Before the days of electronic gradebooks, every week I posted a printout with student grades. High-achieving students raced over, comparing their grades down to the hundredth, while less
The title of an Edutopia blog post — “When Grading Harms Student Learning” — hooked me instantly. Wonderful, I thought, a reputable source is lending credence to an idea
One of my favorite education blogs, TeachThought, posted an excellent article that sparked some inspiring conversation on providing feedback for learning at the Facebook group, Teachers Throwing Out Grades. While
So, how do teachers throw out grades? Is this a real thing? What replaces grades? How is feedback delivered to large audiences? What about pushback from parents, colleagues and
If you watch shows like CSI and NCIS, you’ve probably seen a scene like this one where the investigators discover a blurry surveillance photo and use it to
As each middle school child shared his or her opinion about a classroom they’d never experienced before, my face brightened with a broad smile. One student brandished a sign
Deadlines teach responsibility, one educator suggested at a workshop I was recently conducting at Penn University. Narrative feedback and multiple opportunities to improve an activity are solid approaches
In this post from our series on strategies for eliminating traditional grades, we feature feedback, using Google–a sneak peek at one part of the new Assessment 3.0: How to
One day, my 8th grade English language arts students were writing our guiding question at the beginning of class. This is a routine activity that takes about two minutes.
It’s time for teachers to commit to the kind of change that will truly transform education. The easiest place to start is with assessment.The fix? Eliminate grades. When
So you’re probably wondering why the guy who trumpets no grades is now saying all students should get straight A’s. The man who runs the Teachers Throwing Out
Teachers are throwing out grades. It’s not a joke. It’s not a fool’s dream. It’s a movement, and the movement is trending. The first-ever Teachers Throwing Out Grades
Grades distract from student learning and inhibit higher order thinking. Nowhere is this more apparent than with student projects. As a teacher, I’m guilty of creating rubrics with
The Anglophone West School District in New Brunswick is, according to administrators, moving away from traditional grades. This is the same kind of spin doctoring we often see
Few, if any, teachers find grading enjoyable. This is especially true when grading writing assignments. Plus, students hate it when their returned papers are so marked up that
Four out of five members of my household are currently engaged in extended, structured learning experiences. Otherwise known as school. I have a child in middle school, one
As if we needed any more convincing, two more reasons that grades are harmful came across my path on consecutive days recently. Together, they make yet another in a long
Legitimate education reform is a runaway train that can’t be stopped. These graphics represent a powerful education reform movement that is growing daily. Please share your thoughts, and let’s
As a school district administrator, I have the privilege of working with all of the teachers new to our schools during a weeklong program of induction and orientation. Monday,
Like homework, assessment is a hot-button issue in education. Unfortunately, when the topic of assessment is raised, most educators think testing. Few consider traditional grading as a topic of
Consider what education consultant Mike Rulon says, kicking off a lively Facebook discussion. In a dynamic discussion about the failings of grades, educators from around the world explained their frustration
A few years ago, I was knee-deep into the second day of student self-evaluation and discussion about report card grades, and I realized just how powerful the old
