REFLECTION FOR WEEK 9

EP490asa

GRADING SYSTEM

Leonard Fretzin

In the Chicago Public Schools we use a traditional Letter-Grade System of grading. The letters A, B, C, D, and F are used. There is no grade of I or incomplete. The letter grades are based on percentages. In my Chemistry and Physics classes the grades for each assignment are given point values based on their weight and the amount of work involved. Quizzes, Labs, and Homework vary in value from around 20 points to 40 points depending upon how much work is involved in the assignment and how many questions need to be answered. Unit tests are usually between 100 and 150 points.

Most teachers, including myself assign letter grades of A for percentages of 90% and above; B for percentages of 80% to 89%; C for percentages of 70% to 79%; D for percentages of 60% to 69%; and F for percentages below 60%. For example, a typical laboratory experiment has a total possible point value of 35. If a student is graded to receive 27 points his percentage grade is 27/35 or 77% which is a C.

One disadvantage of the grading system is that some students frequently ask what their letter grade is on a particular assignment. I always tell them to divide their score by the possible total points of the assignment to obtain a percentage. It is sad to say, but I have to confess that some students cannot do this even after frequent help. However in courses such as Chemistry and Physics, this simple mathematical exercise, and the concept of percentage is something students are expected to master.

I use a Grade Book spreadsheet from MSWorks, which I have modified to meet the criterion of the grading system. Each students' total points earned is automatically added by the computer. When I do grading, which is usually after each unit test, I determine the highest grade in my classes and use this as the basis of the curve. In other words, the highest earned grade is considered to be the total possible points earned. One weak point of my system is the use of excused points for students that have been absent and have returned to school too late to complete the assignment and receive a grade as it has been graded and handed back to the class. I also post the key for the work on the bulletin board so that a student may conveniently examine it to determine what they did wrong. Excused points are based on the average grade for an assignment, and are subtracted by the computer spreadsheet from the total possible points before computing the students' percentage grade. The Grade Book spreadsheet covers a quarter of work. To obtain the semester grade I enter the grades of each quarter in a Semester Grade Spreadsheet along with the final examination grade. Each quarter grade is weighted at 40% and the semester examination grade is weighted at 20%. The computer automatically calculates the Semester grade as a percentage and letter grade. If you have Works you can view the Quarter Grade Spreadsheet at:

lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fretzin/GBQ.wks

The Semester Grade Spreadsheet is at:

lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fretzin/GBS.wks

One of the weaknesses of my method of grading is that it does not produce detailed information about the learning problems and habits of the individual students. Some students find it too complicated to understand, although most parents seem to accept the accuracy of my assessments. Also as presently constructed my grading system does not obtain means, standard deviations, or T scores to compute normative data.