This page is one of the several documents that come in the binders that I distribute to students (post on that soon once I get photos of assembling them this week). It is a quick reference sheet about some of the aspects of the grading policy for my class.
I’ve had a lot of requests lately to explain my grading system, so I thought I would outline it in as much detail as possible here. I learned this summer that what I do is apparently called “conjunctive scoring”. That is, students cannot compensate for a low score in one area (say, their understanding of forces)… Read More Conjunctive Standards-Based Grading
After reading Alfie Kohn’s The Homework Myth, I told my classes that I wanted to try an experiment. No homework from the start of the 2nd semester through the first test. I had a feeling that the homework wasn’t really doing much for my students, and I wanted to see how/if things would change when… Read More The No Homework Experiment
My SBG I should start by giving a summary of the way grading worked in my classes this past year. (If you already know about the grading in my class, just skip this paragraph.) My implementation of Standards Based Grading (SBG) involved two classes of standards: A objectives and B objectives (here’s my Honors Physics… Read More Those Darn Quarter Grades
UPDATE: For an updated version, check out my 2012 lineup of Honors Physics objectives. This list is out-dated. To see my current list of objectives used for standards-based grading, please visit the newer post.
It’s time for the mindset talk in my physics classes. I’ve been trying to prime them for a while now. Honors Physics read part of Carol Dweck’s book as part of their summer homework and two chapters of The Talent Code during the year. The “regular” physics class has been talking about myelin and how… Read More Failure is not optional
In response to a comment asking for a list of the objectives that I’ve been using in my classes, here there are. These are the objectives through the end of the third quarter in both of my classes. The lists are very similar. The main differences are: some of the A objectives in Honors Physics… Read More Physics Objectives So Far
Here are the responses to one of the questions on my course evaluation. This is the first semester I’ve ever used standards-based grading, and it is a huge paradigm shift for these kids. Almost everyone likes the system (or says that they do). Some posed good critique and questions about it. Some had misunderstandings about… Read More First Semester Course Evaluations
I teach physics and grade with a standards-based grading system. We’ve been formatively assessing (and reassessing) all semester. In my view, the purpose of a summative assessment like the semester exam is to show (a) sustained mastery of the skills taught in the class and (b) synthesis and depth of understanding (that is, knowing both… Read More SBG & Semester Exams
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