Just recently I had the pleasure of being interviewed once again by Larry Ferlazzo for his amazing BAM Radio Network show, Classroom Q and A. Larry also shared a written commentary I wrote for his EdWeek column that goes with the show on Grading. My commentary focused on gamifying the grading process to make it …
Category: Assessment
These are my blogs that have to do with assessment in education.
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2019/10/08/talking-about-grading-with-larry-ferlazzo/
May 18
Teacher Motivation
One of my blog posts sparked a comment where the question of teacher motivation came up. Specifically if tying standardized test scores to teacher evaluation can be motivating to teachers. What follows is the comment along with the questions and my response: “Good luck with your efforts. Truly shameful that you’re not getting enough support …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2015/05/18/teacher-motivation/
Apr 28
SBAC Triples Time Testing
Sometimes tripling something can be good. Maybe not all that good for you, but good. Other times tripling something isn’t all that good for you and isn’t good any way you slice it. Sometimes it only benefits those in power. That tends to be the case with the form of assessment known as standardized testing. …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2015/04/28/sbac-triples-time-testing/
Jul 27
Grading to Inform
There’s a lot of discussion around grading and specifically how traditional grading falls short of informing how well students are doing in a class. Letter grades and percentages do not inform students and their parents as to how well they are learning the material. That one final letter or final percentage includes way too much …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/07/27/grading-to-inform/
Jul 26
Proficiency Scales vs Rubrics
In the Marzano Research Laboratory online course I’m taking on Formative Assessment and Standards-Based Grading a distinction was made between Rubrics and what are known as Proficiency Scales. I have to admit that I’m having a difficult time understanding the difference between the two. Honestly, they both seem like rubrics to me! This blog post …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/07/26/proficiency-scales-vs-rubrics/
Jul 21
The Inaccuracy of Tests
I’m taking an online course, Formative Assessment and Standards-Based Grading, from the Marzano Research Laboratory, and it’s reinforcing what I’ve believed about how subjective it is to grade and score kids on their learning. As teachers we strive to assess our students’learning as accurately as possible. The truth is that an A in my class …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/07/21/the-inaccuracy-of-tests/
Jul 20
Sharing Learning Expectations
After retweeting this Science Teacher’s blog post on Twitter about sharing standards with Science students I had this conversation with David Grossman: Letting Students in on the Secret | Science Teacher In Training #scichat #afl http://t.co/ALfC9NqScC — Alfonso Gonzalez (@educatoral) June 21, 2014 @educatoral Sometimes I want students to discover the concept like a …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/07/20/sharing-learning-expectations-2/
Feb 07
Test Remediation
I have question about standardized test remediation courses. I know the answer to my question but I still have a strong, almost masochistic, desire to ask it. So let me start with the answer to my question. “You’re right, Al, and I agree with everything you say but (yes, I, Al, know there is a …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/02/07/test-remediation/
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/01/30/another-problem-with-standardized-testing/
Jan 27
1st Semester Assessment
Peer and self assessment are both strategies used in Assessment for Learning (AfL). When it comes to assessment time, midterms and end of semester I survey all my students to get some insight into how they are learning, what they are learning, and if they need anything different from me. One thing I’ve learned over …
Permanent link to this article: https://educatoral.com/wordpress/2014/01/27/1st-semester-assessment/
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