2017-2018 7th Grade English & Literature Grading Policy
Dear Parent(s) of 7th Grade Students:
For the 2018-19 school year, we will continue to usea skills-based grading model focused on feedback called Grading For Learning. Our goal is to communicate how students are performing on a set of clearly defined learning targets for each assignment/assessment while providing meaningful feedback, reflecting upon strengths and weaknesses, and identifying multiple pathways to deeper learning without the use of numbers or percentages. The focus of this grading model is to identify what a student knows, or is able to do, in relation to the learning targets, as opposed to simply averaging grades/scores over the course of a grading period. This assessment process works by giving students summarized feedback, an explanation of gaps in their understanding, objective directions on how to bridge those gaps, and finally, asks students to revise and resubmit work.
What exactly is Standards Based Grading or "Grading for Learning"? Standards Based Grading (SBG) is a system of assessing and reporting the level of learning a student has achieved on specific content and skill standards, or sometimes called, benchmarks.
How is this different than traditional grades? Your student will not be given traditional “A, B, C, D, or F” grading labels on their work or in the gradebook. Instead, each skill will be assigned either NE, BE, DE, PR, or EX based on where the student's performance is as proven by evidence.
Let’s use an example of Sammy Student as he learns to ride a bike to illustrate how the categories will apply this year:
No Evidence (NE) -- Sammy Student doesn't even attempt to ride a bike. He refuses to even try.
Beginning (BE)-- Sammy Student is given a bike for his birthday. He may, or may not, already know what a bike is for, but at this point Sammy does not know how to ride. He looks his bike over, admires it, possibly even ventures a chance and sits on it. He watches other people ride their bikes, and listens to others explain the basics to figure out what’s actually involved in riding the bike himself.
Developing (DE)--This is where most of Sammy’s actual learning takes place. At this level, Sammy rides his bike initially with training wheels, and then, when he feels brave enough, he attempts to ride the bike while his mom or dad holds the back of his seat. Sammy makes many attempts to ride the bike, sometimes falling and sometimes successfully riding the bike shorter (and then longer) distances. His confidence in riding the biking grows stronger each time he tries to do so.
Proficient (PR)--Success! Sammy has learned to ride his bike without training wheels or without added support from mom or dad. He rides his bike on his own consistently and independently. We would say that, at this point, Sammy has mastered the skill of riding his bike.
Exemplary (EX)--Sammy has now taken riding his bike to a new level. Not only can he ride his bike, but he is now taking his bike off jumps and ramps that he and his friends have built. In fact, he has figured out how to change his speed and shift his weight to make the bike go farther and faster when he jumps off the ramps. He can even teach others how to ride a bike! Sammy has taken the skill of riding his bike to a higher and more sophisticated level of understanding.
How will Standards-Based Grading change classroom instruction? Classroom instruction itself will not necessarily change. All of our lessons are already designed around Wisconsin State Common Core Standards with the end of goal in mind. Your child will feel more of a change in classroom procedures. For example, since learning is an on-going process, your child will be allowed to re-do/re-take any work s/he has been assigned at any point in the school year. So, if your child receives a “Developing” on an assignment--that is not permanent. At any time during the school year, your child can improve their understanding of that skill and demonstrate it to us--and they have multiple opportunities to demonstrate that their learning has improved. Imagine if Sammy Student tried several times to ride his bike in Fall, but never really got the hang of it. If he wanted to try again in the Spring, would we tell him he couldn’t, because his learning was finished in the Fall? Of course not. It’s the same idea in our classrooms.
What will I see on Skyward and report cards? Since Standards Based Assessments do not “work” with the traditional “A, B, C, D, F” grading scale, you will instead now see a standards based gradebook in Skyward. Each event (assessment) will be tied to a learning standard, as indicated by Common Core. There will be no grades because there's no way we can average assessment on different skills. (Imagine if we assessed Sammy Student on his bike riding skills as well as his ability to bake a cake from a recipe in the same quarter. How could we possibly find an “average” score for those skills? We can’t, because they are completely different in nature.) This means there will be NO OVERALL GRADE in Skyward. Although there will be no grade, you are getting WAY more information about your student’s learning needs and accomplishments.
Here's the basic rundown of what the letters mean in Skyward:
EX = Exemplary (student is advanced, demonstrating skills beyond grade level expectations related to this standard)
PR = Proficient (student is meeting grade level expectations related to this standard)
DE = Developing (student is developing grade level expectations, but cannot perform independently; still needs teacher help)
BE = Beginning (student is in the beginning stages in showing grade level expectations)
NE = No evidence (student did not complete required assessment required; incomplete)
How do I know when my student is falling behind or isn’t doing their work? We will designate missing work with a “NE” in Skyward. If by the end of the quarter the student hasn’t turned in some evidence of learning for a particular learning standard, we will designate the report grade as an “incomplete”. Furthermore, students will be gathering and collecting a portfolio of evidence in our classrooms tracking their growth in reading and writing skills. This portfolio will serve as evidence to showcase all of their work and used at student-led conferences. You will always know how your student is performing in the classroom, but it will just look a little different. As always, you can call, email, or schedule a meeting if you´d like even more information or have specific concerns about your child’s achievement in class.
Where do I want my student to be at the end of 7th grade? Our goal is for all students to show Proficiency for every major standard at the end of 7th grade. It shouldn't be concerning to see DE (Developing) at the beginning of the school year since students are just learning a skill. Students, ultimately, should be demonstrating improvement as they progress through assessed skills in 7th grade.
