Grading

I have come to realize that grades are the downfall of learning. We all (teachers and students) tend to focus on what grade you have rather than what you have learned and are learning. I want to take that out of the equation for this class (pun intended 😊).

I hope to create a student-centered learning environment in our classroom. This means you, the student, are at the center of everything we do. In addition, I now recognize that grades have harmed historically underrepresented student populations. In order to begin to rework the oppressive nature of the classroom and de-center the teacher as the ‘sage on the stage,’ I have moved to a system of grading where there are no points. My hope is this gives you, the student, the space to truly and deeply learn the material in this class rather than focus on your grade.

As a result, this class will have no points and you will see "Accomplished" (complete) or "Progressing: Please Revise" (incomplete and you need to revise it for credit) for each assignment. You can rework any assignments marked as incomplete to get it completed … the whole point of learning. I will leave feedback on the assignment which will hopefully identify for you where you need to spend a little more time.

You choose the grade you want to earn for this class by looking at the list of assignments for the course and complete those assignments listed for the grade goal you want. There is a grade goals tracker which you can utilize to help you determine where you are on your journey.

We all have busy lives and juggle many things at once not to mention the emergencies that often come about. I recognize this and that it often isn’t feasible to complete every assignment. With this system you determine what works best for you, your schedule, and your life.

Lastly, please know this is the first time I am attempting this. I am learning just like you. As a result, I am bound to make mistakes. But I will learn from them and get better as we move forward.