Critical Reflection
Practicing filling out a gradebook is another thing that has me excited to teach. I love organizing things, no matter what they are. The more projects we do in this class, the more I look forward to doing all of these things in my future classroom. As for my specific observations about this project, I definitely think it was beneficial to try it on paper-pencil. I have always preferred old-school methods in the past, but this year I have really tried to utilize the resources available online. What I’ve found is that it is actually easier for me to organize things online. With that said, after having completed this project on paper, I am inclined to explore some online options.
As I was completing this, I tried to incorporate several smaller formative assignments so that students will actually engage with the text we are reading in class. This also gives them the opportunity to earn some points, especially for my students who are not the best test-takers. Test anxiety is something that many students struggle with but that teachers often fail to acknowledge. When calculating students’ overall grades, there was definitely a difference in grades for students who completed their reading notes compared to those who did not. The one thing I wanted to do for this assignment was to break down how I planned on grading each of these assignments—in other words, creating a rubric. Of course, I recognize that will come with a later assignment.
Another question I had while creating this gradebook was what to do when students are absent and we have graded discussions in class. I don’t necessarily want to give free points to students, but I certainly don’t want to take points away for something out of their control. This is one way that an online program may come in handy. I can mark certain assignments as excused so that they do not affect the student’s overall grade. I wasn’t sure how to do this by hand. It could be that the overall points possible goes down for that specific student, but I still do not have an answer for this.
At the high school I attended, teachers reported their grades and attendance in two separate locations. After completing this assignment, I have concluded that I would much prefer to have everything in one place. I also like the idea of having things color-coded, and this can get messy on paper. This is another reason I may try an online program. There is, of course, Excel. Thinkwave looks like an interesting program potentially worth exploring. Overall, though, having had practice using Canvas from the instructor’s side of things, this has become one of my favorite programs. I adapt pretty easily, so whatever program my school works with, I feel confident that I can pick it up and use it effectively.
Grading relates to every one of the six concepts that are required for effective teaching. For this assignment, I will focus on ones that I have not mentioned prior. The role of the teacher and content/pedagogical knowledge relate to what another when it comes to grading because it is the teacher’s role to have an understanding of the content in which she is teaching. Teachers cannot assign grades without first understanding what they are grading and why. With that, teachers need to be familiar with the standards so they know what to assess. Teachers also need to know how to formulate effective assessments so that grading accurately depicts student learning. Every assignment needs to add value to student learning.
Learning about reliability and validity in EDUC 317 has also helped immensely with this project. Having an understanding as to the kinds of assessments I need to create has helped me in the grading process. It would not be right to give grades for assessments that do not meet the standards, do not score consistently, or that do not measure what they say they are going to measure. There is a lot to think about when it comes to grading and creating assignments. Part of me worries that I will miss something or make significant mistakes as a new teacher. I am sure that I will make mistakes, but I know that I will learn and grow. Overall, I am excited to implement what I have learned in my future classroom.