A Short Grading Glossary
It's report card season again, but grading is no longer as simple as ABC. The following glossary will help you understand the various grading methods your school may be using this year.
Grading on a curve: Students are graded based on their relative performances -- the top students earn As, the next earn Bs, and so on, regardless of their actual scores.
Performance assessment: Students are required to perform hands-on tasks, such as preparing a report or conducting a science experiment.
Portfolio assessment: A portfolio is an organized collection of a student's work over the course of a year. It demonstrates a student's knowledge and skills and often includes some form of student self-reflection.
Rubric: This is a set of rules for scoring a student's work consistently. For example, "An 'A' essay meets the following requirements..." Students are shown ahead of time what will be expected of them.
For a full glossary of educational terms and other parent involvement tips, pick up a copy of Improving Your Child's Education: A Parent's Handbook for Working with Schools by Chrys Dougherty ($9.95 from Omni Publishers, San Antonio, 1-800-375-1711).
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