In keeping with my theme of helping kids not be afraid of making mistakes, I offer with every piece of homework, every math box, every quiz, every test - EVERY assignment, the opportunity to fix and return work for a better grade. All I ask is that the kids fix with a pen (blue preferably but not required) so that I can clearly see what their second attempt looked like. I also ask that they make a second attempt on EVERYTHING they got wrong. Fixing only one answer doesn't help the grade much. My policy which has seemed to work in the past is that I give back half the original points you missed. I figure if I had to find your mistakes, then I get half the points and you get half the points. As a general rule, that increases their grade by at least a letter each time and that helps their overall score. Why do that? Well first of all, it is elementary school and we are trying to build their confidence in their abilities. I never want a bad grade to deter anyone's desire to learn. I also think it helps the students begin to take responsibility for their grades and learning. I rarely will require a re-do (although you will see the occasional fix and return on a F paper!) It is my hope that the student looks at the grade and determines for himself or herself if that score is one they are proud of - even if it is already an A or B. If it wasn't their best effort, then they should give it a second try. My classes are not about punishment or even grades. I want them to be about learning and goal setting. So when you see an assignment with a grade on it, start the converstation with your child like this: "How do YOU feel about this score?" Let's see if together we can get them to care more than YOU or ME about their achievement!
1 Comment
Denice Froiland
10/2/2012 09:24:55 pm
Great, well thought out policy, Tracey. I like that it helps students to understand the material and identify their mistakes and learn from them.
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