Dr. Cathy Vatterott, the author of Rethinking Homework and Rethinking Grading provides teachers with research backed elements that increase the likelihood of investments of student time engaged in homework having a learning payoff. The connection between homework and grading is also addressed. Visit Cathy’s website here. Connect with Cathy on Twitter: @realhomeworkldy Subscribe to the […]

In this week’s episode of the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast, Steve is joined by education author, speaker & consultant Tom Schimmer, to discuss the potential changes that may occur to assessment and grading change with the reopening of classrooms. Visit Tom’s website here.  Find Tom on twitter: @TomSchimmer Subscribe to the Steve Barkley […]

In 1972 I was a teacher on the staff of a new K-8, open concept, multi-level, team-teaching, non-grading school. As we met with parents we would share in great detail their child’s most recent skill mastery and current areas of study on a grade level continuum of skill development. There were no report cards. We […]

This week, Steve Barkley ponders the importance of Grading in Student Motivation. “The student needs feedback on the appropriateness of the learning behaviors that they are using.”

The September 2013 issue of Educational Leadership, titled Resilience and Learning, has several thought provoking articles. Two of them connected with the work I am doing with a few districts examining grading, motivation, and engagement. A Conversation with Angela Lee Duckworth (pages 14-20) explores the significance of grit (earlier blog).  She states that “grit and […]

Should students know their CPA as well as their GPA? I’ve just finished reading How Children Succeed by Paul Tough, where he poses: “If you were a college-admissions director or a corporate human resources manager scheduling entry–level employees, wouldn’t you like to know which ones had scored highest in grit or optimism or zest?” “If you […]