Grades and how I hate them... again

Goal of the week: Lesson plans... I think I'm finally beginning to understand the way to plan units and all of that. The D.O.T. project is helping me out with that, strangely.

Thought of the day: Grades and how I hate them... again

I hate entering grades. I really, really do. I know that I need to do it but every time I do the kids get all focused on the grades and go nuts. I've even had a few parents focus on the grades and go nuts. I've had administrators focus on the grades and go nuts.

The grades *are* a way for us to tell if the students are absorbing the material... but it's all so arbitrary. How do we determine what is worthy of a grade and what isn't? Every teacher does it a different way? With no set system, then how do we really know if the kids are learning and if they aren't? I want to know that.

The total lack of set way of doing things bothers me. I want to really know without a doubt each grade that I assign is showing what each student knows in my class and I can't really say that for certain. So I don't feel comfortable. Until I find a system that works for me and makes me feel comfortable... I just will continue to hate giving grades.

I just can't say for certain that each grade I give is truly fair. How can I say that it is an exact reflection of what that student knows in my class?