Hi all. I'm a first year fourth grade teacher, and I am really stressing over report cards. The end of the quarter is coming (Friday!) and I am conerned about my grading. I have spoken with my teammates about how they do their grades, but I only leave the conversation more confused. I talked to my mentor, and she suggested weighing everything the same (homework-25%, quizzes-25%, tests-25%, classwork-25%). However, I have a hard time with this because I cannot bring myself to score a test the same as a homework, etc. To sum up -- how do you all do grading? If you use weighted percentages, how do you weigh each category? Thanks!!
During the course of this trimester, I'll be giving a total of 5 tests (we go September until Christmas.) During that same time period, I will have checked ballpark 35 homeworks and probably given 12 or so quizzes. In my school, it's 1/3 tests 1/3 quizzes and homeworks 1/3 trimester exam I'm fine with that; it puts on test approximately equivalent to 2-3 quizzes or 7 or so homeworks.
Quiz - 100 % (or 1x) Test - 200% (or 2x) End of unit exam 300% (or 3x) Homework - only SS/Sci, every 2 lessons, or writing a paragraph ea. week - 100% (or 1x)
I count daily assignments once and major tests and projects twice. Some years I have used weighted percentages. The splits varied from year to year, but were usually something like this: 50% daily grades, 50% major grades 35% daily grades, 65% major grades Also, I found that even when each category was weighted the same, the major grades still counted for more, because there were fewer of them.
Weights the same That's what my mentor was saying. She said she had played around with numbers a few years back and found that it didn't make too much of a difference. I'll have to look at that again. Thank you by the way.
Where I am my teachers have almost always done points, so that kids can easily figure out their own grade. For example, quizes = 25 points, tests = 100 points, homework = 15 points, and some add daily participation usually work 5 points a week...Then all the kids have to do is add them up and divide... 1 Test = 89/100 1 Quiz = 15/25 1 HW = 15/15 Total = 119/140 Grade = 119/140 = 85% = B (here anyways)
I teach History and Algebra I. Our Algebra I grading policies are set by the department chair and the are: 60% tests 25% quizzes 15% homework. For my history classes the grading varies by level and course organization. For AP US History I do 20% tests 20% trimester exam 20% quizzes 20% classwork/projects 20% homework.
I do total points, and sometimes I will make it worth more when I put it in the grade book (for example, spelling tests are graded out of 14 because there are 14 words, but I double it as 28 when I record it. It would confuse them if I did it on their papers, but it is recorded online that way for parents to see.
I should also add that within each catergory I assign grades as points earned/points total. This allows me to make some quizzes worth more than others, or some homeworks worth more than others. For example, in my Western Civlilzation I Honors class, last nights reading and taking notes was worth a 10 point homework grade, while tonights Comic Strip on the elements of Feudalism will be worth a 25 point homework grade as its more involved and they have until Monday to complete it.
