Starting students out with 100%

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Testing and Grading Chatboard

Starting students out with 100%

by CJ

Sep 2, 2011

Hello all,

I have a question. I've allowed to do this, I would like to start my students off with 100% grade in the beginning of the school year. However, I've been trying to research methods of doing this, how to calculate each aspect like homework, tests, etc into the already given 100% grade. I'm stumped. Any ideas and/or links would be greatly appreciated on this!

Thanks CJ!

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Samantha This is certainly a different approach, but I worry about the concept. Grades are something to be earned, not given. Students start off with no mastery (or little mastery) of the new material they are to learn in a course. Their grade is supposed to be representative of the level of mastery they have demonstrated. Doing things this way says I am go...See More

Sep 15, 2011

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Tried that I agree with Samantha. I tried this a couple of years ago (with administration encouraging such ways to "empower" students to "feel successful"). All that ended up happening is students sat and didn't do anything, much of the time - figuring they had all that positive grade to squander all the way down to D-minus - which is not really the way I adm...See MoreI agree with Samantha. I tried this a couple of years ago (with administration encouraging such ways to "empower" students to "feel successful"). All that ended up happening is students sat and didn't do anything, much of the time - figuring they had all that positive grade to squander all the way down to D-minus - which is not really the way I administered grading, of course, because how much do you really subtract from a full-term or full-year 100% with each assignment?

I quickly found it to be a DISincentive for students. Now, I grade assignments individually by adding points on each question rather than subtracting. My method still isn't perfect, but I feel better telling students that they are being rewarded for what they know rather than penalized for what they don't.

On 9/15/11, Samantha wrote: > This is certainly a different approach, but I worry about the > concept. Grades are something to be earned, not given. > Students start off with no mastery (or little mastery) of the > new material they are to learn in a course. Their grade is > supposed to be representative of the level of mastery they > have demonstrated. Doing things this way says I am going to > assume you have mastered everything and if I find out you > haven't, I am going to punish you. The grade building from 0% > up says "look how much you have learned", the other way around > says "look how much you haven't". It may seem like a more > positive approach at first, but in the long run robs students > of seeing the grade as representative of their growth and > focuses on what they haven't been able to achieve. Their > grade will literally go downhill for all but a few. > > I am sure you have your own philosophy as to why this will be > beneficial. I would be interested in hearing it as I am sure > there are things that I haven't thought of. > > On 9/02/11, CJ wrote: >> Hello all, >> >> I have a question. I've allowed to do this, I would like to >> start my students off with 100% grade in the beginning of >> the school year. However, I've been trying to research >> methods of doing this, how to calculate each aspect like >> homework, tests, etc into the already given 100% grade. I'm >> stumped. Any ideas and/or links would be greatly >> appreciated on this! >> >> Thanks CJ!

Oct 29, 2012

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I don't understand the question.. Isn't starting with 100 how most of us grade??

A) A blank test is assumed to be a 100.

B) As you grade it, you take off points for wrong answers--and add points for excellent answers, answering hard questions correctly, etc. if you want to.

C) How ever many points are left after you grade it is the grade. If Charlie got...See MoreIsn't starting with 100 how most of us grade??

A) A blank test is assumed to be a 100.

B) As you grade it, you take off points for wrong answers--and add points for excellent answers, answering hard questions correctly, etc. if you want to.

C) How ever many points are left after you grade it is the grade. If Charlie got 73/100 points plus he answered a bonus question correctly so that's plus 2.. Charlie now has 75/100; that's his grade on the test. (If grades were low so you gave everyone 5/100 now charlie has 80/100.)

A homework average is assumed to be "set" at 100. If there were 20 assignments in this grading period each one missing means that grade is lowered by 5. A late assignment or an assignment not adequately done could drop a the grade by 2.5 or you can grade the assignments from 0-5 and give them points.

How else would you grade?? "Starting with zero" would just mean a blank test is 0 and each correct answer adds a point; extra credit adds more. So if Charlie started a test with 0 and worked his way to 75/100, he got 75.

How could one method motivate students more/less or be easier/harder to use?

I taught English in Ecuador and they did have a truly different grading system than we use in the USA..students get a number grade from 0-20. I confused them because I graded tests out of 100 and then divided the number by 5.. if you had 96/100 your grade was 19.1. (For their report cards I called 19.1 "over 19" and thus 20/20.) I realize now I should have graded tests out of 20, but I don't think it really mattered.. they started with 100 and lost points; they could have started with 20 and had the exact same results. On 9/02/11, CJ wrote: > Hello all, > > I have a question. I've allowed to do this, I would like to > start my students off with 100% grade in the beginning of > the school year. However, I've been trying to research > methods of doing this, how to calculate each aspect like > homework, tests, etc into the already given 100% grade. I'm > stumped. Any ideas and/or links would be greatly > appreciated on this! > > Thanks CJ!

Oct 21, 2013

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Sara On 10/21/13, I don't understand the question.. wrote: > Isn't starting with 100 how most of us grade?? > My school would not allow this because - what if they all got 100s or all got As? Theoretically it's possible and my school would not allow me to give every student an A. Even if they deserved it.

If I said to a class, as of now...See MoreOn 10/21/13, I don't understand the question.. wrote: > Isn't starting with 100 how most of us grade?? > My school would not allow this because - what if they all got 100s or all got As? Theoretically it's possible and my school would not allow me to give every student an A. Even if they deserved it.

If I said to a class, as of now you all have an A - or a 100 - don't blow it - I'd hear from an administrator pronto. So no not really though I get your point. Some teachers are making open statements at the beginning if a year or marking period about every student starting with a 100 in the class.

I think that's what the OP was saying.

> A) A blank test is assumed to be a 100. > > B) As you grade it, you take off points for wrong answers--and > add points for excellent answers, answering hard questions > correctly, etc. if you want to. > > C) How ever many points are left after you grade it is the > grade. If Charlie got 73/100 points plus he answered a bonus > question correctly so that's plus 2.. Charlie now has 75/100; > that's his grade on the test. (If grades were low so you gave > everyone 5/100 now charlie has 80/100.) > > A homework average is assumed to be "set" at 100. If there were > 20 assignments in this grading period each one missing means > that grade is lowered by 5. A late assignment or an assignment > not adequately done could drop a the grade by 2.5 or you can > grade the assignments from 0-5 and give them points. > > How else would you grade?? "Starting with zero" would just mean > a blank test is 0 and each correct answer adds a point; extra > credit adds more. So if Charlie started a test with 0 and > worked his way to 75/100, he got 75. > > How could one method motivate students more/less or be > easier/harder to use? > > I taught English in Ecuador and they did have a truly different > grading system than we use in the USA..students get a number > grade from 0-20. I confused them because I graded tests out of > 100 and then divided the number by 5.. if you had 96/100 your > grade was 19.1. (For their report cards I called 19.1 "over 19" > and thus 20/20.) I realize now I should have graded tests out > of 20, but I don't think it really mattered.. they started with > 100 and lost points; they could have started with 20 and had > the exact same results. > On 9/02/11, CJ wrote: >> Hello all, >> >> I have a question. I've allowed to do this, I would like to >> start my students off with 100% grade in the beginning of >> the school year. However, I've been trying to research >> methods of doing this, how to calculate each aspect like >> homework, tests, etc into the already given 100% grade. I'm >> stumped. Any ideas and/or links would be greatly >> appreciated on this! >> >> Thanks CJ!

Nov 24, 2013

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