For the 2018-19 school year, we will continue to usea skills-based grading model focused on feedback called Grading For Learning. Our goal is to communicate how students are performing on a set of clearly defined learning targets for each assignment/assessment while providing meaningful feedback, reflecting upon strengths and weaknesses, and identifying multiple pathways to deeper learning without the use of numbers or percentages. The focus of this grading model is to identify what a student knows, or is able to do, in relation to the learning targets, as opposed to simply averaging grades/scores over the course of a grading period. This assessment process works by giving students summarized feedback, an explanation of gaps in their understanding, objective directions on how to bridge those gaps, and finally, asks students to revise and resubmit work.
What exactly is Standards Based Grading or "Grading for Learning"? Standards Based Grading (SBG) is a system of assessing and reporting the level of learning a student has achieved on specific content and skill standards, or sometimes called, benchmarks.
How is this different than traditional grades? Your student will not be given traditional “A, B, C, D, or F” grading labels on their work or in the gradebook. Instead, each skill will be assigned either NE, BE, DE, PR, or EX based on where the student's performance is as proven by evidence.
Let’s use an example of Sammy Student as he learns to ride a bike to illustrate how the categories will apply this year:
No Evidence (NE) -- Sammy Student doesn't even attempt to ride a bike. He refuses to even try.
Beginning (BE)-- Sammy Student is given a bike for his birthday. He may, or may not, already know what a bike is for, but at this point Sammy does not know how to ride. He looks his bike over, admires it, possibly even ventures a chance and sits on it. He watches other people ride their bikes, and listens to others explain the basics to figure out what’s actually involved in riding the bike himself.
Developing (DE)--This is where most of Sammy’s actual learning takes place. At this level, Sammy rides his bike initially with training wheels, and then, when he feels brave enough, he attempts to ride the bike while his mom or dad holds the back of his seat. Sammy makes many attempts to ride the bike, sometimes falling and sometimes successfully riding the bike shorter (and then longer) distances. His confidence in riding the biking grows stronger each time he tries to do so.
Proficient (PR)--Success! Sammy has learned to ride his bike without training wheels or without added support from mom or dad. He rides his bike on his own consistently and independently. We would say that, at this point, Sammy has mastered the skill of riding his bike.
Exemplary (EX)--Sammy has now taken riding his bike to a new level. Not only can he ride his bike, but he is now taking his bike off jumps and ramps that he and his friends have built. In fact, he has figured out how to change his speed and shift his weight to make the bike go farther and faster when he jumps off the ramps. He can even teach others how to ride a bike! Sammy has taken the skill of riding his bike to a higher and more sophisticated level of understanding.
How will Standards-Based Grading change classroom instruction? Classroom instruction itself will not necessarily change. All of our lessons are already designed around Wisconsin State Common Core Standards with the end of goal in mind. Your child will feel more of a change in classroom procedures. For example, since learning is an on-going process, your child will be allowed to re-do/re-take any work s/he has been assigned at any point in the school year. So, if your child receives a “Developing” on an assignment--that is not permanent. At any time during the school year, your child can improve their understanding of that skill and demonstrate it to us--and they have multiple opportunities to demonstrate that their learning has improved. Imagine if Sammy Student tried several times to ride his bike in Fall, but never really got the hang of it. If he wanted to try again in the Spring, would we tell him he couldn’t, because his learning was finished in the Fall? Of course not. It’s the same idea in our classrooms.
What will I see on Skyward and report cards? Since Standards Based Assessments do not “work” with the traditional “A, B, C, D, F” grading scale, you will instead now see a standards based gradebook in Skyward. Each event (assessment) will be tied to a learning standard, as indicated by Common Core. There will be no grades because there's no way we can average assessment on different skills. (Imagine if we assessed Sammy Student on his bike riding skills as well as his ability to bake a cake from a recipe in the same quarter. How could we possibly find an “average” score for those skills? We can’t, because they are completely different in nature.) This means there will be NO OVERALL GRADE in Skyward. Although there will be no grade, you are getting WAY more information about your student’s learning needs and accomplishments.
Here's the basic rundown of what the letters mean in Skyward:
EX = Exemplary (student is advanced, demonstrating skills beyond grade level expectations related to this standard)
PR = Proficient (student is meeting grade level expectations related to this standard)
DE = Developing (student is developing grade level expectations, but cannot perform independently; still needs teacher help)
BE = Beginning (student is in the beginning stages in showing grade level expectations)
NE = No evidence (student did not complete required assessment required; incomplete)
How do I know when my student is falling behind or isn’t doing their work? We will designate missing work with a “NE” in Skyward. If by the end of the quarter the student hasn’t turned in some evidence of learning for a particular learning standard, we will designate the report grade as an “incomplete”. Furthermore, students will be gathering and collecting a portfolio of evidence in our classrooms tracking their growth in reading and writing skills. This portfolio will serve as evidence to showcase all of their work and used at student-led conferences. You will always know how your student is performing in the classroom, but it will just look a little different. As always, you can call, email, or schedule a meeting if you´d like even more information or have specific concerns about your child’s achievement in class.
Where do I want my student to be at the end of 7th grade? Our goal is for all students to show Proficiency for every major standard at the end of 7th grade. It shouldn't be concerning to see DE (Developing) at the beginning of the school year since students are just learning a skill. Students, ultimately, should be demonstrating improvement as they progress through assessed skills in 7th grade.
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