FIAE- Chapter 7

This chapter was interesting in comparison to chapter eight just read in UbD/DI. This chapter was also about grading. Many times within a classroom a teacher resorts to the grading system used for so long- A, B, C and D. This chapter allowed me to see that although grading has become somewhat redundant and even annoying to the students and even to the teacher at times, it is important to have a grading system. Having a means by which to assess the students on their work and knowledge helps the teacher become better equip to teach and the students more apt to want to learn. My struggle stems from how to judge what constitutes the actual grades from A to F. Teachers must learn not just how to grade but what grading really means and what it does for the students and for the entirety of the course. If teachers can adapt their teaching and classroom for each student, the grading should be adapted to not just reach all students but to find a common ground. But finding this common ground is when problems arise such as, how can two people view one piece of material or knowledge the same way? One teacher may grade a project as an A and another teacher may see it as a C. The answer is that they probably won’t see it the same way but they need to work together to create an “understanding” of what is expected and what is appropriate.

An important thing that I noticed when reading this chapter was that you need help your students understand that they do not just “get” a grade then earn it. Hard work, understanding of the material and all the extra effort in between is what can achieve that high grade. However the students need to know that although teachers set them up for success, it is in their own hands whether or not they can reach that level of expectation they hold and the teacher holds for them. Being able to not just assign a grade to a piece of work allows the students to yet again grasp the true idea behind teaching in this light, understanding. This chapter emphasizes for me the idea that feedback to my students is crucial in order for them to understand the grade that was given to their work. Without understanding what and why they do the material at hand they may not want to learn and may even “check out” of the class all together.