New Grading Periods Rule!

Today's topic: New Grading Periods!

I love the fresh smell of promise in a new grading period. My students are all starting out new and they can get the grades that they want this time around. I always loved this time during school because if you hadn't done very well in the previous grading period then this was your chance to really make up for it.

I don't think my students really fully appreciate it. Most of them, despite my constant hounding, don't know where their scores come from in my class. Ugh. I need to create a 10 foot tall sign.

I've decided to have some resolutions this grading period. I want to return the students work to them every week once it's graded. I've decided that monday's will be "pass back" days. I've decided to keep everything graded in the gradebook and up to date for each day. It makes my job a lot easier in the end. I learned that last semester when I had to spend hours after school grading and trying to make sense of things. I've also decided to start the rule of "No Full Name, No Label = No Grade." This is for my own sanity. I need to find out what the students are turning in so I can give them credit for it. So many of them don't turn in work with anything telling me what it is.

I'm always torn because in my Graduate Program (Tm) they've told us not to make anything a rule unless it interferes with student learning. Well, I like to grade material and know what I'm grading so I need that rule but it doesn't affect student learning. I'm sure this will all be made clear to me in the end.