Take 2

     Should we allow students do-overs? Re-dos? Re-takes? Second chances?

     Here's one lady's answer: pretty much, yes.

     Here's one lady's reasons:

     First, you'll have to agree with me (and a bunch of educational researchers and writers) on what a grade truly signifies. A grade should denote a student's level of mastery of a standard (or standards). This is what a grade means in standards-based education. Are things like participation, attendance, effort, attitude, and responsibility important? Yes, definitely. Without a doubt. BUT, when we factor these into how we assign a grade to a student, we are muddying the waters. Now, the grade doesn't really tell us the level to which the student mastered the standard. It's trying to tell us a whole bunch of things and, most likely, failing to paint a very specific picture.

     Now, there are ways to still foster effort, responsibility, and attitude without including these factors in a grade. But, for today, let's just focus on how the above definition of a grade informs the idea of student re-dos and re-takes. If we are teaching in a differentiated classroom, we are honoring the idea that not every student is going to master a standard at the exact same time, right? So, if we give a test on day X, and some students get a D or an F on this test on day X, does that mean it's over for them? They'll never learn the concept or master the standard? If we are teaching in a differentiated classroom, we know the answer to these questions is no. Of course not. These students might master the standard with some extra support a few days or weeks from now. So, they should be given a chance at that point to demonstrate this mastery to us through a re-do. The re-do may or may not be the same exact test, but it is testing the students on the same performance standard. If they can't do it on day X, but can do it on day Y (or Z, or A...), then shouldn't their grade reflect when they can do it, instead of when they couldn't?

     Also, should the opportunity to prove mastery of a standard only be extended to students who get a D or an F? What about the student who got a B? Can't they have the opportunity, if they want it, to continue their work towards this standard and, when they've mastered it, demonstrate this to us? Should we ever turn down a student's wish to continue to work toward mastery? 

     I know there are lots of issues that arise when we start to think about changing our grading practices. And I know this one blog entry does not come even remotely close to discussing those issues. But thinking about why we give grades -- and how that "why" impacts our grading practices -- is a good starting point.

     Interested in thinking more about this? Contact me if you want to investigate your grading practices and what it would mean for your students to do re-takes. Take a look at Rick Wormeli's (2006) book, Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom.

     OR, (shameless plug alert!) you could sign up for my summer workshop (provided you teach in the same district as me) on practical approaches to differentiation in the classroom. I promise we'll get into the idea of grading and assessing in differentiated classrooms (and much, much more!).