{"id":324946,"date":"2021-05-06T14:31:39","date_gmt":"2021-05-06T18:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.nicolethemathlady.com\/final-grades\/"},"modified":"2021-05-06T14:31:39","modified_gmt":"2021-05-06T18:31:39","slug":"final-grades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.nicolethemathlady.com\/final-grades\/","title":{"rendered":"Final Grades: A Definitive Guide for Homeschoolers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cRelax. Look around. Make a call.\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u2015 Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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May\u2026 that time when you can almost smell the excitement in the air. The kids are ready to put down their pencils, finish their exams and start their summer break already! Truth be told, I know the parents and teachers are, too. Just one thing stands between them and sweet, sweet summertime: issuing final grades.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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As time progresses in your homeschool, you may find that final grades can be a source of discomfort for you. If you aren\u2019t a teacher by trade, you may find yourself clinging tightly to how you remember your school grades being issued, and trying to figure out how to recreate that. Or maybe you\u2019ve been laid-back about grades but now you\u2019re looking to prepare a high school transcript–the time where grades really do become essential for your student.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the good news: you are in control of your homeschool and how grades are assigned! The process of issuing a final grade is an opportunity to see what has been accomplished and figure out what where your student needs growth.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So don\u2019t worry, I\u2019m here to help out as you think through how to handle grading. And I do encourage you to think through if, when, and how you assign a final grade! <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I want to walk you through three steps:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    Things to Consider when Assigning a Final Grade<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
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    How to Assess Your Students for a Final Grade<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
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    Practical Ways to Come to a Final Grade<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

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    THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN ISSUING FINAL GRADES<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Grades are not always essential–but they can come in very handy. In some states they are, of course, required of homeschoolers anyway. So deciding how you want to handle grading is an important process to at least consider.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    If you decide to grade, then please hear this as it is very, very important: <\/span>Grading is always, always, always somewhat subjective.<\/b> That\u2019s because every teacher has the option to weigh things differently as they determine grades. Even when a teacher decides that only, say, test scores count toward a grade, they are subjectively deciding NOT to give weight to daily assignments, participation in class, or growth in character traits like determination or perseverance. <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Additionally, if you consider how school systems work, then it’s important to remember that many times teachers are expected to \u201cpass\u201d a certain number of students, regardless of what their work actually shows in terms of learning. So one teacher might \u201cding\u201d kids for not participating even when they know the material, while another might help raise grades by assigning more weight to completion of daily assignments over test scores. <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    I say all this to help you allow yourself the freedom to choose how you grade your students.<\/strong> You took a big step in deciding to homeschool your kids. In doing so, YOU gave yourself the ability to take charge in how you grade them, too! <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Hopefully, just thinking through all of this will empower you to decide the goals you have for your students and assign grades accordingly! <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Remember, you are your homeschool\u2019s teacher and you get to decide what to measure<\/strong>. <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    \"final<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    HOW TO ASSESS YOUR STUDENTS<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Generally, there are two ways to handle assessing your student for a final grade: Assessing for Mastery and Assessing for Goals and Objectives.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Assessing for Mastery<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    This one is relatively straight forward. Did the student demonstrate on assignments and tests that they know the material they have been given? Here, you use straight data and <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    With Saxon, you would use their scores from their daily math work and tests to do this. You might choose to weight them equally so mixed practice and tests carry the same weight in your equations. Or you might choose to put more weight on tests and less on the mixed practice. Again, it\u2019s up to you!<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    2. Assessing for Goals and Objectives<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    With this method of grading, you set up expectations for your student and let them know what you are looking for in terms of their progress. Whatever aspects you want to evaluate, you include. Just make sure they are aware of what you are looking for!<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Rubrics<\/span><\/a> work great for this. Of course, completion of assignments and tests would go on there. You may also choose to include (or not include) neatness in writing, attitude, showing work, and checking work as part of this rubric.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Formula for Figuring out a Final Grade<\/b><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    So, how do you do it? This formula for figuring out a final grade should help. Since you have the power to decide how you want to do it, running numbers like this can give you the confidence to make the best choice for your homeschool.  <\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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    Let\u2019s say your student has the following averages:<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n