Hello all,
Larry Williams and I thought it would be a good idea to create a blog ahead of Thursday's meeting to have our colleagues voice there opinions on grading concerns. It is our hope that this will facilitate a more constructive meeting.
David Lathrop
Physical Education Specialist
Greer/Mariemont
6 comments:
In physical education I would like to see a grade for Effort and Sportsmanship and not Effort and Skill Development. The former assessments are possible in a one day a week physical education program. Skill development grades could go up and down each trimester depending on what is taught and assessed. I believe, on the spot formative assessments by myself or the student would suffice for other covered standards.
I have attached below the current text and the questions that have been raised by other teachers and TECAT's. This was put together by Debbie Smith.
If you have any comments or thoughts on the questions listed or new ones you would like to pose, please comment.
Reporting Student Progress Requirements (Kindergarten – 6th Grade)
II. PROGRESS TOWARDS STANDARDS NOTICES
C. Music, Art, Physical Education
– If students are not meeting grade level standards in Music, Art and/or Physical Education, the specialist teacher is to notify the classroom teacher to include information on the Progress Towards Standards Notice. If the classroom teacher is not issuing a Progress Towards Standards Notice, the specialist will issue one. The specialist teacher is to notify the classroom teacher when a student’s achievement drops from one reporting period to another.
Question:
* We no longer have paper progress notices in triplicate to fill out and issue; what should be the new procedure?
IV. STANDARDS REPORT CARDS
D. Music, Art, and Physical Education – School sites will provide class lists to specialist teachers at the beginning of the school year and prior to the end of each trimester. Specialist teacher are responsible for reporting student progress to classroom teachers.
• Specialist teaches will provide complete sets of standards marks to each classroom teacher prior to the end of the semester.
• Music, art, and physical education specialists will provide the classroom teacher with first, second and third trimester marks that indicate those students earning Outstanding (O) or Needs Improvement (N) for effort. The classroom teacher will mark all other students Satisfactory (S).
• Specialists will provide classroom teachers with second and third trimester marks using 4, 3, 2, and 1 for achievement towards standards.
• Classroom teachers may combine standards and effort marks given by the specialist teacher with those given for music, art and physical education during regular classroom instruction.
Questions:
* Should there be a “G” option for effort?
* Should there be options to attach a “+” or a “-“ to both effort and achievement grade, or just one of them?
* Should classroom teachers be allowed to alter the grade the specialists give, or input allowed if a teacher includes our subject matter in the regular classroom curriculum?
* What it be expected for classroom teachers to notify specialist teachers if a grade was altered, or lowered?
* Would you prefer to input all of your own grades in the Zangle system or if not, would you be interested in some access to the Zangle system? If yes, what kind of access and for what reason?
* Should effort & achievement grades be given to all three trimesters, or the 2nd & 3rd as it has been with effort only for the 1st trimester? What about classes that were switched halfway in the school year----if you saw a new class in the 2nd trimester, but saw them once or twice during this time, what grade(s) should be given (effort only or both achievement & effort)?
* If two specialist teachers at the same school teach the same subject to the same group of students, how should their grade(s) be determined and reported to the classroom teacher?
* Are you invited to be a part of the IEP process with students who have an IEP goal within the scope of your curriculum? If not, are you notified when a student’s IEP goal does fall within your curriculum (i.e. gross motor skills, social skills, etc.)?
* The new guidelines document will reflect K-8 procedures as well. Are any of the following concerns for K-8 staff?
* Inconsistency among K-8 teachers at various sites
* Having to consolidate one grade for both art & music
* Issuing both effort and achievement grades for all trimesters
* Should grading policy match the elementary model or not?
* Other issues
Physical Education grades need to be standards based and aligned with the standards. If PE does not have grades we might as well be rec aides.
Effort is part of standard three and a large part of standard five has to do with sportsmanship. Most of the standards make sense and should drive a program and decisions about appropriate assessment strategies. I feel that a one day a week program should focus on what research says are the standards that most predict future physical activity and health.
