Hi!
So I'm working through "presentations of knowledge" (as I call them) for
our "Is Science's Power overwhelming?" unit, and I'm struggling with
questions of assessment.
We have a jointly-designed checklist which is meant to focus on generic
writing skills (clear topics, smooth transitions, unity of paragraphs,
etc.) which are universal to writers at any level and within many genres
(we do develop new checklists when it's obvious we need them). It's simple
and easy to use, and most all the kids are now doing a pretty good job of
meeting most all these standards. So here's my dilemma - some of them are
clearly writing at a much more sophisticated level than others, which
could partially be developmental (some just may not be ready for intense
abstract thought, whereas others have such a capacity for abstract thought
that they're stretching me), partially related to different choices in
content ("Is global warming happening and what can we do?" vs. "Technology
and Industrial Development vs. Environmental Health"), and of course
affected by still other factors I'm still working to untangle. So I'm
sitting here looking with two papers which are written at vastly differing
intellectual levels, yet both of which show solid general writing skills,
and I'm thinking both kids worked hard, worked effectively, and pushed
themselves up a level from where they were before. On the one hand, you
can argue they both deserve A's. On the other hand, one is clearly much
more advanced than the other, and you can argue the grade should reflect
that.
I know, I know, the issue isn't assessing per se, it's assigning a grade.
And yes, I want to do away with grading some day. But for now, I'm stuck
with it. So, what would you all do in my situation, and for what reasons?
Take care,
Bill Ivey
Stoneleigh-Burnham School
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