Friday Feedback - January 19, 2018
Grading Practices...Friday Feedback Throwback!
"Grading Smarter, Not Harder"
Communicating one letter grade and how that letter grade is indicative of achievement towards a set of the standards covered, citizenship, and other is a pretty murky picture of a learner. Be thinking of how we can clear this murkiness up as we go down the pathway of becoming a highly reliable school system.
In summary, our mission as professional educators is to grow kids to the maximum - period. If one year's growth is what we are after, at a minimum, then reward yourself as a teacher and reward your student's hard work as learners if they have made significant gains/growth toward a standard or standards =GRADES DO NOT HAVE TO BE THE MATHEMATICAL MEAN/AVERAGE. Use your professional judgement when it comes to grades and student growth over time. **If we are growing kids on our standards over time, the average/mean hides that fact and waters down the magic you have helped create; you and the students deserve more.
Thanks for all you do for our kids and their growth as lifelong learners.
Coming to DCMS February 9!
Effective Instruction, Effective Grading = High Reliability
How we grade and the message we send about "failure" when learning gets tough can instill grit and a love of learning. What message are you sending?
What's Coming Up?
Saturday 1/20 - SEIBA Honor Band @ IA City
Monday 1/22 - PD Day - See Agenda; MS Bball vs. Chariton - 4:15; MS Wrestling @ Ottumwa
Tuesday 1/23 - MS G Bball vs. Centerville @ home - 4:15
Down the road...
Friday 2/2 - No School = Weather make-up day if needed
Thursday 2/8 - Professional Youth Speaker Josh Drean Community Night @ HS
Friday 2/9 - Josh Drean Assemblies; 7th/8th Valentines Dance