From Mary Lynn Tenenbaum
As an elementary art teacher, the area of greatest stress was
academic grades. I could not support my students' grades with a body
of completed work that would stand up to professional scrutiny (let
alone a challenge by a parent). Even if a majority of classes managed
to complete three projects (four in primary grades) in a trimester,
establishing a minimal body of work to assess, how does one account
for classtime reduction due to holidays, fieldtrips or absences. Our
division does not adhere to the same standard as a typical classroom.
There is no opportunity to make up for lost time. It is not a 'fault'
issue, but simple fact.
My contention has always been that, given the lack of a standardized
curriculum in which each child can be equally assessed, there should
be no academic grade given - by anyone. An effort grade is quite
sufficient. The arguments against this have been and continue to be:
1) if we don't give an academic grade our subjects (jobs) will seem
expendable and 2) if we don't give the grade the classroom teacher
will resent us because they will have more to do. I don't know any
classroom teachers who want to be responsible for one more grade. I
know plenty of classroom teachers who feel that an effort grade is
adequate, given the format of the program. Neither teachers nor
parents I have talked to view the lack of an academic grade in art as
negative to our program.
Without a district grade level project-standardized program, the
majority of adults I speak with agree that elementary art should be a
self-esteem safe subject. Again, the lack of a standardized program
is not a 'fault' issue. This district offers specialized instruction
in art, music and P.E. to it's elementary students. Not many
districts in our state can make that boast. While the students'
education is being enriched the classroom teachers get valuable time
to get some prep work done. Sometimes there is even the added perk of
seeing student work showcased in the community. What a great program!
This forum should include input from classroom teachers and
principals. Talk to them.
Mary Lynn Tenenbaum
Art Specialist, retired
I am new to this profession. I have been teaching for 5 years and I have only been a specialist for almost 3 years. I am lucky to work with a very dedicated and passionate group of specialists. It is a group of strong opinions and I like that.
I want, with respect to all, to offer an observation. As I have spoken to others, listened in meetings and read the blog and emails on the topics for tomorrow's meeting, I am seeing a lot of comments that relate to how teachers calculate grades or philosophies on how we should be calculating or awarding grades.
I do sense that this subject is ripe for a committee/group to discuss the different approaches and ideas as well as whether there is the possibility of a consensus on best practices.
That said,
1. I feel the subject currently being addressed is simply the physical recording of grades. Are the current tools to report grades adequate, and when do we report which grades.
2. Should the homeroom teacher be able to change the grade submitted by a specialist, should they provide notification if they plan to, or perhaps should they be providing input to us for consideration in assigning the grade, not the other way around. As the specialist teacher, who do you feel owns the grade? Finally, is this whole scenario an exception that needs no statement or policy at all and simply needs to be managed by each teacher as needed in their situation.
3. Any current language in the guidelines that exists for which no current solution exists, eliminate it. (i.e. progress reporting) Is this an exception? How often does it occur that a specialist is giving a below standard grade and the homeroom teacher isn't?
My opinion is that ‘less is more’! Unless there is an overwhelming agreement that one of the two grades should be eliminated(??survey??)… Then our input should be as simple and generic as possible. Our input should provide for flexibility to meet all specialist teacher needs/opinions on all sides of the current 2 grade procedure, as well as any decisions/changes that might be made in future discussions by our group on best practices for grading. Some people want one or the other and some want both. The grades you award are explained through your rubric. Why I give a ‘3’, a ‘S’ or both does not have to be based on the same criteria as another teacher. My rubric should explain to students, teachers and parents what they mean. A specific type of grade is misleading or negative only if perceived that way or due to a failure to provide meaning or explanation.
We should try to avoid asking for something or documenting something that is an exception? If that exception can be worked out on a case by case basis, why pursue a solution that is documented or developed which now creates a task that must be completed, by all of us, for every student.
Larry Williams
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