Philosophy
I believe that my job as a middle level educator is to help students become self-disciplined and to encourage them to respect themselves and others, so that they can be successful in high school, college and life.
Grading
The grades that a student in my classroom earns are a reflection of their knowledge of the science concepts which I have taught them.
The following list/description details specific types of student assessments that are represented in each of the marking period grades for my class.
The assessments that I use in any marking period may vary. The concepts being taught in a particular marking period influence my choices as to which assessments to use. Therefore, there will be marking periods when I choose not to use all of those that are listed below.
classwork - assignments, other than labs, given and completed in my room
notes - assignments completed in throughout a marking period
(diagrams, charts, graphic organizers, etc.)
homework - assignments, other than labs, relevant to the concepts being
taught, graded after it has been determined that students
understood my expectations and have been given an opportunity
to receive assistance from me
labs- assignments where students use classroom materials and answer
questions to assess the understanding of concepts
projects - long term assignments by which students display their knowledge of
concepts (completed in school)
quizzes & tests - written assessments completed entirely in the classroom
take home quizzes - written assessments completed outside of the classroom
Marking period grades are calculated using the following weightings for each specific type of assessment. I have also included the mathematical formula that I use in grade calculations.
extended practice (classwork, notes & homework) SAMPLE
(total points earned/total points available) 10% (147/159)10% = 9.25
labs & projects
(total points earned/total points available) 25% (103/125)25% = 20.60
quizzes (in class and take-homes)
(total points earned/total points available) 25% (120/140)25% = 21.43
tests
(total points earned/total points available) 40% (120/150)40% = 32.00
TOTAL 83.28
ROUNDED
