Grading the Strategies for Success Course

Since there are often students from several grades and many abilities in the course, the grade is based on accomplishment as well as performance.  A grading program such as Integrade or a spread sheet would be especially helpful in the course.  This allows each item to be weighted as desired with lengthier assignments weighted higher than simple tasks.  Each item or activity is counted which takes care of the typical questions, “Does this count?”  Everything counts. 

A course with this subject matter could be ungraded but since the course as previously taught was part of a traditional high school program, a grading system was set up that rewarded students who met the objectives and also allowed for the extremely wide differences in ability.

The grading for the semester is based on five factors weighed evenly.  If all five categories are used, then each is worth 20%.  If a project is not required in a particular quarter, then each of the items used is worth 25%.

• The Journal can be checked as often as is feasible depending on the schedule.  Twice a quarter is the minimum.  The journal is checked as to whether the daily quote and comments are there, whether notes are being taken, and whether various assignments have been completed.
   
• Homework is assigned on an as - needed basis but not as often as might be expected.  An assignment is given as homework if it is something that needs to be collected and read in a timely manner.  Reflective assignments are completed in the journal. 
   
• Participation is a two part grade and is assigned daily.  Students can be awarded three points each day. 
   
• One point is given for signing in on the daily attendance sheet. 
   
• Two points are given for participating in whatever activities are done in class on that particular day.  That would include “High-Five’s, an activity, listening attentively, and writing in the journal during the last ten minutes. This is referred to in this course as “full participation”. Students who do not have an excused absence for the day do not receive participation credit. Knowing that they will lose an actual grade for missing a class encourages students to attend class and to provide appropriate documentation for the times they are absent which is beneficial to their success in other classes as well as this one.  It is best to record the participation grade daily while the students are writing in their journal the last few minutes.  An easy place to record it is on the daily sign in sheet until there is time to enter it into the grading system being used.
   
• Quizzes are given a few times during the quarter.  The primary purpose of the quizzes is for students to learn and implement the test taking strategies taught in this course. 
   
• Special Projects are available for both quarters of the course.