Grading Question....

[Momof3Maidens]

Do you grade just tests only or do you grade homework/worksheets as well? I think homework should count for a small percentage but just not sure how much especially for subjects like Algebra I, English I, and Geography. Any suggestions on what you're including? Thank everyone!

[Mad Jenny Flint]

I think I am a softie when it comes to homework grading. I just check it complete, as homework is done for mastery (so it is done until it's right). And, I count homework as a pretty big chunk of the grade. Anywhere from 30-50%, depending on the subject. I grade tests, papers, quizzes, projects on a point scale, but honestly, papers and projects are also done on a mastery level and the grades tend to be high on those. Quizzes and tests are usually where my kids don't get high A's all the time, although sometimes they do.

Honestly, the more I get into grading the more I realize how very arbitrary it really is. And, that is true for all teachers.

[Pamela H in Texas]

tests only here.

daily work is done to mastery; transcript grades are tests.

[Heather in AL]

We're new to high school, so I'm still finding my feet, so to speak.

What I did was to look at the local high school and search each teacher's webpage to see what their grading scale was (if your local high school doesn't have a webpage with teachers' classes, look at nearby schools). I found that teachers, for the most part, tend to have similar requirements within each subject.

What I found was that, for the most part, 'homework' ran about 10% of the total and daily work ran another 10%-15, etc. I figure that we don't do 'homework', so any work that was done for mastery counts 20%, dependingon the class---I don't grade homework problems for math--- my kids check as they go, but the work is there, and if they get something wrong, they kepe at it until they get it right---most schools I looked at don't check the work, so the kids have no idea if they got anything right--- they get their % for just turning in papers with pencil marks on them. :confused:

Some subjects are more 'mastery' based (like math), while some are more 'written' based (essays/lit). For the essay type class, I'll have less of a 'participation' type grade, but have the papers weigh more. Grammar components are 'right or wrong', so that's easier to grade than essays/research papers. English, to me, is the hardest sujbect to report a grade for.

Science is different, too, because you have a lab component. I saw that lab papers/writeups often counted 10-15% at my local high school (again, for just turning something in with writing on it, and a certain style was followed), while homework was 10%, pop quizzes were 15%, texts/exams ran higher, of course.

What REALLY surprised me was the number of more advanced classes (chem, precal, etc) whose students actually received 5-10% of their final grade based on how they **organized their binders**. It's astonishing! I refuse to add something like that to my child's grade.

However I decide to report a grade, I have written a clear scale for each class.... I will keep this along with the final grade/transcript, so anyone who wants to see how the grade was earned is welcome to see it. My kids will be graded/are graded on work attempted with honest work, and work correctly done. None of this 'binder organization' stuff in high school will be on my kids' transcripts!

[Momof3Maidens]

Thank you Ladies for sharing your format.

I guess everyone has their own idea of what a grade average should include. I will definitely include any labs completed in Biology this year and any essays written in English. Algebra I daily work here is also done to mastery so that could be included as a small percentage I suppose along with her tests. I guess I was wondering about what others included because my daughter doesn't always test well so adding her other work that she's done would benefit her some in raising her grade.

My daughter has started high school this year and there has been so much more thought process to the whole grading thing.

Thanks again!

[rwalizer]

I only give grades for tests, science labs, and english compositions. At the suggestions of the wise people on this board, I give a pass/fail "grade" for health and p.e.

[AnitaMcC]

Do you grade just tests only or do you grade homework/worksheets as well? I think homework should count for a small percentage but just not sure how much especially for subjects like Algebra I, English I, and Geography. Any suggestions on what you're including? Thank everyone!

I grade tests, quizzes, weekly papers, projects, etc.

The daily homework I just "grade" based on if it was completed or not. I glance over occasionally to make sure they are doing the homework correctly.

For language arts.... I include composition, vocabulary, grammar, critical thinking. I give 5 pts for each daily assignment if it is done fully and on time. They have a total possible of 1320 points. The homework points are 840. So for LA homework is the larger percentage.

For algebra 2...they have a total possible of 1090 points. I do not grade or include daily homework in the grade. It is up to them to do the practice homework and check their own answers. They are only graded on quizzes, chapter reviews, cumulative reviews, and exams. For them to go on to the next chapter, etc., they have to earn a 90% or better. If they don't do well then they have to redo the sections and then I will assign practice problems.... then they do another quiz, and they have to do 90% or better to go on. I average the two quiz grades for their grade on that quiz.

For their World History... Unit 1 has 5 chapters for time period of Pre-History to 500 C.E, Unit 2 has 7 chapters and covers from 500 C.E. to 1500. Unit 3 has 5 chapters and covers 1500-1800, Unit 4 has 7 chapters and covers 1800-1945, and Unit 5 has 5 chapters and covers since 1945- present.

They read a chapter a week, five short essay questions (15 pts), one critical thinking essay question (2 pages typed, MLA format) (25pts), and a quiz on line (25pts). For a total possible of 65 points a chapter.

They also have extra readings (minimum of 3 books each unit- 1 fiction, 1 nonfiction, 1 biography/autobiography) and do a research paper for each unit for 200 points a unit. This is for their world literature/Great Books credit.

Hope this helps you...

[EKS]

I think I am a softie when it comes to homework grading. I just check it complete, as homework is done for mastery (so it is done until it's right). And, I count homework as a pretty big chunk of the grade. Anywhere from 30-50%, depending on the subject. I grade tests, papers, quizzes, projects on a point scale, but honestly, papers and projects are also done on a mastery level and the grades tend to be high on those. Quizzes and tests are usually where my kids don't get high A's all the time, although sometimes they do.

Honestly, the more I get into grading the more I realize how very arbitrary it really is. And, that is true for all teachers.

This is how I weight homework/participation/actually *reading* the book etc. And it's not out of line as the local high school does the same thing.

[Julie in MN]

Thank you Ladies for sharing your format.

I guess everyone has their own idea of what a grade average should include. I will definitely include any labs completed in Biology this year and any essays written in English. Algebra I daily work here is also done to mastery so that could be included as a small percentage I suppose along with her tests. I guess I was wondering about what others included because my daughter doesn't always test well so adding her other work that she's done would benefit her some in raising her grade.

My daughter has started high school this year and there has been so much more thought process to the whole grading thing.

Thanks again!

I haven't done a lot of grading, but last year when we had another 7th grader do science with my 7th grader, she asked about it & I had to think it thru.

I feel that if the tests are an accurate representation of the body of knowledge learned, then the easiest thing for me to do is just add up the test grades & give a grade. Whatever they got wrong along the way was only improved upon until the test showed what they had learned in the end. If it's good, I save myself major work.

If I feel the tests are not enough of the picture, then I go to the extra work of balancing in assignments, quizzes, and such.

My older kids in public school got credit for coloring maps, for group projects where everyone got the same grade even if one didn't do anything, and for attendance. Science lab just required attendance. They got grades lowered for being late to class. But they allowed "extra credit" for almost everything (except being late to class in my son's case, when he used to drive a friend to school who had a hard time waking up).

It will all balance out.
Julie

[Janice H]

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56534&referrerid=2481 (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56534&referrerid=2481)

For math grading, I also recommend Dana Mosely's article at his Chalkdust.com website here http://www.chalkdust.com/testmeasure.html