Fairness in Grading

According to Reeves, “Fairness and accuracy are essential elements of grading, but they are not sufficient to form a fully satisfactory system of student evaluation.  Grading systems must also be effective, a complex requirement that includes specific and timely feedback on student achievement.  Grading should be designed to improve communication, making clear to students, fellow teachers, and future teachers the academic performance of a student.”

There are different areas of fairness in the classroom; fairness in interactions between teacher and student, fairness between students and fairness in grading and instructing. Each of these can be addressed by a teacher, aiding children in learning fairness as part of the unofficial classroom curriculum. 

Grading is a challenge for teachers. We want to be sure we are evaluating student work fairly, in the sense that our judgment is not subjective or inconsistent. Effective grading requires an understanding of how grading may function as a tool for learning, an acceptance that some grades will be based on subjective criteria, and a willingness to listen to and communicate with students. It is important to help students to focus on the learning process rather than on “getting the grade,” while at the same time acknowledging the importance that grades hold for students.

I encourage you to try and evaluate our student's progress without ever seeing a name on a paper or test.  According to Robert Marzano, “the score a student receives on a test is more dependent on who scores the test and how they score it than it is on what the student knows and understands.” Make the decision to treat everyone as fairly as possible, while remembering fair isn’t always equal.