Grading Changes – Tip of the Iceberg

One of my takeaways from a recent Twitter chat on grading and assessment is the apparent slow progress many schools are experiencing in shifting away from traditional forms such as letter or percentage grades, use of zeros, final exams, grading homework, and combining behaviors and academics in one grade.

Reading between the Twitter lines, there is measured frustration (usually) in how schools are approaching grading changes. Phrases like, “We are just getting started”, “Moving slowly”, and “You can’t force change” are tweeted often. And this is from some of the most motivated teachers and administrators, who are among the small percentage of educators active on Twitter.

Grading practices are just the tip of the iceberg for needed change in education. More personalization, expansion of learning strategies such as project-based learning and design thinking within interdisciplinary units, alternative forms of credentialing, eportfolios, and real world learning are gaining significant traction in forward-thinking schools.

The shift is historic, inevitable, and requires a sense of urgency by education’s decision-makers, leaders, and practitioners.

Grading is just the tip of the iceberg.