Fair+Isn't+Always+Equal

Below is your task: media type="custom" key="6895621"
 * Read the book // Fair Isn’t Always Equal by // Rick Wormeli, 2006. [[image:96fc51c88da0ac2043be1210_L__V192547583_SL290_.jpg width="97" height="111"]]
 * Include in your WIKI examples of standards-based grading that are already being applied in the Deer Valley District.
 * Interview Deer Valley teachers who have heard Dr. Wormeli present on his book or who have been participating in the district book study of his book.
 * Include examples of standards-based grading that can easily be applied in internships and student teaching.
 * Sign your name by each contribution you make to this WIKI.
 * ** Be sure to post frequently and check for feedback. Make any requested changes or improvements. **
 * ** Be creative! Don't summarize the text. Add depth and intellectual stimulation about this topic. **
 * Bring in outside resources on standards-based grading or assessment in general. Go for depth!
 * Be prepared to talk on/share pieces of this book throughout the semester as applicable.
 * Continuously add to the WIKI throughout the semester.
 * Your final product will be presented at your student-led conference.

Book Group Discussion Notes

Section I – Differentiation and Mastery Chapter 1 – The Differentiated Instruction Mind-set: Rationale and Definition In the book’s opening chapter, Wormeli offers multiple ideas about and aspects of differentiation in the classroom. Differentiation includes: § Teaching in a fair, developmentally appropriate manner § Doing what is fair for students § Best practices, strategically employed to maximize each student’s learning § Different approaches for different students § Highly effective teaching § Whatever works Every aspect of differentiated instruction should //be fair//

and //maximize learning//

. Differentiated instruction empowers students and gives them skills for their future use Teaching should be fair and developmentally appropriate – not equal. *
 * Chapter 2 – Mastery**
 * There are a multitude of understandings of mastery, no set definition. Two of the most serviceable definitions offered or cited by Wormeli follow.**
 * Students have achieved mastery when they are able to utilize their learning in the following ways:**

o Accessing (understand and find meaning)

o Analyzing

o Evaluating

o Creating


 * Students exhibit mastery when they are able to demonstrate a thorough understanding by doing something substantive with the content.**
 * Measuring mastery depends on the stated objective of the learning and the evidence that is collected; therefore a strong objective and artifacts or careful observations are necessary.**

Here's some video that I shot during lunchtime with the eighth grade team at Paseo Hills School. I asked them to share some of their thoughts on Differentiation and Mastery.(It's great to hear from the field! Thank you for sharing. Reflective question: In what ways are these teachers differentiating for students? If you were providing professional development for these teachers, what might be an area of focus to take them to the next step in standards-based grading?

media type="youtube" key="Aoq5mJT3qeU?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

Please watch the video below to see discussion between parents and the Superintendent of the Deer Valley Unified School District about standards based grading. The focus is on parents' concerns about the new grading process, its effects on students' grades, and the lack of information that is being shared with parents. media type="youtube" key="_RU3X8x3P8g?fs=1" height="385" width="640"

The video below is a discussion with a teacher that is grading with standards based grading. The focus of the video is the main topics from chapters 1-4 within the book __Fair Isn't Always Equal__. media type="youtube" key="j4byrUlxtP8?fs=1" height="385" width="640"

media type="custom" key="7119195"

Here's an example of a standards-based assessment that is used in an eighth grade math classroom at Paseo Hills school. Each unit in this class is broken down into several assessments, each one addressing between one and four objectives. Assessments in this class usually involve three levels of questions per objective, A level being the most basic and C level the most advanced. Each objective is graded individually, so a single assessment can yield, again, between one and four separate grades. You might notice the space dedicated at the top of the first page for the four individual grades on this particular assessment.

Also notice the rubric at the top of the first page that explicitly addresses what is expected for a student to exhibit mastery of each objective. A 100 score would indicate perfect work and total mastery of the objective, an 85 score would be given to a student if they calculated two of the three questions perfectly, and a 50 would be the score given to a student's exam were they unable to calculate any correct answers and exhibit any amount of mastery of the topic.



Here is a link to a PDF file I found on the internet that has some great info on Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Differentiated Assessment and Grading []

I found this teacher blog today as I was doing a little further reading into the issues surrounding Standards Based Grading. He does a great job of addressing the basics of SBG, giving honest, regular testimonials of how it is going down in his classroom, and speaking to some of my biggest hang-ups in the FAQ section - though I can't say that I find his answers totally convincing.

__Ideas of how to apply standards based grading in your student teaching:__ __-use rubrics to assess mastery and make rubrics available to the students__ __-do not grade homework, collect it only as an opportunity to provide feedback__ __-provide clear, timely feedback on all student work__ __-communicate often with students and parents about the student's progress__ __-allow students to redo assignments and assessments that show less than exceeding on mastery__ __-make yourself available to students__ __-do not collect homework for a grade__ __-do not write zeros in the grade book, substitute zeros for 50's__ __-record only one grade for each standard__ __-record grades that measure the student's mastery of each standard__ __-post standards and objectives for students to refer back to__ __-use formative assessments to measure student learning, provide academic feedback, and inform future instruction__ __-no extra credit__ __-give pre-assessments consistently at the beginning of each unit to gauge student knowledge and inform instruction__

How well does standard based grading prepare students for the work force. college, and real life?

[]





KUDOS TO THE POST FOR STANDARD BASED GRADING. I THINK THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE BOOK IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT THE TANGIBLE DIREC EFFECT ON THE CLASSROOM I.E. WHAT ARE THE GRADES!!!!!!!!

POSTED BY DENA WALTER