Standards of Practice

In order to successfully implement a MBL model, these practices could be implemented and supported by all instructors. These strategies place MORE ACCOUNTABILITY ON STUDENTS, not add more work for teachers.

Before forming an opinion that these strategies will make things "easier" or "less structured" for students, try and place yourself in the role of the student. You see how strict, rigid, and rigorous your life might be if you had to adhere to these policies: for possibly the 1st time in school you are responsible for showing mastery of skills, not just compliance.

Maximize Summative Assessments

Do sports fans want to watch a week of practice or watch how their favorite athlete performs in the big game? Do we want to watch the mechanic change the brakes or do we want to drive off and know that they will work? While practice (formative assessment) is absolutely important to prepare and learn, we must place more value and evaluation on a mastery of performance when it matters most (summative).
Early attempts and practices of skills are rarely perfect - why not make the goal to perfect these concepts by the major assessment?
Allow Course Measurement Standards to focus your assessments to what truly matters

Eliminate Extra Credit

If the assignment or content is truly meaningful or important, why not make it mandatory?
Cons of Extra credit:
- Sends students the message that grades are simply compiling lists of points as opposed to demonstrating what they know
- Artificially increases student scores by making up for deficiencies in one or more areas
- Devalues grades and teacher expectations
- A better message is sent by giving students opportunities to revise/redo/retake assignments
Pros of Extra Credit:
- Increases student grades (is this our goal?)

Conditional Retakes/Redo/Revise on Major Assignments (summative)

Did every driver pass his or her driver’s test the first time? Did everyone who teaches pass his or her PRAXIS II the first time? Did anyone take the SATs more than once?
Mastery of content and skills is our goal as teachers - whether a student demonstrates this on his/her 1st attempt or 4th attempt makes little difference in the end.
Students should not be simply retaking tests/assignments until they pass - giving one additional opportunity should work as long as the student puts forth effort to take advantage of the retake/redo.
Place the burden of learning on the student
Create policies that still hold students accountable (i.e.: all HW and classwork must have been completed by the original due date BEFORE the test/assignment can be retaken)

"Reassessments and Retakes" by Brian Stack

Rethink Zeros & Flexibility with Deadlines

Zeroes are often punishment for students not doing work, but are usually not effective to less-engaged students - if they were effective then wouldn’t more students do the work?
If the work you assign is that important, why not REQUIRE students to complete it to show learning?
- Don’t allow students to make up assignments as an alternative to zeroes - REQUIRE them to do this
- Require students to have completed homework and classwork assignments BEFORE being able to take tests, quizzes, essays, projects, etc.
- Much like "Retake/Redo/Revise," this requires more from the student and forces him or her to learn the material - which is the purpose of our class.

Refuse to Accept Work that is Below Expectations

Raise expectations and stop rewarding low-quality work
Whenever a student turns in work that is below expectations of proficiency, return it to the student with feedback, ungraded
Set limits for students and BE CONSISTENT (maybe only homework & classwork, deadlines for submitting, maximum number of available points, etc.)
After some students “test” you and try and take advantage, the result will be higher quality final products with students demonstrating they are learning
Students only want to do things ONCE - why not make them do a great job the first time?

Eliminate Assessment of Group Tasks (not eliminate group tasks!)

*Collaboration is an essential component of student learning - use the HoW to assess students, not course grades*

Assess the process, not the final product
DO NOT include assessments of cooperative tasks in your calculation of student grades - assess each student’s ability to collaborate separately and individually as part of a group.
Establish distinct components of a group task that can be traced back to individual student accountability
Students may be less likely to work hard at something that will not impact their individual grades when they know the final grade will be shared
Assess student collaboration skills as part of the HoW Rubric

Habits of Work (HoW) Rubric

Separate behavior from academic performance in your grading
Support teaching "soft" skills that align to our WTHS Mission & Goals
Hold students accountable for actions (or lack of) that are negatively affecting grade
Foster open conversations with students (and parents) about success/lack of success in relation to this rubric
Help create goals for students and provide evidence for SRBI/RTI

Prepare Students for the Future

If the goal is college and career readiness, then it is important to note that best practice in these fields indicate that students need to engage in preparatory tasks with repetition in order to ensure they are truly ready for what will be expected of them in their first year of college.

The graphic below shows what awaits our students who choose to attend post-secondary education.

Are we preparing our students for this learning model?

Created and maintained by:

David Batch

Assistant Principal, Vinal THS