Homework. Grades. What's the Point?

HOMEWORK. GRADES. WHAT’S THE POINT???

REFLECTIONS ON MY GRADING POLICIES

If a doctor were to perform surgery today without using anesthesia solely on the basis of tradition, the doctor would be guilty of medical malpractice and would certainly lose his/her license. Doing something a certain way just because past practitioners have always done it that way is an unacceptable practice. As a professional, I must regularly seek out best practices so I can constantly better my craft.

First and foremost, that means that I am open to change. It means that I am routinely reading about new research, attending professional conferences, collaborating with colleagues, and also allowing my current practices and beliefs to be challenged with the goal of making continual progress in my journey to becoming a more effective teacher. Transparency in my professional journey is also important so that my stakeholders (students and parents) know what I am thinking and what I am aiming for.

My perspective on homework and grades has shifted and evolved greatly over the years. In that time, I’ve had a number of different ideas about the purpose, the execution, and the impact of homework and grades. Not all of them have been great... For example, for many teachers, the unintended, or perhaps intended, effect of grades is sorting/ranking students or assigning worth to students. In terms of homework, many times the focus is earning points for grades or assessing students. Some questions I keep asking myself are:

* As a teacher, is it my goal to figure out who the A/B/C/D/F students are so I can label them as such, or is it my goal that every student learns? Is my goal student competition or student learning? Does my system of grades support the goal of every student learning, or is it an obstacle to learning? How can I set up a system of grading that supports student learning?

* Do students in my class see practice (homework) as a safe situation of practice and learning, or is it a high stakes, pressure-filled situation that hinders learning? Do students regularly get helpful feedback on their practice? While practicing, do students feel like they can explore mathematical ideas in their own ways and safely learn from their mistakes? Or does the threat of a bad grade on practice keep them from taking risks (i.e. generating their own ideas, trying different methods, exploring, etc.) on practice?

Ultimately, my goal is to create a class environment that promotes student learning. The ever-present question is how to implement practice and grades to most effectively achieve this singular objective of increasing learning.

This article about how one teacher changed her grading policies, and consequently her teaching practices, resonated deeply with me. Rather than employing traditional policies, this teacher's school thoughtfully implemented decidedly non-traditional policies with the goal of making sure the grading and practice policies truly supported student learning.

This is a fascinating article about one teacher's contemplations on homework and grades. There are some great ideas that may rock your world... Be prepared!

Read: How Better Grading Reshaped My Teaching

If that article rocked your world (like it did mine), watch this video by Rick Wormeli and be prepared to be blown away his take on zeroes in a gradebook, the 100 point scale that the majority of teachers work use, and the purpose of a grade.