Case
Unfair Assessment

I have been a successful middle school teacher. I know it sounds strange when I call myself successful, but I have received recognitions at the school and county levels for the quality of my teaching. I have a big dilemma this year. I have two students who are not your ordinary students. Selena is a Hispanic student who is an English Language Learner, but her English proficiency is quite high. She fully participates in all class activities, she functions well in group and individual work, and she is always motivated. She is an ideal student. However, she never makes passing grades on tests. Her current grade is an F. Shelly is a White student. She shows no interest in course activities. You cannot even know if she listening or not most of the time. She chooses not to do group work. If I force her, she does not really contribute. She also does not turn in any assignments. What puzzles me is that she usually receives the highest grades in tests. Her current grade in my course is a high B. If she had turned in the assignments, her grade would be an A. The course grade in my class is determined mainly based on what students make on tests, because I feel that tests are the only means for me to know whether students have retained what they learned or not. Lately I have been thinking that my grading is not doing justice to Selena. At the same time, I think Shelly does not deserve a B with the attitude she has displayed. I need to revise my assessment system. Please help me with this.

Posted on: 11/24/12 | Views: 3055
Solution #1
Top Solution
I might actually suggest trying the Buddy System for the two students before you change your assessment system. If it's working well for all your other students, it can't really be wrong. I would pair the Selena up with a student and Shelly up with another student. The buddy for these two students will be their go-to people. Also, you can even think about pairing the 4 students up to create a study group. Different students have different learning techniques that they use to learn and retain material. This could help Selena do better on tests and Shelly to be more engaged in class. I would try these strategies first before changing up your assessment system.
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Solution #2
Shelly She is obviously very intelligent and is showing proficiency in your class. Sometimes the most gifted students are not motivated to do tasks that they do not find necessary or important. In fact, they can validate that opinion by demonstrating excellence on assessments. Here are some ideas that have helped some colleagues of mine. Place Shelly on a homework contract. Allow her to be exempt from turning in certain assignments as long as her test grades are above 95. Under the contract, once a test grade falls below 95, students are held responsible for individual assignments until they are deemed worthy to return to a homework contract. In lieu of the class assignments, have a meeting with Shelly and decide on some alternate assignments, enrichment activities, or independent assignments that will both interest and benefit her. Shelly should not get off the hook for her behavior though. We are teaching beyond the academic curriculum. Parents/guardians should be brought in with Shelly for an intervention. There may be a root cause to her resistance to cooperative learning. There could be reasons for her apathy when it comes to work. It is important that you find out why Shelly is behaving in such a manner and to try to find ways to help her. However, apathy and laziness are also possible. Corrective action is still necessary. We want Shelly to be the best citizen she can be and there are obviously some work ethic issues that need to be addressed. Selena The first thing to do is seek out the person in your school or system that has tested Selena. Georgia is one of 34 states in the World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) consortium. As a result, ELL students take the ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners). This test will give you a good picture of where Selena actually is in her language abilities. Has she tested out of your program for ELL's? There should be test data that will help you know just how high her abilities are. Perhaps you might consider her to be proficient in English, but a professional in that area of expertise needs to let you know what the data indicate. A likely scenario is that you have a mathematics student with high level of mathematical understanding that is being subject to a language bias on your tests. As a teacher, you are the one to make this diagnosis. Use all of your means for assessing her proficiency in your subject area. Think of all of the formal and informal formative assessments such as homework, performance tasks, oral responses, and class activities. If you are convinced that she knows the material and that the tests are a road block, then you have options to consider: 1. Use alternate assessments. Portfolios, performance tasks, and presentations give you a fair way judge what Selena knows. 2. Do some oral follow up with tests. You should discuss her solutions with her to make she understands the questions. Perhaps she is having trouble deciphering what the question is asking her. 3. You are a professional educator. You have the legal and ethical right to assign her a grade that you feel reflects her performance and mastery of the standards. You should not create a barrier to success, you should enable success. You can assign her an appropriate grade based on things other than test scores.

