A great post about the grading system under 2.0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't "P" proficient? If she scored 100% she would get ES. Isn't that motivation for her -- to get ES?

At our school anything wrong in spelling gets you an "I" all correct is a "P". Love the consistency!!!

Our school too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yes, I agree completely as well.

I have given up on discerning any useful information from the report card - with the exception of the standardized test scores. That at least tells me something.

My 4th grade DD constantly misspells 1-2 words on her spelling test every week. And every week she receives a P. I know she is capable (with some more effort) of spelling 100% correctly. But how to motivate?

And for those who say that she should somehow be intrinsically motivated to do better (and not by grades), I say, get. real. Grades motivated me all the way through high school, to a top college, to a top law school, to a top law firm. What's wrong with being motivated to achieve a certain grade to achieve a goal?

Because I teach my kids to be motivated...I don't know... TO LEARN! The goal is TO LEARN, BE EDUCATED, HAVE KNOWLEDGE.
Why would the goal be to get a 'grade'? A grade is not a goal, it a measuring stick of how and what you HAVE LEARNED.
If you are teaching your kids that the goal is the grade and not the attainment of knowledge on which the grade is based...then baby you got all backwards!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes, I agree completely as well.

I have given up on discerning any useful information from the report card - with the exception of the standardized test scores. That at least tells me something.

My 4th grade DD constantly misspells 1-2 words on her spelling test every week. And every week she receives a P. I know she is capable (with some more effort) of spelling 100% correctly. But how to motivate?

And for those who say that she should somehow be intrinsically motivated to do better (and not by grades), I say, get. real. Grades motivated me all the way through high school, to a top college, to a top law school, to a top law firm. What's wrong with being motivated to achieve a certain grade to achieve a goal?

Because I teach my kids to be motivated...I don't know... TO LEARN! The goal is TO LEARN, BE EDUCATED, HAVE KNOWLEDGE.
Why would the goal be to get a 'grade'? A grade is not a goal, it a measuring stick of how and what you HAVE LEARNED.
If you are teaching your kids that the goal is the grade and not the attainment of knowledge on which the grade is based...then baby you got all backwards!

You are not thinking clearly. If the grade is a measuring stick of how you have learned. And the stick is not doing the job of providiing that feedback to students and parents, then that is a bad thing. Grade is not just there to provide bragging rights. The most important thing is to provide the feedback so that the students (and less importantly the parents) know how well they have learned

[Anonymous]

If MCPS wanted to get rid of the ES altogether, I wouldn't object.

I would propose MCPS leave the ES and the adult teacher supervision intact. Give children the option of continuing their studies with their own curriculum from home (eg., Thinkwell, EPGY, AoPS, Kahn, MOOC, Reading) at their pace. But, allow the children two 45 min periods of play. The quid pro quo in this arrangement: the kids (with their own curriculum) must take the MSAs for MCPS (like the other kids) so that Starr and his School Principals can brag around town how great their schools are when the MSA results come out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:yes, I agree completely as well.

I have given up on discerning any useful information from the report card - with the exception of the standardized test scores. That at least tells me something.

My 4th grade DD constantly misspells 1-2 words on her spelling test every week. And every week she receives a P. I know she is capable (with some more effort) of spelling 100% correctly. But how to motivate?

And for those who say that she should somehow be intrinsically motivated to do better (and not by grades), I say, get. real. Grades motivated me all the way through high school, to a top college, to a top law school, to a top law firm. What's wrong with being motivated to achieve a certain grade to achieve a goal?

Because I teach my kids to be motivated...I don't know... TO LEARN! The goal is TO LEARN, BE EDUCATED, HAVE KNOWLEDGE.
Why would the goal be to get a 'grade'? A grade is not a goal, it a measuring stick of how and what you HAVE LEARNED.
If you are teaching your kids that the goal is the grade and not the attainment of knowledge on which the grade is based...then baby you got all backwards!

