Comments on: Making An Honest Woman out of Assessment /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/ less helpful Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:30:16 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 By: dy/dan » Blog Archive » Nobody Fails /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-198400 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:30:16 +0000 /?p=86#comment-198400 […] the idea that a student’s final grade should reflect her final understanding of a subject. I have an infrastructure in place to ensure that a student who couldn’t solve proportions at the start of the year, but who […]

]]> By: Why Change Grades?: Thoughts On Teaching /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-322 Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:15:34 +0000 /?p=86#comment-322 […] Would you let second semester performance affect first semester grades? Dan’s mentioned a few times that it’s a shame to punish students for not learning at the same rate as the rest of the class. If it takes a kid a bit longer to understand a concept, doesn’t that understanding earn the grade? Who cares about the timing (within reason, of course)? From my perspective, English tends to be a very circular course, so a C the entire second semester shows me understanding. Your subject area or philosophy may differ. […]

]]> By: Robert the "Nerd" /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-120 Fri, 19 Jan 2007 06:21:55 +0000 /?p=86#comment-120 I think 4+4=5 makes perfect sense. I have followed this format in my math class for several years with a variety of students at various levels of performance and they remember better, are more focused, and more conscious of thier responsibilties for learning than thier counterparts who use a more traditional form of assessment. Also, if you are a bit unscrupulous (SP?) you can just tell the kids that each time they take a concept test they must take each question whether they have a five or not, forcing them to stay current. How can you do this you say…well kids need things from teachers that are not grade related and you can threaten/tempt them with these enticements until you are certain they have placed these topics in long term memory…miss ya DAN!!!

]]> By: dan /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-118 Fri, 19 Jan 2007 00:51:24 +0000 /?p=86#comment-118 I feel convicted. Each day during this “dead” review week I’ve selected some low concepts, tutored, and then re-tested them. I need to wait a day. I need to wait a day. Crud. You’re right.

]]> By: Lsquared /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-112 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:40:41 +0000 /?p=86#comment-112 I do a similar thing with testing derivatives–students have several weeks during which they can retest to increase their score. The thing I don’t do is tutor and then immediately test. I’ll test, and then tutor based on their performance on the test. Then I’ll retest the next day. I know that’s not enough to ensure that they can do it in 2 weeks, but it’s my attempt to make sure it gets at least partly into their long term memory.

]]> By: dan /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-106 Wed, 17 Jan 2007 02:12:21 +0000 /?p=86#comment-106 I usually test six concepts at a time. Sometimes three, if I want some free time that weekend. Even then, that same concern weighs on me. Always. If I didn’t increase the difficulty each subsequent test, I know the system would be too easy on the students.

]]> By: Shelli /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-99 Tue, 16 Jan 2007 01:02:45 +0000 /?p=86#comment-99 I understand what you are saying and I agree that it is a concern, we need to decide if grades reflect their ability to follow rules and learn on our timetable or if we want their grades to reflect their ability on the day we issue the grade.

I also agree with the differentiation issue (which is a big buzzword in my district right now), but one of my concerns would be (based on the quiz you posted), it seems that the assessment is one concept at a time. Many students (in general) can “master” one concept, the problem occurs when students are presented with several concepts at a time, many of them do not know which tool/concept to use at the appropriate time and the application of those concepts. That’s why I would want the cumulative element to be there, or ideally application-based problems that combine several concepts into one problem.

(Granted, you may have this issue worked out already, I’m just commenting based on the 1 quiz posted)

]]> By: dan /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-98 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 22:38:29 +0000 /?p=86#comment-98 I just worry compulsively that a student’s grade accurately reflect her understanding, particularly along the sharp line of passing/failing. These large cumulative tests are functional but I think of the student who fails test after test at the start of the year only to find his motive halfway through, or the student who was riding a C all semester long only to develop an A-level understanding with the help of a review unit.

What do they do with their low cumulative test scores?

Unless you’re constantly issuing retakes of these large cumulative tests, they’re stuck with their low grades even though their current conceptual understanding merits a higher one.

Teachers that lean on cumulative assessment also have a hard time using their tests for differentiation. (What does a D on “Chapter 6 Test” tell me about your knowledge of an individual Chapter 6 topic?) By combining the two systems, you’d take care of the differentiation issue, which is great. But there is that other concern.

]]> By: Shelli /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-97 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:57:00 +0000 /?p=86#comment-97 I’m not sure if I should be offended at the “good, teacher-ly suggestion” part… (just kidding, I don’t take offense easily).

I would like to hear the “but” part though, your mini-thesis was very interesting and I would like to hear/discuss more of your ideas.

]]> By: dan /2007/making-an-honest-woman-out-of-assessment/#comment-96 Mon, 15 Jan 2007 05:58:00 +0000 /?p=86#comment-96 Re: Homework, agreed.

Re: Assessment, compromise is a good, teacher-ly suggestion, and has worked in several classes I’ve observed.

There was going to be a “but” here, but, nah, nevermind. It works. The compromise works well.

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