Rolling gradebook?

[Anonymous]

Help me understand

So a child who did well the first 3 quarters and excelled at skills but had a bad 4th quarter would end up with a lower grade because he/she has now unlearned the skills they learned?

On the other hand, a student who did not learn well the first 3 quaters, but now excelling in 4th quarter will now earn better grades than the former student.

I do not understand the skills part, you either understand a topic or not. Say photosysthesis was 1st chapter. What has that to do with the last chapter say genetics in biology? How can doing well in last chapter say anything about doing poorly in the 1st chapter. The old method assessed knowledge of each chapter.

Same for math or even history.

You don't know anything about Egyptian empire but by the end of the year you know everything about Incas, and now your skills improved?

Maybe I am understanding this whole thing wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help me understand

So a child who did well the first 3 quarters and excelled at skills but had a bad 4th quarter would end up with a lower grade because he/she has now unlearned the skills they learned?

On the other hand, a student who did not learn well the first 3 quaters, but now excelling in 4th quarter will now earn better grades than the former student.

I do not understand the skills part, you either understand a topic or not. Say photosysthesis was 1st chapter. What has that to do with the last chapter say genetics in biology? How can doing well in last chapter say anything about doing poorly in the 1st chapter. The old method assessed knowledge of each chapter.

Same for math or even history.

You don't know anything about Egyptian empire but by the end of the year you know everything about Incas, and now your skills improved?

Maybe I am understanding this whole thing wrong.

It really only makes sense at schools that use a final exam approach where you are assessed at the end on the full year’s learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Help me understand

So a child who did well the first 3 quarters and excelled at skills but had a bad 4th quarter would end up with a lower grade because he/she has now unlearned the skills they learned?

On the other hand, a student who did not learn well the first 3 quaters, but now excelling in 4th quarter will now earn better grades than the former student.

I do not understand the skills part, you either understand a topic or not. Say photosysthesis was 1st chapter. What has that to do with the last chapter say genetics in biology? How can doing well in last chapter say anything about doing poorly in the 1st chapter. The old method assessed knowledge of each chapter.

Same for math or even history.

You don't know anything about Egyptian empire but by the end of the year you know everything about Incas, and now your skills improved?

Maybe I am understanding this whole thing wrong.

Yes. You are not understanding it correctly and I suggest you re-read the prior posts. I can't explain it yet again. Or ask at your next PTA mrg. Maybe you'll understand a verbal explanation better. I guess you too need more than one chance to master a concept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP, No matter how often you post that it's opaque doesn't make it so.

Our children know much more, at any given point ,than I and my peers knew back in the '70s, '80s, and 90s. This is indisputable so It really falls back on people not liking any change.

Education must be doing something right because students are going to college and record levels. Applying in record levels. And they have much broader skills and knowledge base.

But isn’t also true that a higher percentage of students are arriving at college unprepared? More college kids take remedial classes today than in the past. Things they should have learned before graduating HS.

- Pro-rolling grade book but frustrated that it negatively impacts the non-content based skills such as time management (HUGE problem). This is like gluing notes in notebooks — learning how to note take has been lost when it used to start in ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help me understand

So a child who did well the first 3 quarters and excelled at skills but had a bad 4th quarter would end up with a lower grade because he/she has now unlearned the skills they learned?

On the other hand, a student who did not learn well the first 3 quaters, but now excelling in 4th quarter will now earn better grades than the former student.

I do not understand the skills part, you either understand a topic or not. Say photosysthesis was 1st chapter. What has that to do with the last chapter say genetics in biology? How can doing well in last chapter say anything about doing poorly in the 1st chapter. The old method assessed knowledge of each chapter.

Same for math or even history.

You don't know anything about Egyptian empire but by the end of the year you know everything about Incas, and now your skills improved?

Maybe I am understanding this whole thing wrong.

It really only makes sense at schools that use a final exam approach where you are assessed at the end on the full year’s learning.

DP. This answer, sheesh. "Mastery based grading is transparent but I'm not going to explain it to you. It's easy to understand so if you don't understand it, then that's your fault." SMH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP, No matter how often you post that it's opaque doesn't make it so.

Our children know much more, at any given point ,than I and my peers knew back in the '70s, '80s, and 90s. This is indisputable so It really falls back on people not liking any change.

Education must be doing something right because students are going to college and record levels. Applying in record levels. And they have much broader skills and knowledge base.

But isn’t also true that a higher percentage of students are arriving at college unprepared? More college kids take remedial classes today than in the past. Things they should have learned before graduating HS.

- Pro-rolling grade book but frustrated that it negatively impacts the non-content based skills such as time management (HUGE problem). This is like gluing notes in notebooks — learning how to note take has been lost when it used to start in ES.

