I still put in a lot of time and energy into my teaching, but because I have changed the way I ask students to reflect on their own learning, it doesn't drain the life out of me anymore. In fact, meeting the 48 hour turnaround time is easier now than it ever was. Here are some specific changes I have made to get students be more independent as they reflect on their learning.
1. I started with a student evaluation form attached to every test. Now when I hand back a graded test, we have more to talk about than the score at the top. I recorded a podcast about how I create the form and use it in class here http://missgrayscience.weebly.com/flipped-classroom.html. I have made some changes since then that I think make the form a little easier for students to decipher - mainly reorganizing it by learning objective so students can more easily which topics they have mastered and which topics they still need to work on. Here is an example from my chemistry class.
unit_2_test_student_self_evaluation.docx |
3. I changed from traditional grades to criterion-referenced grades. Students no longer receive "points" for compliance or assignment completion. They get the feedback they need as they make progress towards mastery. Their scores on frequent quizzes and longer tests provides evidence of learning. Students get a scale at the beginning of each unit so they know what mastery looks like and we can set goals together.
unit_2-_learning_scales.docx |
http://missgrayscience.weebly.com/flipped-classroom.html, I have made some adjustments to my grading. The main difference is that I don't have grades that are scored out of 100% included in the average - everything is based on the 4 point scale. I either use a scaffolded quiz, with the 3 and 4 level questions set apart from level 1 and 2, or I use the self evaluation forms from the test to determine the students level of mastery on the scale. If the assignments are graded using a percent, I can convert it to a scale. Getting 3s and 4s takes work and it's a high standard. Making a 2, which would be interpreted as 50%, is C level work (kind of like a GPA scale). So when parents look at the grade, their kid's letter grade does not seem to match the percent. It does NOT mean that kids can get a 50% on the test and be rewarded with a C! They must get at least a 70% on the test in order to earn a 2 (C). Here is the translation from scale scores to percents.
generic_grading_scale_100_points.xlsx |
These three changes have made the most impact on the way I use my time both inside and outside of class. It has provided me with the freedom to develop more meaningful and engaging face-to-face encounters with my students because I don't spend my evenings grading every assignment they do. My time and energy can be devoted to the most important things and I don't resent the lack of appreciation or the apathy from my students like I did before. Since I have more time to develop positive relationships, I have more students who are willing to do the work I am asking them to do because they know I care deeply about them and their success. My students are more reflective learners, which makes them better at learning in every academic area.