Chapter 13: Gradebook Formats for the Differentiated Classroom

This chapter mentioned a couple different formats for grade book setup in a differentiated classroom. In essence, the idea is to be flexible and one size does not fit all for students. The label at the top that indicates what the grade represents should be the essential understanding identified at the beginning of the unit. It does not matter how the student arrived or how the student performed the mastery, all that matters is that the student mastered it, and that is what should be recorded. Also putting several grades at the top of a single assignment if the assignment fits under more than one standard helps build a more complete picture of the student’s mastery. In the end the grade book format must give an accurate and clear picture of the students’ mastery, show if there was a change in a student’s plan of learning due to differentiation, keep track of essential understandings, and be easy to use. This affects me as a teacher by simplifying how to report different methods students show their mastery. The trick is I do not have to, as long as the student mastered it, that’s all that maters. This affects my students by allowing their hard work to count for more if it covers more than the single performance task. One thing I hate as a student is busy work and if I have already shown that I have mastered the skill then I do not want to do that work over again. This will help my students avoid that extra, unnecessary work.