I should also say that the multiple retakes acceptance of late homework is a bigger issue re: time management. And the multiple retakes / late homework is enabled by the rolling grade book. I like that kids can continue to work on something over the course of the class, but still it negatively impacts time management. These are teens … many who will procrastinate to their own detriment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP, No matter how often you post that it's opaque doesn't make it so.

Our children know much more, at any given point ,than I and my peers knew back in the '70s, '80s, and 90s. This is indisputable so It really falls back on people not liking any change.

Education must be doing something right because students are going to college and record levels. Applying in record levels. And they have much broader skills and knowledge base.

But isn’t also true that a higher percentage of students are arriving at college unprepared? More college kids take remedial classes today than in the past. Things they should have learned before graduating HS.

- Pro-rolling grade book but frustrated that it negatively impacts the non-content based skills such as time management (HUGE problem). This is like gluing notes in notebooks — learning how to note take has been lost when it used to start in ES.

I should also say that the multiple retakes acceptance of late homework is a bigger issue re: time management. And the multiple retakes / late homework is enabled by the rolling grade book. I like that kids can continue to work on something over the course of the class, but still it negatively impacts time management. These are teens … many who will procrastinate to their own detriment.

This is a good point. Having quarterly grades forces kids to bring themselves up-to-date since they can't submit afterward and they know they will be graded on what's submitted by the deadline. This ensures that they don't slip too far behind in the class. How does it work with rolling grade book? Do teachers accept work & give credit whenever, even if it comes in after quarter end?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP, No matter how often you post that it's opaque doesn't make it so.

Our children know much more, at any given point ,than I and my peers knew back in the '70s, '80s, and 90s. This is indisputable so It really falls back on people not liking any change.

Education must be doing something right because students are going to college and record levels. Applying in record levels. And they have much broader skills and knowledge base.

But isn’t also true that a higher percentage of students are arriving at college unprepared? More college kids take remedial classes today than in the past. Things they should have learned before graduating HS.

- Pro-rolling grade book but frustrated that it negatively impacts the non-content based skills such as time management (HUGE problem). This is like gluing notes in notebooks — learning how to note take has been lost when it used to start in ES.

I should also say that the multiple retakes acceptance of late homework is a bigger issue re: time management. And the multiple retakes / late homework is enabled by the rolling grade book. I like that kids can continue to work on something over the course of the class, but still it negatively impacts time management. These are teens … many who will procrastinate to their own detriment.

This is a good point. Having quarterly grades forces kids to bring themselves up-to-date since they can't submit afterward and they know they will be graded on what's submitted by the deadline. This ensures that they don't slip too far behind in the class. How does it work with rolling grade book? Do teachers accept work & give credit whenever, even if it comes in after quarter end?

My undersanding is that teachers only accept late work for 2 weeks from deadline where you can earn 90%. After that you get a 50%.

[Anonymous]

A rolling gradebook is a mathematically accurate way to calculate final grades. For a teacher who put in the same 9 assignments in ever quarter, there is no difference in the end result. For a teacher who put in 2 grades 1st quarter and 22 4th quarter, this smooths it out. Teachers no longer have to cram units to fit in before the end of the quarter, because testing the following week is no big deal. It's lovely. Quarter grades are just a "here's where you are now, heads up!" type thing.

The time management piece is separate and does not need to be lumped into it. That is an individual school/teacher decision to accept late work or not. Our school's rule is 10 days with a late penalty. It was that way before the rolling gradebook and after.

--High school math teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP, No matter how often you post that it's opaque doesn't make it so.

Our children know much more, at any given point ,than I and my peers knew back in the '70s, '80s, and 90s. This is indisputable so It really falls back on people not liking any change.

Education must be doing something right because students are going to college and record levels. Applying in record levels. And they have much broader skills and knowledge base.

But isn’t also true that a higher percentage of students are arriving at college unprepared? More college kids take remedial classes today than in the past. Things they should have learned before graduating HS.

- Pro-rolling grade book but frustrated that it negatively impacts the non-content based skills such as time management (HUGE problem). This is like gluing notes in notebooks — learning how to note take has been lost when it used to start in ES.

I should also say that the multiple retakes acceptance of late homework is a bigger issue re: time management. And the multiple retakes / late homework is enabled by the rolling grade book. I like that kids can continue to work on something over the course of the class, but still it negatively impacts time management. These are teens … many who will procrastinate to their own detriment.

This is a good point. Having quarterly grades forces kids to bring themselves up-to-date since they can't submit afterward and they know they will be graded on what's submitted by the deadline. This ensures that they don't slip too far behind in the class. How does it work with rolling grade book? Do teachers accept work & give credit whenever, even if it comes in after quarter end?

My undersanding is that teachers only accept late work for 2 weeks from deadline where you can earn 90%. After that you get a 50%.

