Chapter 9: Ten Approaches to Avoid When Differentiating Assessment and Grading

Chapter 9 was a list of ten grading ideas we should avoid in our classrooms when grading. I agreed with many of these but disagreed with others. As I stated in the chapter 8 response, I think the important life skills of participation and behavior are important enough to merit grades in the classroom, as long as it is made clear to students. I agreed with most of the tenets though. I strongly agreed with the segment against grading multiple attempts at mastery. I think revising and rethinking work is very important in the classroom and in life. Students need to learn that it’s not only acceptable to make mistakes, but it is acceptable (and desirable) to try to correct them and deepen understanding of a topic. Grading students in ways that doesn’t reflect their mastery is also a bad idea. If you’ve only given verbal practice, asking them to draw a picture of what they learned just doesn’t make sense. My classroom will ensure that all students have a fair chance during assessment. I also agreed with the statement that we should avoid recording zeroes for incomplete work.