grAdes: Entrance slip Oct 16

I do believe grades are really important, but I do not agree with how they are done. I am a strong believer of learning from mistakes and being able to benefit fixing them. Of course, there exists some tests that do not allow for correction (Alberta Diploma Exams), and at some extent I agree with standardized testing when it is important to evaluate students applying internationally. If there is a better way to evaluate a students success for administration to post secondary, I would be completely for it. However, it requires a lot of participation from other countries which I would hope they would agree with. 

Assigning letter grades and percentages are terrifying, and I agree that they do cause a unnecessary stress, but I believe the evaluation process is important. I believe that grades do not indicate a students work ethic, it does not (and should not) dictate any future success. I think most of us teachers would agree that grades do have merit, but we dislike the anxiety and stress that follow. Darrel Bradford states "its like the uncertainty principle in Physics, the act of measuring something can change it", which really resonates with me. Checking grades is a make-or-break moments that can dictate how I approach the week. Grades are too simple to measure the complexity of a being. 

Grades don't show struggle, they don't show diversity, care, personality, or passion. So the next part I follow with is how can we evaluate students without having the emotional stress that comes with it? And if we do evaluate without a grade, how do we ensure that students will care to study for tests or do their own research? If the grade does not matter, why should the student try hard? It would be ideal for students to be motivated to pursue knowledge independently, but I think this motivation has to come from the educators. I am unsure in the method, engagement, or if it is even measurable. But it can come from a teacher that a student enjoys learning from. 

There are different methods of learning and evaluation such as iRAT(Individual Readiness Assurance Test), and the TRAT ( Team Readiness Assurance Test) which I would love to try out. In terms of assessment, oral assessment is what I would value most. In this case, students will write a iRAT, and converse about the questions and rethink the answers. Then, students will be evaluated again as a team with a TRAT. The time between the iRAT and the TRAT is where students get to discuss ideas and be "orally assessed" by their colleagues though an informal debate. 

Testing, testing: How will measurement change in the future of education? | Darrell Bradford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDUKyjIR2Hg

Team Based Learning: iRAT and TRAT information! 

http://www.teambasedlearning.org/definition/