1. Using Essential Questions Instead
of Multiple Prayer Tests
(Dipping my toe into the pool of
Standards Based Grading)
Eric Langhorst
Photo by beexxohh, Flickr South Valley Jr. High - Liberty, Missouri

2. Eric Langhorst
8th Grade American History
South Valley Junior High
Liberty, Missouri
speakingofhistory@gmail.com
Twitter : @elanghorst
www.speakingofhistory.com

3. If you give me your e-mail,
I will send you this presentation
and the link to my Diigo list on
Standards Based Grading
http://www.diigo.com/list/ericlanghorst/
standards-based-grading

4. Hi. My name is Eric and I have a
grading problem.

5. My Standards Based Journey
Photo from Echo9er, Flickr

6. My Standards Based Journey
How I have assessed students in the past

7. My Standards Based Journey
How I have assessed students in the past
Why I think I need to change my grading
practices

8. My Standards Based Journey
How I have assessed students in the past
Why I think I need to change my grading
practices
What is Standards Based Grading

9. My Standards Based Journey
How I have assessed students in the past
Why I think I need to change my grading
practices
What is Standards Based Grading
Creating my foundation for Standards
Based Grading

10. My Standards Based Journey
How I have assessed students in the past
Why I think I need to change my grading
practices
What is Standards Based Grading
Creating my foundation for Standards Based
Grading

11. The Past
How did I get here?

12. How I have assessed students in
the past
Multiple choice tests at end of unit

13. How I have assessed students in
the past
Some projects / assignments during
unit

14. How I have assessed students in
the past
Points taken off for late work

15. How I have assessed students in
the past
If work is not turned on time then
assigned a 0

16. Why Change?
Why should I create
chaos for myself?

17. Why I think I need to change my
grading practices
Just move on after the unit test, no
chance to reteach or help students
master the standard

18. Why I think I need to change my
grading practices
Becomes hopeless if miss a couple of
assignments

19. Why I think I need to change my
grading practices
Grades depend as much on timing as
knowledge

20. Why I think I need to change my
grading practices
Grade didn’t really reflect how much the
student learned

21. Why I think I need to change my
grading practices
Is the grade I give my students based
on their learning or “The Promise”

22. What is Standards
Based Grading?
Basic concepts

23. What is Standards Based Grading
Student achievement is divided into
specific tasks instead of an overall
grade for an entire course
The specific tasks are generally
determined by state and local
standards

24. ―Think of a baseball card — when you looked at Mickey
Mantle’s card, it didn’t say an A on the back.
It included his fielding average, hitting average,
homeruns — then you know why he’s a good player.
Why would we give a student just one grade?‖
– Robert Marzano

25. What is Standards Based Grading
Students provided more feedback
on their performance on the
assessment
Students are provided opportunities
to take the assessment again

26. What is Standards Based Grading
The emphasis for the “grades” are
placed on specific formative
assessments, not on smaller
assignments or homework

27. Next Year
My plan for 2011/12

28. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Dividing each unit I teach into the
standards required by the state and my
district for 8th grade social studies

29. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Creating essential skills to match my
Articles of the Week assignments

30. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Developing more ways to model and
demonstrate what quality work is in my
class

31. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Providing more feedback to students
through frequent formative
assessments – exit cards, clickers,
reflections

32. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Creating a system to allow students to
retake assessments when they have
demonstrated they have done
additional work

33. Rick Wormeli – video from YouTube http://youtu.be/TM-3PFfIfvI

34. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Adjusting the 1,2,3,4 scale to the 100
point system for the gradebook
100%

35. Next year our district will use this
conversion for teachers using standard
based grading
4 100
3.5 98
3 93
2.5 85
2 78
1.5 70
1 65
.5 60

36. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Communicating the new system with
parents and providing updates on its
implementation

37. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Creating a system to manage scores on
assessments and attempts by students

38. Creating my foundation for
Standards Based Grading
Include a portion on the grade report for
effort, discipline, tardies, attendance

39. Using Essential Questions Instead
of Multiple Prayer Tests
(Dipping my toe into the pool of
Standards Based Grading)
Eric Langhorst
Photo by beexxohh, Flickr South Valley Jr. High - Liberty, Missouri