Hey Homeschoolers!
I am working on making a resource for new homeschoolers where they ask the questions and veteran homeschoolers give the answers. My goal is to provide advice, resources, and most of all to show that there is more than one way of doing things.
Please contact me with your answer to the following question. I have already included answers that folks sent me on Facebook. Please let me know if you do not want me to include your name in the posting. Please give as much info as possible including links, details, explanations, etc... I will add your answers to this page so that new homeschoolers will have a resource to refer back to again and again.
You can contact me at everestacademy1@gmail.com with your questions and answers. Please put "Blog Challenge: Grading" in the subject line.
Thanks!
Deb Spradlin
Everest Academy Administrator
Question: What do you base your grading system on?
My Answer: As unschoolers, I don't really believe in "grading". We do a structured math, so when she is doing her math lesson, she gets a second chance on any problems she misses. If she continues to miss the problem, then we know we need to back up and reinforce whatever skill she is missing.
You can find the official Everest answer here: http://www.alabamahomeschooling.com/2010/01/how-to-award-grades.html .
Answers:
Participation, Behavior, Spelling tests, Assignments from the workbook, reading more books, and projects.
Right now, at the fourth grade level, I don't grade. We just plug along and do the work, explaining again if necessary.
My kids are college bound...I want my children to know how to set goals and attain them, so I have rubrics and expectations that are clearly laid out... iow a grading scale.
If she completes the work correctly I count her as complete, and if she does not, I have her continue to work on it until she does. Being that she's only done Kindergarten and first grade, I haven't had to worry too much about actual grades yet. I focus on the lessons she struggles with, until she gets better at them.
We don't really use a grading "system"--no A, B, C is awarded. If they actual understand the information, then we "pass" and move on. We use discussion & ques/answer session to determine if they truly understand the information or concept. So, I guess that we use verbal testing for the most part, but there are a few times that we have actual worksheet type things to complete. Since my oldest is entering 8th this year, we will probably start using a little more *testing* to acquaint him with the concept since he will need it for the ACT/SAT and in numerous college courses.
I just have 2 kids now and we don't move forward until the concept is mastered. So essentially we don't finish a subject until we know it. I give just objective letter grades, although this is only for my records. My kids don't get "REPORT CARDS" or anything like that. I will grade some of their school work, but not everything. But for high school, I will just test with the material we have and give them a numerical grade based on tests and everyday school work. We aren't there yet, so maybe that is what I will do.
I like to check state standards but always want to make sure we are exceeding Alabama standards. If my child has mastered the skill and can use it in every day life and/or can complete the problems assigned with 100% accuracy than we can move on to the next level.
Some things (literature, art, social studies) are just kind of a general feel for how he's doing. Math and Latin are scored based on numerical performance (tests and daily work that is scored and graded)
100 point scale overall, traditional 90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, 60-69 D, 50-59 F But we feel that learning the material is more important than “getting the grade” so if we hit something that results in a score lower than a B we usually redo the material until it is learned with no problems.
What do you base your grading system on? Standard score 90-100=A.....
We do not have a grading system in our school right now as my children are still elementary age. Grading is so subjective anyway. After I review the children's papers, we take a look at the problems they got wrong and then figure out the right answers together. As they get older and start doing more and more work completely on their own, I will grade with A and DA. A means it is a good, quality paper, and DA means it needs more work and to do it again.
When I first started homeschooling about 5 years ago, I would give tests and grade, and even put together progress reports and report cards. It soon became apparent to me that it was foolish to be grading and doing such reports FOR the parent when I AM the parent!! After that first year I stopped with progress reports and report cards, but I did continue to test and I used the grading system the public school did in our area at that time (90-100 A, 80-89 B, 70-79 C, etc.). Last year I stopped testing all togehter though, as it was little more than a regular work sheet and we go over them (worksheets and tests alike) and if she gets anything wrong she has to redo it. I am very aware of what she knows, what she has confidence in doing, what she needs more help on and what she is still uncomfortable with. I figured that was the purpose of the testing, to see where the student stands, and I know that without a test. My "grades" now are given for attitude. If we keep a good attitude throughout our school day we get a sticker for the day and a pat on the back :)
I base my grades on the average grade from any tests that have been taken. If there is a class with no tests (like Art), I give them the grade I think they deserve.
I use Abeka curriculum, so grades are based on quizzes, tests, and projects for the most part.
I am unsure how I will go about this. This will be our first formal year of homeschooling. I am sure we will base the grading system on knowledge obtained and understanding of certain material.