Assessing Students

My grades look really good at the end of the first trimester. I am not using A, B or No Grade with my students, but most of my grades are in the A and B category any way. The few students in the C or D range are there because they didn't turn in test corrections.

I think that I am ready to start implementing the No Grade approach with these students. I am becoming more convinced that they are learning more this year than in years past. Here is an example. One student did not turn in test corrections from Ch 2 until the day of the Ch 3 test. This concerned me that she would not know enough material for the Ch 3 test. As we went over the material from the Ch 2 test and the questions she still had, it was apparent that she had finally learned that material and was able to apply it to the new test. As she took the Ch 3 test, she had a few questions and I need to prompt her with questions to help her figure it out. To my surprise, she knew a lot more than I expected her to. My past experience would have told me that she "had no clue." This was not the case, however.

Why? I think it is because she was given the opportunity to work on the concepts at her pace. She didn't just get a D or F on the test and feel bad about herself and eventually give up. She continued to purse the concepts because I was giving her full credit for knowing it, when she was able to demonstrate that she did know it.

My students know that they have to be able to justify their answers. I will ask them to walk me through the problem to make sure that they really understand it. They also have to tell me how to solve problems on homework or quizzes as well. Students will ask if they can help another student to answer a test question. I nod yes and then I listen to the discussion. There is always an "Oh I get it," or light bulb moment.

The question arises, am I getting them ready for high school? The answer is probably not. I am teaching them the math skills they need for high school, college and life. I am actually helping them prepare more for life than anywhere else. As Glasser would say, when are you ever given a task on a job and told to do it all by yourself and from memory? That would never happen. However quality is what is expected out of you. Not that you got 90% of it correct all by yourself. It is more important that it is 100% accurate by whatever means was necessary.

I am finding that my students are not giving up as they have in past years. My job is teach them the Algebra concepts. The high school will have students who are Algebra competent. They may not be able to make the grades in high school though. They will have to learn to jump through traditional hoops. I am sad about that. But my students are learning so much more this year than ever before, I have to believe that they will do better next year too. They will know the Algebra concepts and they will know that they can learn and do math. I believe that a lot of success in math is believing that you can do it. I hope I am right! I love my students and I want them to succeed.