Assessment Issues for Teachers

Teachers should think about how to assess students. Don't just "invent" a system without considering some essential issues about assessment.

Assess yourself on how you grade students. 

1. What is the basis for your method of grading? 

A. statistical
B. course in grading
C. knowledge of rubric design
D. suggested by others
E. what your teachers did 

Consider: The influence of your peers and past experience as students have a great influence grading methods teachers use. Statistical justification or knowledge of assessing techniques are rarely involved.

2. Do you “adjust” grades for any of the following?

A. tardiness
B. behavior
C. return or failure to return signed papers
D. responsibility issues

Consider: Grade “adjustments” for a variety of non-academic reasons are common. If grades are contaminated with non-academic modifications, students and parents receive inaccurate feedback. Where do we draw the line in deciding how we may tamper with grades? 

3. Do you have a test/quiz make up policy?

Consider: Second chances are common in life (drivers’ licenses, college entrance exams, and attempts to become as a teacher are good examples). Re-teaching and retesting are proper tools in the instructional process. 

4. Do you give extra credit to allow students to improve a period grade?

Consider: Extra credit all too often involves tasks that are poorly connected to instructional objectives. If a teacher believes in extra credit, then retaking tests and quizzes on failed non-mastered objectives is a good tool. Extra credit as it is traditionally used is but one more way of grade-tampering? 

5. If you grade homework do you

A. take it up, correct it, and return it
B. check it off without taking it up C. count it as more than 10% of the grade 

Consider: Homework is but one teaching tool, but only when teachers take the time to assign it appropriately and validate it. Homework merely checked off for credit does not qualify as an assessment to be included as part of a grade. The value of homework as an instructional tool varies widely. Care must be taken to be certain that it reinforces learning objectives. Also, homework is generally a formative assessment. 

6. In your opinion how much homework should students in middle school have each night (total for all classes)?

Consider: Many teachers do not consider that students have homework in other classes. The amount of homework should increase with increasing grade level, but more than 1 to 1 ½ hours per night (middle school) may place too great a demand on students and parents. Also, is weekend/holiday homework really needed? 

7. Do use grading rubrics for projects?

Consider: Rubrics are an important way of assessing tasks that have multiple parts (e.g., science projects). The derived scores tend to agree better with standardized tests scores that simply assigning points. However, training is important for the development of proper rubrics. 

8. Do you give different grade categories (tests, quizzes, etc) different weights?

Consider: Weights should not be determined strictly for teacher convenience (E.g., all categories have the same weight). Is homework reasonably weighted so that it places the student in jeopardy. 

9. If a grade of 70 is required to pass for a grading period, can you justify passing a student with a 68?

Consider: A grade is a sampling statistic. There is a "margin of error." An average score should not be viewed as an absolute. A 69 is not a line in the sand. Negative grades do not usually motivate poorly performing students to try harder.  Grading is inherently subjective. There is no single method of grading that has universal acceptance. Also, teacher judgment is involved in writing or selecting the assessment, deciding how to grade the test, how much the grade will count, etc.