What a year it has been! A year of change and growth for me as a teaching professional (it never ends!). For the next few posts I am looking back at what resonated with readers of “Language Sensei”. Curiously the top posts of the year can be grouped based on their common ideas….And here we go!

#5  The “Feedback/Gradebook” Posts – shifting my teaching also means shifting how students are evaluated. My classes are moving to much more formative feedback – and a change in how I communicate how they are doing. Gone is 73%. Here to stay is how well you are “meeting” expectations. More importantly students are now more able to articulate for themselves how they are doing (and why they are where they are).

My Evolving Gradebook – From Numbers to Descriptors: What does a 6/6 mean? Why do kids ask “How do I get an A?” and not “How fully am I meeting expectations?” and even more key – why are they asking me how they are doing? Don’t they know? Can’t they articulate where they are in meeting expectations for a unit? And More Pressingly…. How do I meld the desire to address student goals and achievement with the requirement of keeping ‘grades’ in my province….Read more…

Descriptors Not Numbers – Students React to the Change: When you make the switch to descriptors what do the students think? The question on the form was “I made a switch to ‘meeting expectations’ grading instead of ‘numbers’ in order that you understand how well you are doing. What is your feedback on this style of grading?” And the responses came…Read more..

“How Am I Doing? I Know How!” Formative Feedback: One of the reasons I am making a big shift from numbers to proficiency/expectation descriptors is to ensure that students don’t wait for me to tell them how they are doing – but rather that they will know and be able to articulate for themselves. With this shift comes more challenges in improving feedback and learning opportunities for students. I am by no means good at this – but, as a believer in ‘small tweaks lead to big changes’ I have been experimenting with additional ways to provide feedback…Read more…

Next up in my year in review #4 The “You Are Doing Enough” Pep-Talk…

C