I was absent! Where can I find my work?
The first place you always need to check for your work is our class schoology page and/or the daily agendas. These can be found both on Schoology in the “Class Information” folder and on this blog in the “Class Information” tab. Everything is linked and dated for your viewing convenience. Do not rely on your “upcoming work” feed to tell you whether or not you have an assignment. Please go directly to our class page, find the appropriate folder, and you will see all of the assignments with the date of assignment on them. Find the assignment with the corresponding date to the day you were absent and begin there. If you have any further questions about the assignment, you may then email me for clarification.
An important note:
It is important that you do your best to keep up with your work. Because you are absent, you’ll be given some extra time to do the work, but that does not mean you are excused from the work. If I don’t have your work, I can’t grade it. If you come to me weeks or months after the day you were absent or the score’s entry into the gradebook to ask why that grade is missing, it will be too late and the grade will stand.
Can I still turn in late work?
Yes. But there are conditions. Check out the page on the blog called “Late Work Policy” for those details.
Are there retakes?
No, there are not. Retakes are not useful in standards based grading. Why? Because we will reassess the skills we have practiced enough for you to be able to show me proficiency on other assessments and assignments. That work has already been assessed and a plan to process it has already been made. Going back to that work is irrelevant to the progress of our class and you will have more opportunities to show mastery of that skill in the future. It sounds harsh, but it is actually a helpful thing for all of us.
Why does this assignment say “Not Graded”?
If you look at the explanation of standards based grading in the SBG Page on the blog, as we accumulate more assignments per skill, each skill category will have multiple grades entered but are marked as “not graded”. This is purposeful. We use those scores to calculate a mode average, or the number that appears the most across all of the assignments per skill. These mode averages are reflected in an assignment called “Skill Average” and is updated WEEKLY to be accurate. These are the ONLY grades marked as “GRADED” because they are the only ones we calculate into your cumulative class grade. We do this because it is the best representation of your proficiency in each skill category, and it is also helpful because one or two individual assignments are generally not going to impact your grade heavily using this process. Every other assignment will be marked as “not graded” but will still have a numerical value if you turned it in on time. That numerical value is a representation of the score you received on that work. More information, including the grading scale can also be found on the SBG page of the blog.
How is my final grade calculated?
While students are completing assignments aligned to each essential standard throughout the semester, throughout that time we are also giving students a composite score for each standard. What this means is that we are looking at their current trend of mastery — how well are they performing on the standard, and how consistent is that performance?
How do we establish a trend?
FAQ: “Ms., why does it say “not graded” in the gradebook?
Each skill category has multiple grades entered, but “not graded”. This is because we use those scores to calculate a mode average, or the number that appears the most across all of the assignments per skill.
Example:
Grade 1: A
Grade 2: C
Grade 3: A-
Grade 4: A-
Grade 5: A-
Grade 6: C
The mode average of these scores would be A-. We record these scores in an assignment that is labelled “Skill Average” in each category, which will be the only one that is recorded as “graded” thus calculating that score into the actual gradebook grades Ultimately, this model helps kids because many of the lower scores from early in the year are dropped towards the end. These scores are visible in the gradebook as:
“8/30/21_(Skill Name)_ Skill Average _
Example: 8/30/21_Claim and Argument_Skill Average_
Again, these will be the only assignments in the gradebook that are marked as “graded”, and while the date will stay the same, they will be updated every week to be accurately representative of student skill proficiency.
As grades are entered into the gradebook, they will be entered as letters rather than numbers, which will then correspond with a percentage value. Over the course of the semester these percentages (by skill category) will be averaged into a cumulative grade. Those percentages will then be compared to the DHS grading scale above. NOW, even though there is not a B on the 4 point scale, that does not necessarily mean that you are impervious to receiving a B as a cumulative class score. Here’s why: during the semester your scores for each category will be averaged together, which could still equate to a percentage reflective of a B on the DHS grading scale.
How do I achieve an Honors designation?
In order to receive the Honors designation on your transcript, students must receive “Advanced” scores for 4 of the 6 essential standards for that semester. It is possible to receive Honors for one semester and not the other depending on student performance.
What can I do for extra credit?
In LA 3/4, we don’t offer extra credit opportunities. This is because we use standards based grading and you will have several opportunities to show mastery on the skills we practice. If your grade is not where you would like it to be, follow the steps in the next question! Extra credit only creates more work for the both of us!
What can I do to raise my grade?
Put in the work. Because we use standards based grading, there is no extra credit offered. The best way to raise your grade is to read feedback on your assignments, pay attention to the rubrics when you are reflecting on your scores or doing your work. Additionally, make sure your work is turned in on time, per the late work policy. If you wind up with too many missing assignments, it will begin taking a toll on your grade. Don’t simply ask your teachers to raise your grade. You have to be willing to put in the work in order for your grade to go up.
I disagree with the score I received, what do I do?
If you received a score on your assignment that you disagree with, the first thing you should do is respectfully reach out to your teacher to ask to discuss that assignment. Be prepared to discuss the assignment and the rubrics in detail. Your teacher is not going to raise your score simply because you ask them to, be sure you have the appropriate evidence of mastery ready to discuss. If you come to the consensus together that your grade should be changed, then it will be changed, assuming you contact your teacher within a timely manner. If a student reaches out weeks or months later about a grade they would like to discuss, then at that point it will be too late. If you do not reach out before progress reports or report cards go out for that term, then your grade is no longer eligible to be discussed.
When will grades be in?
Quick answer: As soon as I can get them done. Finals week is overwhelming for everyone and I certainly understand wanting to know what you got on your work. I am doing my best to get through everything as quickly and accurately as possible. They will be in before report cards go out.
If, under extenuating circumstances, you were given an opportunity to turn in a late assignment, late work is always the very last thing to be entered into the gradebook.
I’m in Quarantine for Finals! What do I do???
First, stop panicking and take a deep breath.
Like the vast majority of our assignments this semester, we will be taking our final through schoology. When it is your day of the final, you will go to a BLUE folder at the top of your LA 3/4 schoology page labelled “SEMESTER ___ FINAL EXAM”. linked in that folder will be everything you need. I know the idea of final exams is overwhelming and scary. Try to think of this as another opportunity for you to show me that you are proficient in the skills we have already been practicing this semester.
Uh, oh. I have to Quarantine! How do I stay caught up?
The same way you would if you were absent!
The first place you always need to check for your work is our daily agendas and our class schoology page.
The link to the agendas are in the “Class Information” page. Everything we do in class is clearly labelled and dated on Schoology in the unit folders. Do not rely on your “upcoming work” feed to tell you whether or not you have an assignment. Please go directly to our class page, find the appropriate folder, and you will see all of the assignments with the date of assignment on them. Find the assignment with the corresponding date to the day you were absent and begin there. If you have any further questions about the assignment, you may then email me for clarification.
An important note:
It is important that you do your best to keep up with your work. Because you are absent, you’ll be given some extra time to do the work, but that does not mean you are excused from the work. If I don’t have your work, I can’t grade it. If you come to me weeks or months after the day you were absent or the score’s entry into the gradebook to ask why that grade is missing, it will be too late and the grade will stand.
– This page is a work in progress! Questions and Answers will be continuously updated for reference! –