End Grading for Learning in Lexington School District One · 1,135 like this October 14 at 7:08pm near Lexington · This is from a student who supports Grading For Learning. They asked if I would post this and I have no problem doing so. I do ask that everyone be fair and listen to their opinion with an open mind. As a student of LSD1 and a senior at River Bluff, I was very skeptical of the new grading for learning policy that was to be enacted this school year. I thought that it was giving students more opportunities to pass and unfair that the lowest score a student could receive was a 55. However, one quarter in to school, I have changed my mind completely about Grading for Learning. GforL is one of the best ideas that could have been put in place in my opinion. This new system forces the students to take learning into their own hands. If students do not care, they can simply not try and fail. However, for students that do care, I truly believe it helps us learn the material instead of memorizing it for the test. Although I sometimes get frustrated that homework and quizzes are formative and do not count towards my grade, I know they will help me on the summatives (tests). I know many teachers do not give homework and worksheets for fun, all given materials is to aid and prepare the student for a Summative grade. If students do not feel compelled to do their own work, then they are only hurting themselves. If your student is not doing well, do not blame the new grading system or the teacher or the DO. It is your childs fault. We have numerous resources to aid ourselves to do better (iPad, exceptional facilities, quality teachers, etc). Also in the GforL system we are allowed to retake tests. I was at first skeptical too of this because I thought they were handing out higher grades. However I was once again proven wrong. In order to retake a test, I must have a conference with a teacher in order to discuss what I did wrong. I must then complete an Opportunity Cost, which is another assignment that I must complete in order to retake a test. The opportunity cost specifically addresses what I missed and need to improve on. Finally, I must have all 3s and 4s on formatives and must have completed all homework in order to retake a test (see, these formatives arent for nothing!). In order to retake a test, I am forced to learn the material and therefore retaining information. Finally, I believe that the DO has set forward the GforL initiative in order to prepare us for the next step- which in my case and many others is college. In college you will not be rewarded for doing homework and class participation. You must take your learning into your own hands and complete your homework yourself. Although we will not be rewarded with a grade, we will be prepared for the test or exam. Also, do not use the excuse my child does not test well. That is honestly one of the worst excuses known to man. If you do not test well, you do not know the material thoroughly enough to be confident in your self to test. Here are some solitons: 1) study 2) complete your homework 3) see your teacher before, during, or after school for help (they dont bite) 4) if you dont handle tests well, create mock tests from your homework, quizzes and study guides to prepare yourself for a test environment Just because your child is not doing well with new system, does not mean revolt and burn down the DO. Your child may have to put a little effort in to their learning and take responsibility for it too. If we are handed everything and not pushed out of our comfort zone, how are we supposed to be the leaders of the 21st century that all of our schools have in their missions?
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:13:45 +0000
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