The document presents strategies for developing a more effective grading system in educational settings, addressing common challenges such as objectivity, volume, and student motivation. It outlines various grading philosophies, assessment tools, and techniques to engage students in the evaluation process. The presentation encourages educators to consider their grading philosophies while emphasizing the importance of clear expectations and balance in assessing student performance.

1. BUILD A BETTER
Logan Aimone, MJE //
University High School, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
GRADING SYSTEM

2. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
This presentation is
available online at:
slideshare.net/loganaimone
Permission is granted
for classroom use

3. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Think about your
biggest challenge with
grading, assessment
and evaluation.

4. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
What gives you
headaches?

5. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Share with the people
sitting near you.

6. BUILD A BETTER
Logan Aimone, MJE //
University High School, University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
GRADING SYSTEM?
HOW CAN YOU

7. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Your biggest challenge is…
MEASURING
…the skills you want to assess.
…what the students learned.
…what they contributed.

8. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Your biggest challenge is…
OBJECTIVITY
Include a variety of assessments with clear
objective standards.
Some areas will always be more subjective.

9. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
How often to assess.
Formative assessment.
Progress reports/updates.
Your biggest challenge is…
VOLUME

10. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Emphasize the important areas of production
while minimizing minor areas.
Your biggest challenge is…
BALANCE

11. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Your biggest challenge is…
MANAGEMENT
Keep it simple.
Grading should not be a chore.
Include students as partners.

12. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Your biggest challenge is…
MOTIVATION
Grades don’t motivate students.
How do you grade a club?

13. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
There’s no perfect
recipe for grading.

14. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
You have to think about
your philosophy, work
style and school
expectations.

15. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
GRADING
PHILOSOPHIES
5

16. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
GRADING PHILOSOPHY
TRADITIONAL POINTS
•Each task has a point value and is graded
•Weight determined by number of points
•Many tasks to grade; lots of tracking
•Easy to understand
•May not capture all aspects of yearbook or
newspaper production

17. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Have something
assessed each week,
so you always have
progress to report.
ASSESSMENT TIP

18. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
GRADING PHILOSOPHY
CUMULATIVE POINTS
•Students take task from menu (or required list)
•Each available task has its value
•“Fill the bucket” in any way possible
•Total points per marking period = grade
•Allows choice
•Students won’t have same path to final grade

19. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Use mid-term reports to
remind students of any
areas they can improve
before the final grade.
ASSESSMENT TIP

20. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
GRADING PHILOSOPHY
PUNCH LIST
•Every student has a list of tasks to attempt
or master during marking period
•Grading based on how many or what level
of success
•Badges
•Have to translate “punches” to a grade

21. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
A “punch list” can
include areas where you
want students to
explore. Long-term
projects, too.
ASSESSMENT TIP

22. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
GRADING PHILOSOPHY
SKILL DOMAIN/HOLISTIC
•All students assessed based on certain domains
regardless of role or volume of work
•Students achieve rating (emerging, meets
standard, exceeds standard, etc.)
•Convert rating to a grade
•Must define expectations and ratings
•Are all domains equal weight?

23. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Define each domain and
its expectations, so
students know how
they’ll be assessed.
ASSESSMENT TIP

24. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
GRADING PHILOSOPHY
MICRO ECONOMY
•Students earn a “salary” based on their role
•Extra pay for various tasks
•Can “spend” on late deadlines, extra revisions,
bathroom, snacks, etc.
•Lots of Monopoly money!
•Lots of tracking of “accounts”

25. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Have staff determine
salaries and bonuses
for each task, so they
invesst in the economy.
ASSESSMENT TIP

26. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
What is your
philosophy?

27. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
How can you capture
information to assess a
student’s performance
and contribution?

28. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
You need tools.

29. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
RUBRIC
•Rubrics help students know expectations they
should meet/exceed in order to succeed
•Rubrics can provide examples of the behavior or
product quality that you want them to have
•When developing rubrics, consider what you
value and what you want students to learn
•Samples from JEA, publishing company, others

30. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
RUBRIC
•Incorporate state and school-level standards
or expectations
•Invite staff contributions in order to foster
democracy in the newsroom

31. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
SELF-EVALUATION
•Students can evaluate themselves based on the
rubric
•They need to know expectations
•They can reflect in narratives
•“Help me see what I missed that you think it’s
important that I know.”

32. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
PEER EVALUATION
•Students can evaluate their peers based on the
rubric or through another tool (narratives, “pat
on the back,” etc.)
•Students aren’t grading each other, they’re
helping the teacher see another perspective
•Students can also provide feedback in a way the
teacher can’t

33. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
PORTFOLIO
•Students collect their work — best work, where
they struggled, what they learned
•Include a reflection piece
•How will you measure intangible qualities?

34. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
GOOGLE FORM
•Evaluations can be submitted through forms
•Rate self and others
•“Whose work on this staff do you really admire?”
•“Who do you think is contributing the most?”
•“What did I do that really helped you?”
•“What do you want more from me?”

35. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
WEEKLY FORM
•What you worked on for your assignments
•What you did for others
•What you faced (problems, concerns)
•Pat on the back (last week’s success)

36. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
SUMMARY FORM
•List of assignments (and your share)
•Examples of how you meet/exceed the standards
for job requirements, job knowledge, job
reliability, personal relations, communications
•Examples can include work, problems
solved, challenges addressed, new skills
•High point — just one thing that exemplifies you

37. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
TOOLS
EXIT SLIP
•Exit slips can be done daily, weekly or at other
intervals to help identify the success of a day,
week or longer
•Check understanding
•“My grade for the day/week is…”
•“Today I learned…”

38. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
I shared some sample
forms and an
evaluation sheet at:
goo.gl/RvRY65

39. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
Find balance
in emphasizing skills
and managing the
workload.

40. BUILD A BETTER GRADING SYSTEM
What new idea did you
hear today that you
want to incorporate
in your classroom?

41. Logan Aimone, MJE //
logan.aimone@gmail.com // @loganaimone
QUESTIONS?