Over the last year there has been in gnawing in the back of my brain; this persistent itch. This itch is me rolling around in my head the question, “What is a “B”?” grade mean on one of my many questions?
This question has been forming for years. My teaching focus is on my kids analyzing, understanding, and connecting information. I give a lot formative and summative checks on this focus. Grading doubts form when it comes to grading answers to my questions. “A” answers are easier to identify; the student understands. Now I do give myself a way to identify those exceptional answers that show both understanding and connection; those answers clearly earn an “A+” or “A++” with a lion drawn on the paper. *Post a comment if you don’t know about what a lion answer is in my class and I will attach that chapter from my book that will probably never see the light of day.
My problem? Can an answer or a project earn a holistic “B” grade? Can someone “almost” understand? Can someone almost follow instructions. I think a “B” answer became for me a well written incorrect response. Does incorrect understanding deserve a grade that could put a kid on the honor roll? I am sure math teachers struggle with this same kind of thing when considering partial credit.
In the second semester my grading has changed to the following:
- A+: Lion’s work; work shows complete understanding and connection to outside variables.
- A: Excellent response; clear understanding. No violation of Fassold Rule #19 – Saying a thing does not make a thing. Answer completely supported.
- A-: Response answered question accurately. Supported, but may have missed another obvious support that would have strengthened response.
- C+: Well written and supported response that was incorrect.
- C: Faithful incorrect response
- C-: Work done for completion; little connection to question
- F: Incomplete
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