Hello Everyone,
With so many different grading systems out there, I wanted to take a moment and explain how grading works in this World History class. Sorry... this is a bit long but hang in there.
When your student was in elementary school they may not have had grades but rather numbers. A "3" meant they were "at standard" and knew what they were supposed to know while a "4" meant the student was putting in the work to demonstrate understanding "exceeding standard". This is a really progressive way of grading that genuinely reflects what a student knows and comprehends.
The traditional model most of us are used to, the A- F letter grade system, has never been an accurate reflection of what a student truly comprehends. It was designed for a rote memorization style of learning back in the late 1800's where students regurgitate their knowledge and in many cases, quickly dump it all. It wasn't and continues to not be an accurate reflection of what students know how to do with their knowledge. Under this model a student had a 60% chance of failing a class. Struggling students always fell behind while those with great memory capacity would excel.
At the secondary education level (middle school and high school) we're still stuck in the very antiquated "A - F" letter grade model.
In a more modern educational setting, we want students to prove they know information and know what to do with it beyond memorizing for a quick quiz. Elementary is far ahead of secondary in this realm but there are is a growing handful of us at Laguna trying to do the same while forced to give a letter grade.
In my class, I assess students on the 4 point scale, with 3 being "at standard" or "mastery", just as they are trying to do in elementary. Sometimes it's memorization and identification, like on map quizzes, and other times it's application of knowledge, like the history assessments. But I still have to convert it to a letter grade so here's what I do. I modify the percentage to try and fit the newer model of assessing student knowledge.
Old Traditional Model:
A = 90 to 100%
B = 80 to 89%
C = 70 to 79%
D = 60 to 69%
F = 0 to 59%
Newer 4 Point scale Converted to Percentages:
A (4) = 85 to 100%
B (3) = 70 to 84%
C = 55 to 69%
D (2) = 40 to 54%
F (1) = 0 to 39%
There's no "C" because somewhere along the line a "C" became a failing grade for many parents. I simply modified the scale to make what would have been a "C", a "B". This is more in keeping with what was expected of students in elementary school and it works, but can be confusing when applied onto the same grade report as a point- based teacher using the traditional model. A student can still get a "C" in the class as more assignments and scores enter the grade book. This also gives a student a 60% chance to demonstrate some level of knowledge rather than 40%.
A student who can successfully regurgitate information but not really apply it will likely earn 3's. They did a fine job. They memorized as much as they were supposed to or followed instructions to the letter but didn't exactly push beyond the requirements. This is a "B" student. This isn't bad. That 3 our 4 means they are doing just fine and are passing the class or assignment.
An "A" student, those who get 4's, push themselves. They apply knowledge well, think about the curriculum beyond what I've asked, or truly push themselves to memorize everything on a map quiz. These are the students who are exhibiting the 21st century workplace skills we all want: thinking differently, going beyond what they are asked to do, and finding ways to push themselves. Not every student will want to earn 4's and that's OK.
I hope this has helped,
Marc Townsend
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