Grading Policy – wmarkhall

Ditch the Points

This year I am doing it, I am ditching the points. After years of pretending that giving points for assignments was an objective way of giving grades, I am finally admitting that all those points really do is keep track of how many assignments a student does. Points do not measure what a student knowsContinue reading “Ditch the Points”

Trying never works

I had the opportunity to spend the last week in Redlands, California, at the headquarters of ESRI learning about spatial thinking. In the last several weeks ESRI announced, as part of the ConnectedED initiative, a billion dollar donation of software to k-12 education. I spent the week better learning how to use that software in the classroom.Continue reading “Trying never works”

About those quizes…

Yesterday we held our annual SkillsUSA Regional Competition. For those that don’t know, SkillsUSA is a national student led career and technical organization. Students compete in career or leadership related events. Welding students, for example, are presented with materials and drawings and asked to produce the piece depicted in the drawing. Leadership students might present theirContinue reading “About those quizes…”

The Daily Objective

I had a couple administrators walk through my classroom the other day. It was no big deal, the principal was just showing her new boss around. We chatted. It was nice. Then I was asked why my daily objectives were not posted anywhere. I gave my standard answer; after about a month into the schoolContinue reading “The Daily Objective”

Giving Feedback

I have committed this year to do a better job of providing timely feedback for my students. I know that timely feedback is what makes or breaks a learning experience. When I was a child learning to ride a bike, I knew immediately when I made a mistake. I knew because I crashed and itContinue reading “Giving Feedback”

Pro Points

I was working on an assignment today for the school culture class I am taking as part of the Admin Credential program at Teachers College of San Joaquin. I was supposed to be writing a vision statement. Researching that brought me to the web site of Minarets High School in O’neals, California. Minarets is one ofContinue reading “Pro Points”