Fair Isn't Always Equal Chapter 9 Summary

This chapter contains the ten approaches to avoid while differentiating assessment and grading. The first on the list is to refrain from grading on behavior, attendance or effort as these factors have nothing to do with mastery of a subject. Also, this chapter tells us that we should not punish a student for turning in late work, because learning cannot happen in a set timetable and therefore we should not put an emphasis on assignments being completed in such a way. Our author also suggests that we avoid using extra credit and bonus points. He suggests that we simply let students make up late or incomplete assignments for full credit. Another suggestion made by our author is that we need to avoid the use of the group grade because it cannot show us how well each individual in the group performed. Finally, our author tells us that we need to avoid putting zeros in the grade book and if we must fail a student for an assignment, we should simply mark it in as a fifty or sixty. This is simply so that we do not affect the student's grade as dramatically. Altogether, the author in this chapter was trying to convey a flexible outline of grading in the differentiated classroom that would not only encourage mastery and comprehension, but would also allow for a more fair and success driven grading system.
My personal thoughts on this chapter were all very positive. Personally, I wish more teachers in my educational life would have taken our author's words to heart. I have always detested the idea of giving students a zero or not letting them make up late work. I seemed silly to me that teachers expected the understanding of a concept to happen by the beginning of the next class should not be treated as a "do or die" system. However, there were a few things that I did not agree with in this chapter. Mostly, I could not see why the author said we should not give group grades. Personally, I feel that while an individual grade in necessary for a group project so that each individual is given a fair grade based on their participation, it is also vital that the group as a whole is assessed. When students enter the "real world" they will be working together with other individuals. By giving them a group grade along with their individual grade they can see how they need to improve with their interpersonal skills. Another part of this chapter that I did not agree with was the section on grading effort and behavior. Let me say that I do not understand the how the author can say that behavior and effort have nothing to do with mastery. If a student is constantly being a behavioral problem or is showing little to no effort and the teacher is doing all they can to motivate said person, then of course this lack of positive behavior will affect mastery! In conclusion, this chapter had a lot of really great suggestions for grading in the differentiated classroom. These suggestions were certainly all useful and I could definitely see myself using them in my prospective classroom.