How can schools make grading more equitable and effective? With Joe Feldman

In the podcast, Joe Feldman discusses the effects of including everything in student grades, which enhances stress and creates environments where students can't relax. He highlights the history of grading, explaining that much of the current practices have not evolved in the past century. Feldman emphasizes the need to rethink grading systems to better suit today's educational goals.

Joe Feldman outlines his background as a former teacher and administrator and how his experiences led him to research grading practices. Noticing inconsistencies and a lack of understanding among educators about grading, he embarked on studying it extensively, culminating in his book "Grading for Equity."

Feldman describes grading as a deeply personal and controversial subject for teachers, acting as one of the last bastions of autonomy and professional judgment in their roles. This leads to a reluctance to discuss or change grading practices, which are often not addressed in teacher training, leaving teachers without a common language or support system to engage in these conversations.

Feldman explains the difference between grading and assessing, stating that grading is the formal reporting of student progress towards learning goals, while assessing is a method to determine where students are in their learning journey. He advocates for transparency and consistency and how tools like Todle are aiding in more equitable grading systems.

Feldman connects historical grading systems to the present by revealing their origins during the Industrial Revolution, showing that the purpose was to efficiently sort students into tracks using a grading system. The practices were deterministic and lacked contemporary beliefs in individual potential and the importance of intrinsic motivation, leading to outdated practices in the current educational system.

The conversation delves into traditional grading's effects, showcasing a dichotomy where students obsess over grades or disengage entirely due to demoralization. Feldman underscores that when everything counts towards a grade, it creates unnecessary stress and discourages students from taking risks or relaxing, thus stifling genuine learning and exploration.

Feldman introduces "Equitable Grading," focusing on three pillars: accuracy, bias resistance, and motivation. He suggests moving away from a 0-100 scale to a simpler 0-4 scale for better accuracy and reliability. This shift intends to create grading systems that resist biases and enhance student intrinsic motivation and self-regulation.

When discussing how to implement changes, Feldman warns against quick policy changes and stresses the importance of building teacher capacity and understanding. He advocates for creating a culture of dialogue and education among educators, starting with leaders and gradually involving willing teachers through ongoing discussions and trials.