You are not thinking clearly. If the grade is a measuring stick of how you have learned. And the stick is not doing the job of providiing that feedback to students and parents, then that is a bad thing. Grade is not just there to provide bragging rights. The most important thing is to provide the feedback so that the students (and less importantly the parents) know how well they have learned

1) I was responding solely to the issue of using a grade as a goal

2) No grading symbol (A, B, ES, P) is going to give you full feedback -- you need commentary for that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I cannot wait for the school system to change (provide pathways for appropriate challenge for all MCPS students) despite my protests I am resigned to use the Elementary School as a day care center where my children socialize with their friends under adult supervision. After a number of years in the MCPS system I'd be a fool if I trusted the school and their assessment metric for educating my children.

Unprovoked, all my children will affirm they have learned little in school (and only encountered one inspirational teacher in cumulative 10 years in the system -- 3 kids) and credit what they have learned outside the classroom (Kahn, AoPS, MOOC, parent instruction) as the reason for their acclaimed success and inside and outside of school.

As a reflect I can honestly, however regretfully, admit the MCPS school system (in the early and primary elementary and middle school years) has served as a day care center for all my children. Their education and intellectual stimulation was provided outside the system because MCPS failed to provide this for our own particular children.

Two out of 3 of the kids did wait to avail themselves of HGC and middle magnet opportunities but these programs were uneven -- largely weak in the humanities, languages, writing, and art.

Well aren't you (and your precious children) special. Be honest - would you be happy with any school - public or private?

[Anonymous]

My kids are older and get letter grades..but guess what 89.4 is a B and 89.5 is an A and so is 99.5. This is not such great feedback either..even before you add in teachers differences in grading.

[Anonymous]

100% correct on spelling is a P, not ES.

I don't know how many words you need to spell incorrectly to get an I.

There is no transparency about how the grade is calculated.

[Anonymous]

100% correct on spelling is a P, not ES.

I don't know how many words you need to spell incorrectly to get an I.

There is no transparency about how the grade is calculated.

7/10 is a P DS and his friends compared notes. DS stopped writing down the last 3 and told the teacher he knew it wouldn't matter. Smart kid. He still got Ps.

There is no transparency because the teachers have no clue on how to assess or assign grades in this system.

[Anonymous]

The meaningless grading system is why I would rather see the raw marks on the exam. And we all know we are not allowed to see those unless you jump through all the hoops.

[Anonymous]

To 11:10 Re: standardized test scores - the MSA isn't linked to 2.0 or the common core, so the scores are sort of meaningless. The MSA scores will likely be low and Starr will say that's because they don't test what the kids are learning (which is true). That's why Starr wanted mcps to get a waiver so they wouldn't have to administer the MSAs.

[Anonymous]

To 11:10 Re: standardized test scores - the MSA isn't linked to 2.0 or the common core, so the scores are sort of meaningless. The MSA scores will likely be low and Starr will say that's because they don't test what the kids are learning (which is true). That's why Starr wanted mcps to get a waiver so they wouldn't have to administer the MSAs.

If we were talking about high school level specific subject courses not aligning then this would hold water. The MSA and other statewide tests outside of Maryland test basic concepts. If a 3rd graders used to be able to answer a 2 or 3 digit subtraction question under the old system, they should be able to answer it in the new system as well.

The new curriculum presents screwy and ineffective ways to present math but they can't change the basic outcomes in math. The outcome or answer is what counts on the MSA, PARCC, or any other test.

Parents should see the drop in MSA math performance for what it really represents, a drop in fluency and ability for students to answer basic math problems. MCPS dumbed down math and pushed back what 3rd - middle schoolers are taught. The results are poor performance on tests that test math skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Parents should see the drop in MSA math performance for what it really represents, a drop in fluency and ability for students to answer basic math problems. MCPS dumbed down math and pushed back what 3rd - middle schoolers are taught. The results are poor performance on tests that test math skills.

I agree, my 3rd grader says the MSA math practice tests are the most fun and challenging work they have done all year.