Chapter 11

This chapter covers six different gradings questions, and what teachers should do in each case.
The first big question is whether a 0 or a 60 should be recorded in the grade book. The book states that a 60 should be recorded and primarily uses the 60 point failing range to justify that 60. Moreover, a 60, (or a 50) is still failing. They are receiving failing grades for not handing in work More importantly, the effect the 0 has on students is rather profound. If they know they've received a few 0's for the course, they've lost all hope. They know that no matter how hard they try, they are still going to get a miserable grade. So why try? Getting a 60 or a 50 on the other hand, with the potential to make up work, offers hope to even the most hard-bitten and cynical student.
The next question is how to grade advanced students? Despite the apparent difficulty of the question the answer can be simplified quite succinctly. Change the grading criteria to match the students performance. The text is aware that this will be time consuming, but in cases of advanced or honors classes, it is absolutely essential.
Concerning weighted grades the text seems to jump the question a bit, a few of us noticed this. The chapter and author's conclusion is that grades aren't really helpful and can often be irrelevant anyway. Given this, weighted grades is a dead issue since grades themselves should be killed off. Its a nice logical argument, but it doesn't help people who are stuck with a system. It is rather difficult to weigh grades accordingly, lots of schools had trouble with it, so the philosophy around here seems to be to avoid it at all cost. Besides if one does everything one should be doing concerning teaching and grading, it is unlikely that one would need or want weighted grades anyway.
We all seem to have some difficulty understanding exactly what Automatically vs. concept attainment means. We all understand however that there are different perspectives concerning understanding and that these perspectives must be taken into account. To use an analogy from Beth's class, if a duck is trying to learn how to climb, we have to understand that its not what comes natural to it.
Grading late work. Here is a subject particularly near and dear to my own heart since I am guilty of delivering late (usually only slightly) work more times than I care to count. The bottom line is that it isn't appropriate to simply give the student and F and call it good when he or she turns in late work. That destroys the learning process and school is all about learning not grades. Concerning chronically late students, the text suggests there is a reason for the chronic lateness. It also suggests that the teacher should find out what it is, and take steps to alleviate or mitigate the issue.
Lastly we come to grading the special needs students which can be a little tricky. The text seems to suggest that two methods be used, one which details what the student is capable of, and the other how much progress the student has made in various avenues. This is going to involve a description rather than a number or letter. The description serves the student far better than the numbers because they know exactly what it indicates. Sure its time consuming, but in the end, undoubtedly worth it.