For those of you who actually grade assignments: I've noticed Eli consistently gets 3-5 math problems wrong per page because he simply doesn't pay attention to what he's doing. Instead of just grading and entering, I've started making him take a second look at the ones that are wrong. He always ends up with all of them right when I make him focus and redo. So which grade would you record?
I grade send back and give asecond chance, dds teacher does the three tries thing. they get three chances then the grade sticks I like that, but usualy with my kids once they go back a second time it is corrected.
The first question I would have is how old is Eli? Sounds like elementary age, so competency and accuracy should be your concern rather than determining a "grade." Another consideration is how many problems are on a page. I've found that if there are too many, kids "check out" due to boredom. Their mind drifts. Try reducing the number of problems that measure the same thing and see what happens. Curt
One of my dd used to rush through her work(math esp.) trying to be the first to finish her work. The result was a lot of careless mistakes. I eventually tired of asking her to slow down and do it right the first time. What I started doing was recording the original grade, then she had to find her mistakes and correct them. A few unacceptable grades, and she learned to slow down and check her work before she turns it in. I now record first results. Any errors are discussed and they are expected to rework them, then the "new" grade is added in and the grades are averaged together. IE.....75 on first ＋ 95 on corrected ＝170／2＝85. 85 would be their final grade for daily work. For test, I use first results only. LR
What we do is they complete the assignment and for any they get wrong, they get to look at them again. If they can correct it for the correct answer, they get 1/2 credit for that problem. So instead of getting 6 wrong, they get 3 credited back. 5 gets 2.5 - make sense? That way they see that they need to get the answer correct, but get credit for the extra work in fixing it. Another big help as been taking numbers out of math and discussing them in real world - what would it mean if a zero was left out of a bank loan? Out of the measurement for a foundation? why is it important then? That way they can see that yeah, it's just their math homework, but what is being learned has a greater application outside of the insulated world of school. Good luck!
We have to keep portfolios that include grades. I don't have to submit them, but they have to be on hand in case there is a legal issue. And he seems to really like the idea of getting graded. He usually has 12 problems on each lesson page and 20 on the review pages (which we only do after every third lesson or so). And they're a good mix of word problems, 'upright' problems, 'horizontal' problems, and misc. things. I like the half credit idea. Especially since he does seem to care about his grade. Perhaps that will spur him to compete with himself to do better.
I grade their assignment and give it back to them and give them the opportunity to correct the wrong ones and go over the problem together so that they understand why they got it wrong and then they do it again. And if they misspelled a word for even a correct answer that's still a wrong answer.
Half credit for redo's is a good practice to follow. For multi-step problems, I've given partial credit if the error was minor. If the state asks you to keep grades on hand, it's possible they would want to see a final grade for each quarter or semester (if high school). I recommend you split the "final grade" by weighing daily work and tests. Maybe a split of daily work is 25% and tests 75%. I see daily work as an effort grade and would give an "A" once everything is corrected to your satisfaction. I don't do a percentage grade because daily work, by its very nature, if often an introduction of new concepts which students will need to time to master. Tests, on the other hand, are the "proof of the pudding" so to speak. For formal math tests, you could include a bonus question which wouldn't count against him if missed or not attempted. I wouldn't let it affect the over all grade on the test more than 5%. Above all, keep your system simple and keep recording to a minimum. Hope this helps. Curt
One thing I like about A Beka is it came with what to take a grade on. But I do pretty much check everything and if they get too many wrong they redo and then do extra.
I do the 1/2 credit. My rule is to "pay attention please" Now if it's a silly error - like miswriting a number (alexis miswrote a - sign instead of a + sign) or something - I point it out - they get angry and I make them redo it over or start over from square 1
I grade the second grade, if there are any wrong and they can fix them without help they get it right.
I grade every thing, but only record one to two grades a week. All the quizes and tests are graded and recorded. I give back the papers and they correct it.
We are doing first grade and I don't grade any of his work. He does it I check it and give it back to him to redo the ones that were wrong. Once he goes back he gets them right though. I will start grading next year though.
I am (as some of you may remember) currently schooling Other People's Kids. All daily work is marked but not graded, and corrected. Up to about third or fourth grade, or if the kid is new to us, I'll look over a quiz as soon as it's turned in, and if it's not finished or I see errors, before I mark it, I'll give it right back for "proofreading" or checking over. When I get it back, I mark and record a grade, then send it back for correction of errors which might include me going over it with them or not. For tests at this level, I may do the half-credit thing if it can be corrected without looking back to the book, then record that grade instead OR if the curriculum includes an Alternate Unit Test, I'll give that and record that grade instead of doing half-credit. From fourth or fifth grade on up, especially if the kid's been with us for awhile, I just take the quiz and mark/grade/record it when I get a chance, then they correct it just because we correct everything. For tests, again, if there's an Alternate test, I'll give that if they failed the first one but only record the passing grade -- which sometimes means giving half-credit for corrections on the Alternate test! Because they are OPK's, I make report cards that show every single quiz, chapter review (open book), and test, and I send report cards home after every 20 school days. And I don't use letter grades, just percentages. Oh, and first and second graders sometimes just get an S, N or U grade because not all their curriculum includes quizzes or even tests.
I feel like grading just gives a label and does not educate. I have my children home to educate, not rank them or label them. Therefore, instead of doing A B C, etc, I make my children go over the problems they missed and figure out what they did wrong (or I explain what they did wrong) and correct them. In the real world in a real job, if they do something wrong, they will need to correct it. Plus, when they go to college, I think this really prepares them to learn how to study. The grades are just a side note.
I agree, and if these were my kids at home that I'm teaching I might not grade at all, although I did do grades and even a report card when my ds was doing his learning at home. He - and most of these OPKs - came out of public school and are familiar with grading as a "how'm I doin'?" kind of thing. And it keeps both me and the kids accountable to their parents... which is also why I give an annual achievement test just for their parents to see how they're doing, not for pass/fail or anything like that.
Yep that works the best here, they have to figure it out or I dont give them the credit for corrections.
Let me ask this: is it wrong to not grade? I have a 3rd & 6th grader but I do not grade either one. And also another question: do any of you do report cards? Sorry if these questions are silly but I'm still learning. Thanks!!
