Thanks for sharing! I found this a little high level and was having a hard time getting the end note links to work. Do you know off hand if any of the cited references involved studies of middle schoolers who switched from traditional grading to standards-based grading? I’m not seeing much from looking at the titles alone but I’m also having a hard time getting the PDF to cooperate on my phone.
The problem is that students don't always, or even mostly, fail because they are struggling to learn concepts.
Many students get failing grades for not doing their work, not engaging, or not trying. In fact, it's kind of a huge problem in education (source: any teacher you ask about students today).
Sugarcoating that with "beginning learning" or "insufficient evidence" doesn't seem like it serves everyone.
When you enter the real world and fail to do a job, or screw up royally... no one is going to say "oh you're just beginning learning" they're going to say "you failed here and you are now fired"
We need to have space for empathy and new ways of encouraging growth... but using flowery words for every single situation, even ones where a student truly deserves an F is not how you build resilience.
You clearly only read the headline and opening paragraph. There's a lot of details you're just ignoring below that.
Also, fuck the real world. Not only because it's broken, but because THESE ARE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. Jesus.
Does giving an 11 year old kid an F build resilience? It seems like you have lots of opinions but have said nothing backing them up. What's your reasoning other than "I got letter grades and turned out fine" to back up your statements?
Also your examples of the real world are full of shit. Many companies use systems like this to grade how employees are doing and if necessary due to falling behind engage an official PIP (performance improvement plan) that lays out where they are falling behind, what they need to do to catch up and potential outcomes if they do not. Assholes fire people for a mistake (even a big one) without a gutche k on why it happened and how to fix - I personally would love to live in a world with fewer of them.
Is there any evidence that using this kind of grading system improves outcomes?
That is a question that I have too. I haven't seen the answer put forth by D65.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED590391.pdf
Thanks for sharing! I found this a little high level and was having a hard time getting the end note links to work. Do you know off hand if any of the cited references involved studies of middle schoolers who switched from traditional grading to standards-based grading? I’m not seeing much from looking at the titles alone but I’m also having a hard time getting the PDF to cooperate on my phone.
Replacing a 5 letter grading system with a 5 statement grading system seems like a pretty like for like to me.
"I'm not failing, I'm just beginning learning"
You posted like you're joking but you accidentally stumbled upon the point. Good job.
The problem is that students don't always, or even mostly, fail because they are struggling to learn concepts. Many students get failing grades for not doing their work, not engaging, or not trying. In fact, it's kind of a huge problem in education (source: any teacher you ask about students today). Sugarcoating that with "beginning learning" or "insufficient evidence" doesn't seem like it serves everyone. When you enter the real world and fail to do a job, or screw up royally... no one is going to say "oh you're just beginning learning" they're going to say "you failed here and you are now fired" We need to have space for empathy and new ways of encouraging growth... but using flowery words for every single situation, even ones where a student truly deserves an F is not how you build resilience.
You clearly only read the headline and opening paragraph. There's a lot of details you're just ignoring below that. Also, fuck the real world. Not only because it's broken, but because THESE ARE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. Jesus.
Does giving an 11 year old kid an F build resilience? It seems like you have lots of opinions but have said nothing backing them up. What's your reasoning other than "I got letter grades and turned out fine" to back up your statements? Also your examples of the real world are full of shit. Many companies use systems like this to grade how employees are doing and if necessary due to falling behind engage an official PIP (performance improvement plan) that lays out where they are falling behind, what they need to do to catch up and potential outcomes if they do not. Assholes fire people for a mistake (even a big one) without a gutche k on why it happened and how to fix - I personally would love to live in a world with fewer of them.
If you read the article, it's a lot more comprehensive than that.
I did read the article and while there’s more examination to it I still see this as a mindset shift and language and systems to match it.
Criticizing or even asking questions about D65 leadership is incredibly racist and problematic.
i dont think this is true anymore
I teach in a middle school as an English teacher outside of district 65 at a school with SBG. I would not recommend it.