Saturday, March 28, 2015

Chapter 3 - The Need for a New Scale

This next chapter in Formative Assessment and Standards-Based Grading urges teachers to look at the current 100 point scale in teaching and moving toward more of a rubric and small score based scale. In the Standards-Based Grading (SBG) setting this is our intention. With the use of rubrics we can better assess our students. The funny thing is that we will still "score" our students - especially in our classes/districts with grading programs that only allow for a points-based system. The points-based issue doesn't need to be a bad thing...we can overcome it. This is done through assigning students a numerical score, but ultimately we could have the scores transfer to language like this:

5.0 - Exceeds expectations - mastery shown with extra practice
4.0 - Meets expectations - the student is demonstrating mastery, this leaves room for extra practice
3.0 - Approaching expectations - the student is able to demonstrate mastery, but on an inconsistent basis.
2.0/1.0 - remediation is required.
NA - this label is for standards that haven't been assessed yet

Now this is a scale that I just put together on the spot. While going on this SBG journey, I intend to look at peer reviewed journals, rubrics that other music educators have used, and resources from other educators.

I'm sure that many of us making this transition to SBG can see the assessment format to be overwhelming, but with the help of national and state music standards, I will be able to smoothly move away from points-based systems. I will be able to identify learning goals (targets) and create rubrics to assess them. The 6th grade science teacher at my school and I have talked about this. I asked - how did you create Learning Targets (LT)? She said that she merely took the science standard and broke it down into smaller sections. This is important for our students to not become overwhelmed.

Marzano brings up a great idea - how can we better communicate these rubrics with our students? He suggests giving the students an brief explanation of the rubric expectations and help them word it in a way that is understandable. I can say that this can be challenging and we may feel that we're supposed to be the people that use academic jargon throughout our practice. Well... let's be honest... Kids may not care about the use of "big words" and such, so why not have them help decipher how they can demonstrate their learning? We can help students take hold of their learning...which is so powerful!

My goal for this chapter is again - identify my standards, identify my LT, and create rubrics and lesson plans accordingly.

Happy Saturday Everyone!

- TGZ

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