I have always given practice study guides for my science and math subjects to help my students (4-5 grade) prepare for their tests. Over the years, I have students coming in with less and less of it done. Do any teachers out there take grades on study guides? We go over them in class together to answer questions, but I feel like they need to be held accountable a bit more since I usually give about 3-4 days to complete it, and time in class. I've debated completion grades, but each study guide can be different amounts of questions and the time it would take to check each packet and count ones not done would be a hassle. Thanks in advance!
One thing I noticed over the years was if I did not grade it and give feedback, kids would not complete it. Can you find a way to spot check them? Like pick the odd numbers to check 1 time and the next time check the even numbers? Then focus on certain questions. During that process if you see questions unanswered comment on it. If you can have them look at their study guide and test results and have them write how the study guide helped or could have helped them do better, they might make a connection too. Also, if you store the 2 in the same folder and tell the kids it will be used for PT conferences, it should help. Sometimes parents ask why their kid scored poorly on a test. That would be a perfect time to pull out the study guide. By 4th grade, kids get it too.
You may have to grade them, but do the kids understand the science behind learning and studying? Do they know the purpose of what they are doing (brain science) beyond getting a good grade? Filling out a study guide won't help kids learn that much unless they are doing so with purpose. The majority of your students who do well on the tests do so regardless of the study guide process. They will study (or have parents who help them learn how to study if they don't already remember the material because the material isn't beyond their capacity to remember.) The remainder won't have much impact even if they fill it out because most likely they are doing it to complete the paper rather than learn the material. Many don't know how to study. Filling out a guide isn't studying. It just gives exposure one more time which is a small part of studying.
One suggestion could be to consider giving completion grades based on effort rather than the number of questions answered. This way, you can encourage accountability without the hassle of counting individual questions. BTW, have you heard of a cinematography course? It's an amazing opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to enhance their skills. Check it out at https://www.praguefilminstitute.cz/1-year-cinematography-course/! It might inspire some of your creative students. Best of luck with your teaching endeavors!
It is also important to consider your purpose for grades. Is it for content mastery or for for work ethic?
This is one of the reasons I've always preferred four-point scale instead of the one hundred. At least for English assignments, it's tough to assign a number grade based upon mastery. The 0-4 scale makes the range of mastery easier to see.
I agree. It depends on the purpose of the study guide. Also, do you find the students who do not complete the study guides do worse or just as well on the tests as the ones who complete them?