Based on what you have shared, your grading system seems a bit dated. Current best practices for assessing student understanding no longer limits the students' ability to demonstrate their understanding to a multiple-choice test. I recently participated on a focus group that reviewed best practices in grading and then discussed grading policies. Our goal was to articulate the significance of each grade a student earns. Based on that work, we developed the following descriptors grades: A: The student achieved a high standard of excellence by continually demonstrating complete mastery of required knowledge and skills. The student continually applies this knowledge and skill to new concepts and serves as an academic leader in the classroom; B: The student achieved basic course standards by consistently demonstrating understanding of most required knowledge and skills. The student often applies this knowledge and skill to new concepts; C: The student inconsistently met the course standards by demonstrating understanding of some, but not all, of the required knowledge and skills. The student was inconsistent in the application of this knowledge and skill to new concepts; and F: The student did not meet the course standards due to demonstrating minimal understanding of the required knowledge and skills. Nowhere in our grade descriptors did we blend academic ability and student conduct. Best practice supports that the two are separate identities. Based on our review of this literature, we developed the following descriptors for conduct grades: A: The student continually demonstrates scholarly attributes of preparation for class, active participation in class, on-task behavior, and respect towards teachers and peers. The student serves as a leader and model of expected behavior; B: The student consistently demonstrates expected behavior through consistent preparation for class, participation in class, on-task behavior, and respect towards teachers and peers; C: The student inconsistently demonstrates expected classroom behavior. The student may inconsistently prepare for class, inconsistently participate in class, demonstrate some off-task behavior, and/or inconsistently show respect towards teachers and peers; and F: The student does not demonstrate expected classroom behavior. The student is rarely prepared for class, rarely participates, demonstrates excessive off-task behavior, and/or shows disrespect towards teachers and/or peers. I recommend getting to know your students as individuals. Based on the successes you have enjoyed, I perceive you will enjoy this endeavor. There is a plethora of student surveys available to help you do this. I also recommend that you learn about differentiated assessments (e.g., project-based, multiple-intelligence-based, differentiated learning styles-based, etc.). I have attended five Staff Development for Educators conferences. The first conference transformed my practice significantly, and I highly recommend this to help you in your journey to better assess student learning.

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Solution #3
You definitely need to look at different assessment methods. Tests are all well and good but they only serve as summative assessments. How do you have any formative data if you do not incorporate formative assessments into your own teaching practices? Get to know your students more. Use formative assessments to understand why Selena is failing. Maybe there is something that she doesn't understand and you are unable to see what that is without the use of formative assessments and further evaluation. Find out what motivates Shelley and incorporate new strategies into your lessons and assessments that will reach her.

I enjoyed reading this idea. I will use this in the future for sure!

