If At First You Don’t Succeed Try, Try Again
Maureen Levanti - Fine Arts Division
In the current grading system students are penalized in a way that places them into a deep hole they often cannot get out of. In addition to penalizing the students that are beginning with less experience, the current grading system can also make for complacent students that do what they need to do to get a grade. Walt Disney lived by the motto that you never settle for your first success. As an artist it takes a lot of patience and discipline to get to a point of pairing refined technique with strong ideas and concepts. The process of developing an innovative and thought provoking piece of art that incorporates the voice of the artist consists of taking chances that can sometimes lead to failure.
In today’s world students cannot fail, students are so concerned with grades and GPA’s that they fear challenging themselves. They are afraid to take chances, they often resort to finding a solution with less risk and, with the high expectations and heavy workloads they take on, they look for the path of least resistance. Students fear anything less than a ‘B’ letter grade and will do whatever it takes to achieve this, including but not limited to manipulation and negotiation. Evidence Based Reporting isn’t about averaging or playing with numbers, instead it rewards growth and encourages the student to become more concerned with the work they are creating.
The student learns to ask questions about how they can improve their skills and how they can develop stronger concepts and ideas. The students are not asking, “What can I do to get an A?” Instead, they are asking questions such as, “How can I establish my focal point in this photograph?” Evidence Based Reporting is a method of giving students feedback provides them with the tools to develop self-awareness, decision making skills and independence. They learn how to identify their strengths and areas in which they can improve. They take chances and worry more about how they will finish, than where they will end.
In addition to acting as an Art Teacher I am both a cross country and track coach. In this role one of my primary jobs is to make kids run faster. As a coach I do not give my runners grades, but I do have benchmark time trials, dual meets and workouts that act as formative assessments. I also have checkpoints to identify strengths and areas in which we need to improve. We look at our Sectional and State Meet, a true evaluation of growth and development. By collecting evidence I am able to evaluate my runners and they eventually get to the point of evaluating themselves.
Within this system a runner that starts at a slower pace is rewarded when he/she works hard, practices and listens
to feedback. On the other hand a runner that is already at a high level is challenged and the expectations for all athletes vary depending on their ability.
After I went to a seminar about the new Evidence Based Reporting System, I saw a correlation between the way I train my athletes and a way in which I can train and teach my art students. Without averaging and letter grades, my students were challenged with questions instead of numbers. My students began seeking out help and asking for guidance. They began working collaboratively with one another to develop ideas and find solutions. They ask me questions about ways to refine their camera handling skills and or ways to unify their color schemes in their imagery.
When I began working with the evidence-based grading system, At first I worried that the students that were at a high level would be less concerned with the summative assessment during final exams. Instead these students saw this as an opportunity to show off their skills and demonstrate their knowledge and strengths. The students that began at a lower level were also able to use that final summative as a way to demonstrate mastery and growth. Student work has become stronger and the learning has become more meaningful and authentic.
In today’s world students cannot fail, students are so concerned with grades and GPA’s that they fear challenging themselves. They are afraid to take chances, they often resort to finding a solution with less risk and, with the high expectations and heavy workloads they take on, they look for the path of least resistance. Students fear anything less than a ‘B’ letter grade and will do whatever it takes to achieve this, including but not limited to manipulation and negotiation. Evidence Based Reporting isn’t about averaging or playing with numbers, instead it rewards growth and encourages the student to become more concerned with the work they are creating.
The student learns to ask questions about how they can improve their skills and how they can develop stronger concepts and ideas. The students are not asking, “What can I do to get an A?” Instead, they are asking questions such as, “How can I establish my focal point in this photograph?” Evidence Based Reporting is a method of giving students feedback provides them with the tools to develop self-awareness, decision making skills and independence. They learn how to identify their strengths and areas in which they can improve. They take chances and worry more about how they will finish, than where they will end.
In addition to acting as an Art Teacher I am both a cross country and track coach. In this role one of my primary jobs is to make kids run faster. As a coach I do not give my runners grades, but I do have benchmark time trials, dual meets and workouts that act as formative assessments. I also have checkpoints to identify strengths and areas in which we need to improve. We look at our Sectional and State Meet, a true evaluation of growth and development. By collecting evidence I am able to evaluate my runners and they eventually get to the point of evaluating themselves.
Within this system a runner that starts at a slower pace is rewarded when he/she works hard, practices and listens
to feedback. On the other hand a runner that is already at a high level is challenged and the expectations for all athletes vary depending on their ability.
After I went to a seminar about the new Evidence Based Reporting System, I saw a correlation between the way I train my athletes and a way in which I can train and teach my art students. Without averaging and letter grades, my students were challenged with questions instead of numbers. My students began seeking out help and asking for guidance. They began working collaboratively with one another to develop ideas and find solutions. They ask me questions about ways to refine their camera handling skills and or ways to unify their color schemes in their imagery.
When I began working with the evidence-based grading system, At first I worried that the students that were at a high level would be less concerned with the summative assessment during final exams. Instead these students saw this as an opportunity to show off their skills and demonstrate their knowledge and strengths. The students that began at a lower level were also able to use that final summative as a way to demonstrate mastery and growth. Student work has become stronger and the learning has become more meaningful and authentic.