Thread by @CSarkonak

Finished this semester’s midterm portfolio interviews! I have a skills-based #ungrading gr 11/12 Physics classroom. This means that nothing has a grade on it. Ss look at their learning from the perspective of developing skills @TG2Chat #assessment #iteachphysics
1/15

@TG2Chat When we do need a grade, like now for midterm reports, its based on these skills and in consultation with Ss. Every chapter is seen as a re-test of these skills with different content. We also do weekly “check-ins” instead of tests to assess skills
2/15

This time I added a couple of documents to help Ss. A skills tracking form for Ss to write 1 thing they were happy with on each check-in and 1 thing they want to work on for the following week. Ss keep track of completing practice problems and corrections as well.
3/15

Next, a “what does a grade look like?” sheet (work in progress). This gave Ss a road map of how to get to the grade they want. This was a TREMENDOUS improvement! Almost all Ss accurately knew where they were at in the course and had a plan for how to get where they wanted.
4/15

I started doing this because I knew I needed to do something different. I’ve had Ss that had no idea what they were doing getting 99% bc they could memorize and Ss who had fascinating insights into physics getting 60% bc they can’t memorize and struggled on the tests.
5/15

My courses use fewer questions that are deeper to build Ss understanding (see R. Knight’s Five Easy Lessons) and Ss follow a question answering framework for deeper thinking similar to @ChrisMeyerSci. Also spiral content using four perspectives approach from Pete Schwartz
6/15

@ChrisMeyerSci This is the first semester where I feel like everything is coming together like a well-oiled machine and Ss comments during the interviews were amazing! Nearly all Ss are doing most practice and corrections for learning and without any of it being specifically for marks
7/15

@ChrisMeyerSci A couple Ss have started building their own projects, developing their own experiments, and doing independent research. Most important, nearly all Ss are talking about how much they enjoy the course and are excited for it every day!
8/15

@ChrisMeyerSci A couple Ss mentioned that they have traditionally done well by memorizing and haven’t had a grade below 80 in their life, but are now transferring skills developed in this course to other courses and having greater success and better understanding than they’ve ever had.
9/15

@ChrisMeyerSci These same Ss then said they were at 70-80% right now and they’re good with that bc it means something and they know they’ll improve. My Ss are more comfortable seeing their grade continuously improve through the year than I am!
10/15

@ChrisMeyerSci Nearly all Ss talked about how they feel like they can take risks and safely learn from their mistakes. Some mentioned that they don’t have anxiety about assessments in this class bc of this, but that they still struggle in other classes bc of the focus on the grade.
11/15

@ChrisMeyerSci There were still 3 out of 50 Ss that thought it was pull-a-grade-out-of-a-hat day, but a quick consultation to the “what does a grade look like?” sheet and a once-over of their portfolio and we quickly figured out where they’re at and how to get to where they want to be
12/15

@ChrisMeyerSci Some people may be thinking that these classes are filled with only the school’s “elite,” but Ss from all backgrounds and a wide variety of academic achievement levels are filling these classes and having incredible success.
13/15

@ChrisMeyerSci These changes were a HUGE leap for me, but its better than I could’ve dreamed! Ss are doing the work, engaged every day, and issues like cheating don’t even exist any more. I’ve even got a number of parent emails talking about how a focus on skills is what’s needed in Ed
14/15

@ChrisMeyerSci I’ve still got work to do and I get better every semester, but I see my Ss reaping the benefits every day! I need to thank @BrunnerPhysics, @physicswithmcp, @mssackstein, @SusanDebraBlum, @AaronSBlackwel1, @dbuckedu, @myrondueck, @johannabrown, @MonteSyrie and many others!
15/15