Evaluating Students: How Teachers Justify and Defend Their Marks to Parents, Students, and Principals

Teachers have far less autonomy in grading than they once did. In our high-stakes testing era, teachers need to be well-versed in the theory, practice, and politics of marking and be able to justify and defend their evaluation and teaching practices.

This timely book uses compelling case studies and suggests specific strategies to help teachers clarify classroom assessment and advance their relationship with students, parents, and administrators. Included in the book are: real-life case studies that illustrate how teachers can avoid the pitfalls and problems commonly associated with marking student work and assigning grades;specific strategies for strengthening evaluation practices, preventing problems from happening, and rectifying them when they occur;simple steps for creating a variety of valid tests;tips for dealing with common challenges that include disruptive behavior, test anxiety, perceived racism, and more;a wealth of reproducibles, checklists, lesson plans, and rubrics.

This useful handbook will show new and experienced teachers that a marking process that is research-driven, transparent, and universally applied is the best way to defend their decisions.