Although most students come remarkably close to the grade I would have provided, some are so conditioned to the value of grades that they overvalue their work and give themselves inaccurate grades.
Surprisingly, my most reluctant learners almost never do this.
They are the most honest, when it comes to self-evaluation, while honors-level students are the ones who may tend to "stretch" the grade. There is something strange about this. Most people who know I allow my students to grad themselves believe that students who have suffered through years of D's and F's are the first to give themselves A's and B's. This is not the case at all, according to my own experience.
So, why are reluctant learners better at self-evaluation.
on a related note, I have found that "Advanced" students think that everything they do deserves an A. I think previous teachers have programmed this into them. They are used to being "A" students. The "C/D" students are used to being told their work is "inadequate" that they point to that grade automatically.
ReplyDeleteI think this brings me back to the core of our focus needs to be feedback, and grades/marks are not feedback. Teacher to student, student to student, self...AND using that feedback. But we have to start early. I need to learn more about feedback this summer and get better at it
I agree, especially with the last part about starting the emphasis on feedback over grades early. Sadly, "advanced" students are conditioned to get high grades. There's pressure from home and from teachers, due to "expectations."
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