How to Grade for Learning, K-12, 3rd Edition, July/2009

Bestseller!

"After using these concepts and procedures for the past four years, I would recommend O'Connor’s approach to all teachers who believe that grades should clearly communicate actual student learning. For educators who want to make grades more meaningful and useful to students, parents, and teachers, this is the book to read"—Forrest Clark, Math Teacher , Nisqually Middle School, Lacey, WA

"O'Connor not only provides readers with valuable information regarding the theory, context, and purpose of grading, he also includes practical strategies and solutions for classroom implementation"—Patricia Schenck, Academic Program Coordinator, Educator Preparation , Gulf Coast Community College

Implement standards-based grading practices that help students succeed!

Academic assessment methods should help students grow and develop to their full potential. Many educators would agree, however, that traditional grading practices are incompatible with today’s standards-based systems.

This third edition of the best-selling How to Grade for Learning demonstrates how to improve grading practices by linking grades with standards and establishing policies that better reflect student achievement. Ken O'Connor updates his eight guidelines for good grading, explains the purpose and key elements of each guideline, and offers recommendations for practical applications. The book examines a number of additional grading issues, including grade point average calculation and the use of computer grading programs. This thoroughly revised edition includes:

1. A greater emphasis on standards-based grading practices
2. Updated research and additions to the sections on feedback and homework
3. New sections on academic dishonesty, extra credit, and bonus points
4. Additional information on utilizing level scores rather than percentages
5. Reflective exercises
6. Techniques for managing grading time more efficiently

An invaluable tool to help individual teachers assign grades that are accurate, meaningful, and supportive of learning, this book also makes an ideal staff development resource.

About The Author:
Ken O'Connor has been an independent consultant on assessment and evaluation from 1996 to present. He has been a staff development presenter and facilitator on assessment, grading and reporting in 33 states and 7 provinces and 5 countries outside North America. He was a keynote presenter at the EARCOS Teachers Conference in Bangkok in March 2003 and an institute presenter at AISA conferences in Cameroon, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in October 2005. His teaching career included experience as a geography teacher and department head at L'Amoreaux C.I. and Maplewood High School in Scarborough, Ontario, 1976-90, and teaching at four schools in Toronto and Melbourne, Australia (Grade 7 - 12) starting in 1967. Ken was a Curriculum Coordinator responsible for Student Assessment and Evaluation for the Scarborough Board of Education and then the Toronto District School Board from March 1990 to June 1999. He has also worked as a consultant on Secondary Assessment at the Ontario Ministry of Education.

His major extra-curricular interest is field hockey, as a player, umpire and coach. As a coach, three of his players went on to represent Canada in the Olympics. He also umpired at the 1984 Olympic Games and the 1990 World Cup.