Grading

Day One is done, well, just meetings, but still...and I went to the gym! I would call today a win.

Today I need your help. After going to the Effective Grading Practices Conference and the PLC Conference, I changed my grading practices last year to not count homework. This year, I wanted to create an informational sheet to give to students and parents, and I need some feedback!

I literally JUST wrote this, so it's probably full of errors, but can you let me know if you think it is clear and easy to read? I'm kind of wordy sometimes...


**I will be uploading this FOR FREE in my TpT store after it's finished, so I ask that you please don't take this since you'll be able to grab your own editable version very soon.**

Thanks everyone, and Happy Monday!!! :)

Grading

Category	Weight in  eSchool	Description
Assessment	100%	Quizzes, Tests, Papers, Shared Inquiry Discussions, Projects.
Notes	0%	Assignments done in Interactive Student Notebooks, WWTW Activities, Writer’s Workshop Activities

You may be graded differently in Language Arts this year than you are used to in the past. As you can see above, you will be graded (academically) solely on assessments. Assessments may sound intimidating, but they include more than just tests, as you can see above. In addition, you are more than welcome to, and I encourage you, create your own assessment to show me your mastery of a skill. 

For example: You could write a proposal for a project that would show me your mastery of verbs instead of taking a quiz or test. This could include you finding a real world example or two, and highlighting and labeling the verbs found in that passage to show me you can identify them correctly. You can do this as long as you get prior approval, and your proposal would show me that you know the material. 

All assignments done in the notes category will not factor into your academic grade. The reason behind this is that work done in the Interactive Student Notebook, on WWTW activities, and Writer’s Workshop Activities, should reflect your learning process, and your practice done in class and outside of class. While these assignments are valuable for your own growth, and will show your progress in learning the material, they will not count for you or against you in your academic grade. However, these assignments, and your dedication to completing them completely, thoughtfully, and on time, will factor into your quarterly effort grade on your report card. 

Late work will be accepted, but you will be required to fill out a No Assignment Form for any assignment you turn in late. These forms will be retained for use when determining effort grades and in student and parent conferences. Please do not abuse this privilege. Not completing homework will impact your ability to do well on assessments in class, because you will not have a thorough understanding of the material. 

Your ISN will be graded as follows: For every ten assignments completed in class, you will choose one (and label it with a sticky note) and I will choose one to grade to show growth. This does not mean they can be completed late, as we will use them daily in class for review, discussions, and activities. 

Please feel comfortable to talk to me at any time about questions you may have regarding grading. I know this is new to you, and I am here to help you understand the process. 

Mrs. White