In this ongoing series, teachers and administrators can evaluate improving middle school student assessment practices.
How Can Teachers Recognize and Encourage Effort?
Mrs. Jones was visibly concerned as she reviewed her grade book at the middle school review team meeting. “Oh, I just hate to give Bobby a ‘C’ on his report card. His parents will be so disappointed. After all, he tries so hard to do a good job.”
“I just wish there was something we could do to recognize that he’s a good worker.”
Student Grading and Recognition
Before digging too deeply into the issues surrounding middle school grading and assessment, there is an uncomplicated way to address a number of the parents’ and teachers’ concerns about some of the inadequacies of middle school grading systems. The reply is to include an effort grade, or even better, an effort grid supported by an established effort rubric.
One of the most important issues behind conferring grades is recognizing student accomplishment. There are many, many more ways that a student can be accomplished in a middle school class beyond scoring well on tests and quizzes, and that is where an established set of goals that deal with deportment, effort, citizenship and other non-academic standards can pay dividends for the students.
Understanding that grading should be as descriptive as possible, these measures can give parents a much more clear understanding about their child’s complete progress in the middle school.
Offered below is a 1-5 scaled rubric for student effort in the classroom, which can be reported quarterly along with the academic grades to give a more complete description of the student’s total classroom experience.
Model for an Effort Grade Rubric
1 - Student exhibits excitement towards learning, consistently demonstrating a capacity for hard work, advancing the goals of the class through contributions, and modeling persistence and a commitment to excellence. In addition, the student reflects on, and clearly appreciates how his or her personal work ethic affects the quality of the experience of others.
2 - Student understands the personal and group benefits of a quality work ethic and models this understanding by consistently seeking opportunities to demonstrate preparedness and participation.
3 - Student understands the benefits of a quality work ethic, and generally models preparedness and participation.
4 - Student does not generally demonstrate an understanding of the benefits of a quality work ethic, and is at times unprepared for class (and/or) uninvolved in class activities.
5 - Student demonstrates a negative regard for quality work and an inability/unwillingness to accept responsibility for personal goals (and/or) the goals of the class.
Model for a Citizenship Award
Along with effort, offered below are the model words for a more loosely defined citizenship award, which also can be reported quarterly along with the academic grades to give a more complete description of the student’s total classroom experience:
In an effort to support our school’s goals and mission, the Middle School Citizenship Award is given to students who both uphold the Honor Code (or whatever document your school uses) and whose actions positively affect the community. Faculty members will make recommendations to respective principal who will award students on a trimester basis.
Not Everyone Agrees with Effort Grades and Citizenship Awards
While these might seem like simple approaches, please know that they are not used and are not popular in some schools. It will all depend on your school’s philosophy of grading and assessment, which should be based on your school’s mission and goals. But, that is a topic for another day.
There are no easy answers when it comes to assessing middle school students, and in this continuing series, The Report Card, many of the complicated and divisive issues that surround grading and evaluation will be examined.
