Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessment & Grading in the Differentiated Classroom

by Rick Wormeli

Overview

Differentiated instruction is a nice idea, but what happens when it comes to assessing and grading students? How can you capture student progress, growth, and soft skill development and still provide an equitable grading environment?' An internationally recognized expert on grading practices, author Rick Wormeli revisits these questions in this thoroughly updated second edition of Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessment and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom.' Wormeli reflects on current grading and assessment practices and how they can exist with high-stakes, accountable classrooms. Important and sometimes controversial issues are tackled constructively in this book, incorporating modern pedagogy and addressing the challenges of teaching diverse groups of students across all learning levels.' Middle- and high-school educators will easily recognize' gray areas of grading and how important it is to have a shared school vision. In this second edition, new sections address sports eligibility, honor roll, descriptive feedback techniques, and gifted/talented students.' Previous chapters on test questions, redos/retakes, grading scales, and grading effort and behavior have been revised extensively. This important book clearly explains the principles behind best grading practices so that you' re ready for all grading questions or scenarios that you may encounter in your classrooms and schools.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781625310170
Publisher:	Stenhouse Publishers
Publication date:	04/06/2018
Edition description:	second edition
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	5 - 17 Years

About the Author

Rick Wormeli is a National Board Certified Teacher and a columnist for Middle Ground magazine. The winner of Disney's American Teacher Award for English in 1996, Rick is an internationally known speaker on middle-level education, innovation, and teacher professionalism. Rick offers a wealth of experience having worked as a middle grades teacher, human growth and development teacher, and staff development educator. He is also an educational consultant to National Public Radio, USA Today, and the Smithsonian Institute. Rick has presented at the White House, has appeared on Good Morning America, and has worked with school districts all across the country.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xi

Section I Differentiation And Mastery 1

Chapter 1 Fair to All: The Mind-Set for Differentiated Instruction 3

Chapter 2 Principled Assessment and Grading 11

Chapter 3 Mastery 21

Section II Assessment 33

Chapter 4 Assessment: Begin with the End in Mind 35

Chapter 5 Descriptive Feedback and Student Self-Assessment 47

Chapter 6 Principles of Effective Assessments for the Differentiated Classroom 63

Chapter 7 Assessment Integral to Lesson Design 79

Chapter 8 Tiering Assessments 87

Chapter 9 Rubrics 111

Chapter 10 Creating Good Test Questions 159

Section III Grading 143

Chapter 11 The Relative Nature of Grades and Their Definitions 145

Chapter 12 Why Do We Grade, and What About Effort, Attendance, and Behavior? 159

Chapter 13 Honor Roll? 179

Chapter 14 It's Time to Stop Averaging 185

Chapter 15 Ten Grading Practices to Avoid 191

Chapter 16 Redos and Retakes 209

Chapter 17 Five Burning Grading Issues 225

Chapter 18 Grading Scales 241

Chapter 19 Gradebooks and Report Cards 251

Chapter 20 Putting It All Together: How Do Differentiating Teachers Assess and Grade Differently? 277

Glossary 283

Bibliography 285

Index 295