So rolling grade books could accept work after the end of quarter but with a grade penalty as described? Does the above late submission sequence also apply for traditional quarterly grading, with the exception that everything must be in by quarter end?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A rolling gradebook is a mathematically accurate way to calculate final grades. For a teacher who put in the same 9 assignments in ever quarter, there is no difference in the end result. For a teacher who put in 2 grades 1st quarter and 22 4th quarter, this smooths it out. Teachers no longer have to cram units to fit in before the end of the quarter, because testing the following week is no big deal. It's lovely. Quarter grades are just a "here's where you are now, heads up!" type thing.

The time management piece is separate and does not need to be lumped into it. That is an individual school/teacher decision to accept late work or not. Our school's rule is 10 days with a late penalty. It was that way before the rolling gradebook and after.

--High school math teacher

Thanks. Just saw that you answered my previous question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Help me understand

So a child who did well the first 3 quarters and excelled at skills but had a bad 4th quarter would end up with a lower grade because he/she has now unlearned the skills they learned?

On the other hand, a student who did not learn well the first 3 quaters, but now excelling in 4th quarter will now earn better grades than the former student.

I do not understand the skills part, you either understand a topic or not. Say photosysthesis was 1st chapter. What has that to do with the last chapter say genetics in biology? How can doing well in last chapter say anything about doing poorly in the 1st chapter. The old method assessed knowledge of each chapter.

Same for math or even history.

You don't know anything about Egyptian empire but by the end of the year you know everything about Incas, and now your skills improved?

Maybe I am understanding this whole thing wrong.

It really only makes sense at schools that use a final exam approach where you are assessed at the end on the full year’s learning.

DP. This answer, sheesh. "Mastery based grading is transparent but I'm not going to explain it to you. It's easy to understand so if you don't understand it, then that's your fault." SMH

Yeah. I feel sorry for kids in this arrogant teacher's class.

[Anonymous]

Try to do a little research yourself. And also try to use a little bit of common sense. Of course your grade on the genetics test in 4th quarter isn't going to replace your grade on photosynthesis in the 1st quarter. Those are different sets of information/skills. You can't ignore the first 8 months of school and then ace the last month to finish with an A. Doesn't work like that.

Available information: https://www.fcps.edu/academics/grading-and-reporting/secondary/grading-assignments-and-assessments

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/grading-and-reporting/secondary/grading-design

https://www.fcps.edu/academics/grading-and-reporting/elementary-school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in MS and HS it gives kids too many opportunities to be lazy and turn in work late. No firm deadlines is terrible for teens.

You are blaming "rolling grade book" for something that is a separate policy decision (re: how long students can turn in late work). That is not a feature of a rolling gradebook.

A rolling gradebook means all tests have equal weight -- regardless of WHEN in the year or which quarter the test was given. Rolling gradebook is more accurate and fair to students.

Policies about late work are separate from the policy to use a rolling gradebook.

Well, according to my teens the Cs they just got don't matter because they are using rolling gradebook and they can make it up anytime...

Be wary of starting sentences with “according to my teens,” when said teens are trying to justify bad grades. They certainly can do better in the class and gradually get the grade up over the rest of the year. If they start working now. But the book is closed on first quarter.

I don’t know your HS, but my kids went to two different HS and all of their teachers, across 4 years, had a hard stop on makeup work at the end of each quarter. Unless your kid has missed a ton of school because they were hospitalized this month or something else very out of the ordinary, the C won’t move and they cannot “make it up”. The quarter is over. Tell them to study and do the work next quarter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in MS and HS it gives kids too many opportunities to be lazy and turn in work late. No firm deadlines is terrible for teens.

You are blaming "rolling grade book" for something that is a separate policy decision (re: how long students can turn in late work). That is not a feature of a rolling gradebook.

A rolling gradebook means all tests have equal weight -- regardless of WHEN in the year or which quarter the test was given. Rolling gradebook is more accurate and fair to students.

Policies about late work are separate from the policy to use a rolling gradebook.

Well, according to my teens the Cs they just got don't matter because they are using rolling gradebook and they can make it up anytime...

Be wary of starting sentences with “according to my teens,” when said teens are trying to justify bad grades. They certainly can do better in the class and gradually get the grade up over the rest of the year. If they start working now. But the book is closed on first quarter.

I don’t know your HS, but my kids went to two different HS and all of their teachers, across 4 years, had a hard stop on makeup work at the end of each quarter. Unless your kid has missed a ton of school because they were hospitalized this month or something else very out of the ordinary, the C won’t move and they cannot “make it up”. The quarter is over. Tell them to study and do the work next quarter.

So your kids have graduated. Did they have rolling grade book or mastery based grading? Or both?