Standards-Based Grading.

My previous school insisted on standards-based grading, and resubmissions were the school norm.  They believed in standards-based grading so much that their online grading system only allowed teachers to input grades by standard.  It was brilliant, and made sense to the teachers and students.

I've been reflecting on how to handle students' resubmission of work at my new school.  It's a traditional, large-district middle school.  I've been meaning to do something similar to what my previous school had, within the parameters that I'm given.  So far, not too many students take me up on the offer (not at the systemized, large-scale that APEX did, at least), but for those that do, I would like for them to think about their learning process and what they've done to remediate.  I don't want them to waste their time, or most importantly, mine.  Telling the students that they can only submit an assignment three times total helps.  I grade in three different colors, first in green, then in purple, then in red.  Once they hit red, the assignment is done.  No excuses.

The problem is, there are still students who will resubmit an assignment cold.  I really liked Sarah Hagan's "Request to Retest", so I reformatted hers so it matched the rest of my classroom forms.

week in review.

So I think things are going well with my interactive notebooks.  I have yet to finish an entire lesson with my kids—we're going slowly but surely.  After spending a few days staging an intervention and group therapy, and two with an actual lesson (that will culminate on Monday),  I have a few things in mind for the next iteration of this.

• I will start numbering the pages from the center.  Page 1 will be the page on the right of the center seam, and the left page will be zero.  The students will number their books positively towards the back of the book, and negatively towards the front.
• I will make sure that there are getting-to-know you types of activities for the first few pages.  
• I really loved the "Me at a glance..." page from Sarah Rubin over at Everybody is a Genius.  The multiple intelligences, learning styles and color quizzes are brilliant.  
• I think i will also put in a math autobiography as well.  There's a one that goes with the CPM curriculum that I could incorporate.  I've also had students write letters to Math in the past.  My English teacher work-girlfriend (I'm in a polyamorous work-marriage) uses mock Facebook profiles and timelines to do character analyses, so maybe I can work something in there as well.    I'm not committed to anything yet, but I'm committed to the idea of something.

There are, however, a few things that I'm currently in search of, primarily how do I measure progress, and how do I grade my students' notebooks, if at all?  Mrs. Hester doesn't and Sarah does minimally.  I think I'm leaning towards a peer review, or short scavenger hunt.  I don't feel like putting too much effort into something that doesn't necessarily prove mastery of a standard.  And as for progress, I think if I'm happier, and my students are in a more productive/persistent/positive atmosphere, that's progress.

I really look forward to doing this again, but with actual intent, as opposed to out of a desperate need for change.