Chapter 11

Chapter 11 discusses the grading issues that have teachers baffled, and the issues that will never have a definite answer. One of the issues that I feel strongly about is the topic of putting a zero, sixty, or and incomplete in the grade book when a student does not turn in their work. The book suggests that putting in a zero is not an accurate description of the students mastery. My problem with this is that if a kid does not do the work then how do we know that they have mastered whatever the work was? I believe that if a student turns in the work late then they deserve some kind of a grade other than a zero, but unless the student has missed work for an excusable reason, they deserve a zero. You have to do work to get the points, however I can see the issues with this- there are always going to be exceptions, but in general that is what I believe.

Chapter 12

In this chapter there is the comparison between the two most popular grading scales, the four point scale which uses rubrics and the 100 point scale that we are all familiar with. The book argues that the four point scale is a more accurate representative of a students grade. I don' t know that I agree with this. I understand that there are some problems with the 100 point scale, like the jump between a D and an F, and the fact that there is 60 points represented in the F range. I think with a little reworking the 100 point scale would be the ideal grading system. Another reason that I disagree is because the book mentioned that it would be easier for parents to monitor the grades, but I feel like sending a whole new grading system home and having them have to learn that would be more difficult than using the scale that they grew up with and understand.

Chapter 13

In chapter 13 the importance of grade books is introduced. I agree with the chapter when it suggests that grade books should tell us about each individual student. I feel like the best way to do this is to keep my grade book really organized. I agree that by having an organized system that you do not deter from that system. The other thing that I believe in is change. I don't think that we should keep our grading system the same throughout all of the years I teach. My system needs to change as my students do.

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 talks about the pros and cons of progress reports and report cards. The biggest problem that is brought up in this chapter is the fact that report cards do not show in any way the progress that a student is making in the quarter or trimester. It only shows the final grades, which I believe is still important, but sometimes I believe that the progress is the most important part. For example. If a student usually fails, doesn't do their homework, or just doesn't care and then turns things around so that they are doing everything they are supposed to but they are still only getting a D because of the beginning of the quarter their parents or guardians should see that they are changing things around. I hope to find a way to show an accurate grade and process when doing report cards.