
Counts for 80% of unit grade

13. Summative Assessment

14. Summative Assessment – Product
ALL summative assessment can be re- taken or made-up
Must be re-taken within ONE WEEK after getting back the assessment
Will be graded on a rubric – given at the beginning of the unit
Rubric will be based on the IB criterion for that subject area

15. IB Criterion for Individuals and Societies (Social Studies)
A. Knowing and understanding
In order to reach the aims of individuals and societies, students should be able to:
i. use terminology in context
ii. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of subject-specific content and concepts through
descriptions, explanations and examples.
B. Investigating
i. formulate a clear and focused research question and justify its relevance
ii. formulate and follow an action plan to investigate a research question
iii. use research methods to collect and record relevant information
iv. evaluate the process and results of the investigation.
C. Communicating
i. communicate information and ideas using an appropriate style for the audience and purpose
ii. structure information and ideas in a way that is appropriate to the specified format
iii. document sources of information using a recognized convention.
D. Thinking critically
i. discuss concepts, issues, models, visual representation and theories
ii. synthesize information to make valid arguments
iii. analyse and evaluate a range of sources/data in terms of origin and purpose, examining values and limitations
iv. interpret different perspectives and their implications.

16. IB Rubric - 8-7 6-5 4-3 2-1 Criteria A: Knowing and Understanding
8-7
6-5
4-3
2-1
Criteria A: Knowing and Understanding
The student uses a wide range of Progressive Era terminology accurately and appropriately, and demonstrates detailed knowledge and understanding of actions leading to reforms thorough descriptions, explanations, and examples.
The student uses relevant Progressive Era terminology accurately and demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of actions leading to reforms through descriptions, explanations, and examples.
The student uses some Progressive terminology appropriately and demonstrates knowledge and understanding of actions leading to reforms using simple examples.
The student makes a limited attempt to use some Progressive Era terminology and demonstrates basic knowledge of actions leading to reforms using some examples.
The student does not reach a standard by any of the descriptors.
Criteria D:
Critical Thinking
The student makes detailed connections between information presented in class and researched to make a valid and well-supported argument about how an individual or group can effectively lead to reform.
The student makes connections between information presented in class and researched to make a valid argument about how an individual or group can effectively lead to reform.
The student makes simple connections between information presented in class and researched to make a simple argument about how an individual or group can effectively lead to reform.
The student makes a limited connection between information presented in class and researched to make a limited and simple argument about how an individual or group can effectively lead to reform.

17. Summative Assessment
Only the Summative Assessment will be graded using the IB rubric
PWC grade of A-F
IB grade of 1-8

18. What does the future hold?
Next year ALL core classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts) will adopt this grading system in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
– all classes at Stonewall Middle will adopt this grading system.