Michael Figueroa
T O P I C :
Grading System:
Doomed or Viable?
Michael Poses the Question. . . .
October 19, 2007
First, the backstory. Since just about the beginning of my rotation at the high school, my mentor has implemented a grading system where homework has a greatly reduced effect on a student's grade. Besides being able to wait to turn in homework until the day of the chapter test, homework assignments have been worth 10 points at most. The majority of the grade rests with the tests, quizzes, a 100 pt. study guide, and a 50 pt. review. Participation points are also a major part of the grade.
The thing that is really outside the box about this whole system though is that she will give students full credit for a normal homework assignment even if the only thing on the paper is the name of the assignment itself. She does this as a way of showing parents how much work their kids are doing and why they are passing or failing. It's also helpful for those who think they already know what they are doing on certain topics and don't feel they need the practice. Some students have taken advantage of this system though. Some have actually turned in more than 5 assignments stapled together with nothing more than the title of the assignment on the pages. Some even went as far as to try to turn in one paper with all the assignments listed on it. My teacher has seen this and has been taking steps to prevent this sort of behavior, such as only allowing students to turn in blank sheets if they got at least a B on the last test.
My question is: Do you think this is a viable system for grading or was it doomed from the start? Also, whether doomed or viable, could you see any safeguards that would be useful to implement from the start to discourage the large piles of blank sheets?
Planet Gnosis is directed by Dr. Freddie A. Bowles,
Assistant Professor of Foreign Language Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Planet Gnosis is dedicated to the exploration of education and teaching. It is a cybersite of CornDancer.com, a developmental website for the Mind and Spirit. Submissions are invited. |
|