Highlighting Mistakes - A Grading Strategy

Summary

The video focuses on a teacher's approach to grading and retakes, emphasizing learning over grades. Instead of marking grades on tests, the teacher highlights mistakes, encouraging students to focus on understanding their errors. The teacher discusses how this method helps students wrestle with the math, ask meaningful questions, and ultimately improve their skills. Key points include flow-through credit for mistakes, the importance of learning from errors, and retake opportunities. The approach fosters a risk-taking and growth-oriented learning environment, making tests more about learning and less about the grade itself.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tests are returned without grades, with feedback provided through highlighted mistakes, encouraging students to focus on learning from errors.
• 😀 Students are encouraged to wrestle with their math before worrying about their grade, helping to shift the focus to learning rather than just results.
• 😀 Early feedback emphasized that grades are less important than the math skills being learned, which helped reframing students' views on their progress.
• 😀 Teachers highlight specific mistakes, but the focus is on student reflection and understanding rather than simply pointing out errors.
• 😀 'Flow through credit' is given for mistakes that do not significantly affect the overall solution, allowing for a fairer assessment of student progress.
• 😀 Common mistakes are identified to see if a student is repeating the same error, which indicates a potential area for improvement in their learning.
• 😀 A focus is placed on making sure students understand their mistakes through conversation and correction, rather than just removing points for errors.
• 😀 Students are allowed to retake tests at their convenience, with a new version provided to reinforce learning through re-engagement.
• 😀 A key goal is to normalize making mistakes as part of the learning process, helping students become more comfortable with failure and learning from it.
• 😀 Grading tests this way does not take significantly more time than traditional methods, and it is more enjoyable because it is more focused on learning and growth.

Q & A

Why does the teacher no longer put grades on tests?

The teacher no longer puts grades on tests because they want students to focus on understanding their mistakes and learning from them, rather than just focusing on the grade. This approach helps students to engage with the math more deeply.

What is the teacher's main goal when handing back tests?

The teacher's main goal is to ensure that every interaction with students is a learning moment. Instead of focusing on the grade, the teacher highlights mistakes to encourage students to learn from their errors and improve.

What is meant by 'flow through credit' in the grading process?

'Flow through credit' refers to the practice where the teacher highlights an early mistake in the problem but gives credit for the correct steps that followed, as long as the mistake didn't affect the rest of the solution.

How does the teacher assess mistakes made by students?

The teacher assesses mistakes by first highlighting where the mistake was made, then reviewing the test as a whole to understand whether the student made similar mistakes throughout or varied errors. This helps the teacher to determine how to address the mistakes.

What is the teacher's perspective on students' grades and their understanding of math?

The teacher believes that the grade is less important than the students' understanding of the math. The focus is on learning and improving rather than just getting a specific grade.

Why does the teacher highlight mistakes without explaining them directly?

The teacher highlights mistakes to prompt students to identify and understand them on their own. This encourages problem-solving and critical thinking, fostering a deeper learning process.

What happens if a student doesn't understand their mistake after reviewing the test?

If a student doesn't understand their mistake, they are encouraged to discuss it with the teacher or a peer. The teacher supports students in identifying and correcting their misunderstandings.

What does the teacher do if students repeatedly make the same mistake?

If students repeatedly make the same mistake, the teacher focuses on addressing that specific mistake with them. This often involves one-on-one conversations to clarify the misunderstanding.

How does the teacher decide whether to take off points for a mistake?

The teacher decides whether to take off points based on the significance of the mistake. If a mistake is minor or could be easily fixed with a conversation, points might not be deducted, but if the mistake affects the overall solution, points are taken off.

How does the teacher's grading strategy contribute to students' learning?

The grading strategy helps students to focus on understanding their mistakes, normalize the process of making errors, and take risks in their learning. This approach ultimately encourages a growth mindset, where students learn from their mistakes rather than being discouraged by them.