Douglas Reeves Offers Tips on Grading Methods

for Student Success

In a recent blog post on CreativeLeadership.net, Creative Leadership Solutions partner Douglas Reeves offered tips for educators seeking ways to reduce failures in the upcoming school semester. He first advised teachers to use their own judgment rather than automated grade calculators that generate a final score based on a semester average.

Because this method can often punish students for early mistakes even if they have shown marked improvement throughout the semester, removing automated grade calculations can help educators adequately reward students for their accomplishments.

Dr. Reeves also encouraged teachers to adopt a traditional four-point grade scale rather than a 100-point system. In addition to allowing teachers to forego the complexity of converting numeric grades to A's, B's, C's, D's, or F's, four-point scales enable a more accurate representation of missing work.

A grade of “0” for missing work on a 100-point scale lies at the furthest end of the grading spectrum and can prevent students from improving their grades over time, while an “F” is merely one point away from improvement.

Additionally, educators can implement an early final exam to facilitate student success. By administering a final exam two weeks before the end of the semester, teachers offer students a chance to test their knowledge and identify key areas to study before taking a second shot. At the same time, teachers can reward students who earn A’s or B's on the early exam by accepting the grade as final.