Post date: Aug 16, 2012 5:52:28 PM
Dear Parents,
I am LeeAnn Gilroy and I write because your student is in my Spanish class. I strongly urge you to read this letter very carefully and keep it for future reference. We are excited to use a new type of grading in our building. In education, focus has typically been placed on grading homework practice that students do leading up to a test on the material learned. However, we would never dream of grading a basketball team on their practices leading up to the game or grading a band student's practice before the concert. We would give that student support and feedback throughout their practice and make suggestions to improve so that the concert or game would represent what they are really able to do. Why should education be any different?
Your student will be given learning targets for each lesson. Learning targets are the goals and explain what students will be expected to know on assessments. Most
lessons have 6-10 learning targets. Some of these learning targets are cultural and potentially controversial topics. When such is the case, I will try to include multiple sides/ views of the information and encourage critical thinking about these things. Language and culture are quite often inseparable.
Tarea or practice will be assigned daily, although students will not receive a grade.
I do expect, however, that the students complete the practice, correct it in class and turn in the work when requested, so that I can give them feedback and suggestions. I will mark the practice I have received in PowerSchool, and you will see a green check when I do so. If you do not see a green check, it means the practice has not been turned in or it was not completed correctly. I encourage you to look at PowerSchool with your student frequently to understand their daily work habits. Your students' success in class depends upon them practicing Spanish DAILY!!!
Assessments over individual learning targets will be quizzes and tests. Any particular learning target score will be replaced by the most recent score from evidence on quizzes- announced or pop and tests. Learning targets may be quizzed more than once. I will choose when the class will re-assess and I will choose which learning targets to re-assess. However individual students who wish to re-assess on any learning targets may do so at any time before the last week of the semester. ANY student who scores less than a 3 on any learning target should seek out help from me. I am available during seminar, 7:50-8:15 am and 3:15-4:00 or later nearly daily. We will work on any practice they have not completed first, then some independent practice. An opportunity to improve their individual learning target score is not guaranteed to re-appear, but all learned material will be tested at midterm and final exams. In Spanish III and IV Exams are 60% of the final grade, thus learning the material for that performance is our goal. In Introductory Spanish we will only have a final exam, and it will be graded using standards, not weighted.
My hope is that students will appreciate being made aware of exactly what it is they need to know. My past experience with this type of grading is that students know they can learn, they know what they need to learn, and they appreciate acknowlegement for their hard work. It's clear when students have done their practice and considered how to correct their errors- they earn their good grade.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
LeeAnn Gilroy
lgilroy@solon.k12.ia.us