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Solution #4
Assessment is a tough issue at times, especially when it comes to the weighing of assignments. I would add in daily grades, group work and class participation. When grading assignments that are not so cut and dry, like test grades, I would create rubrics. On a rubric you can add in points for communication, collaboration, and assignments. I would also differentiate instructions to meet the needs of Selena if she recieved ESOL services. I hope this helps with your situation, it is hard to see students who try so hard to continue to fail.
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Solution #5
I can understand his frustration concerning the two students, but tests should not be the only means to determine if a student has learned the curriculum. The grading policy should be determined by the school district. If the grading policy is not determined by the district, I would suggest that the teacher reevaluate how much assessments and assignments should weigh for his class. A good balance is represented when assessments weigh 60% and assignments weigh 40%. This allows those students that are poor test takers to at least have a chance to pass the class and prove they know the material through classwork and homework. Performance assessments should also be implemented as a way to determine if the student knows the curriculum. Also, for those students that score high on tests and never do the work (like Shelly) they learn a valuable lesson: if they don't do the assignments they cant pass. It makes them accountable for participation and assignments, which carries over into adulthood. Also, the teacher needs to refer Selena for RTI. She needs to acquire test taking skills (eliminate obvious incorrect answers and learn how to read the question for example) because she must pass the CRCT to go to high school. High stakes testing will follow Selena in the future: when she tries to get into college, or progress in a profession, and if she struggles with testing now she will struggle with it for the rest of her life.
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Solution #6
Wow! I think you should consider more performance assessments! Also, in Selena's case, you may want to consider some sort of oral test or possibly allow her to take her test isolated or extend her time. The content may not be her weakness. The format or time frame of the test may be what's holding her back. As for Shelly, try to find something that interests her. She may have a hard home life, which may have forced her into giving up academically. I'm sure that you could find something that interests her and will encourage her to participate and enjoy herself in class. Don't give up!!!
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Solution #7
In our county, test grades must be 45% of the final grade. If you have a rule regarding this, you may try having different types of tests, in addition to any system wide tests that you are required to give. You could attach rubrics to your group projects and count those as test grades. In my county, we have system wide tests, which are required, but we can add our own tests as long as they are approved by our lead teacher. Projects, which are closely aligned to your standards, would be a great way of seeing if your students understand the material. On your rubric, you could give a great deal of weight to project participation and even have the students rate each other. Another thing that you could use as a test is a writing assessment. I would also investigate why Selena cannot pass the traditional tests. Maybe she needs help with notes or with comprehension. Maybe she needs some tips on test-taking such as reading all answers, answering in a complete sentence, and eliminating bad answers. Maybe a study buddy could be assigned to her to help with test preparation.

When revising your assessment system, I would focus on adding a variety of different types of assessments to meet the diverse needs and learning styles of your students. I would also recommend differentiating your assessments. Some students in your class may need more of a challenge and others may need accommodations. It appears that Selena knows the content but is unable to demonstrate her knowledge on the tests. This could be because she is an auditory learner who can tell you what she knows but has trouble expressing her ideas on paper. Maybe she has trouble reading the tests or the layout of the test is overwhelming to her. Using a variety of assessment types will give each student a chance to demonstrate what they have learned in a way that works best for them, and may help you assess what the students have actually learned rather than just how they perform on tests. I do not think that putting too much weight on one type of assessment is beneficial to the students or the teacher.

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Solution #8
In Selena' case, and based on research I have read, I would try to implement (or possibly take into consideration when making the test)culturally relevant curriculum. I would try to think of ways Selena may be able to relate experiences based on her own cultural experiences to the test so that you can better set her up for success and she can hopefully have a better understanding of what the questions on the test are asking. I would also consider revising how you weigh grades overall. Though tests can be a good indicator of how a student is progressing and retaining information, you also have students that retain information well but experience such issues as test anxiety. Other studnets may just have differnet learning styles and testing could not be a strong point (and then you have those such as Shelly who only does what she has to and makes it just fine). I would still use test results as a means to determine what topics need to be addressed and where students may be struggling, but I would also give more weight to other aspects of the class.

I agree with you. Sometimes it can be difficult to had culturally relevant information into content based assessments. Complex language can be reduced to simple text that will be more likely understood by a ELL.

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Solution #9
First, I do not feel that your class should be determined mainly by test grades. I have learned that there are all different types of learners in the classroom and only relying heavily on test scores can be detrimental to those students like Selena. I think you should reevaluate your weighting of your grades. For the two students, I would try to test Selena on reading comprehension and test-taking skills. I know that some students with IEPs have their tests read aloud to them and that seems to improve their test scores. Maybe that is all Selena needs or maybe there is something a test will reveal that will help her get some help outside of your classroom. For Shelly, it seems like a typical case of someone functioning at a higher level than the rest of the class and has no motivation to try because she can make a B without doing so. I would try giving her alternate assignments that may stimulate her brain and be more challenging. I would also test her to see if she could possibly be put in advanced classes or higher grade classes to stimulate her thinking.
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Solution #10
Selena may just not be a great test taker. It is important to study the areas she performs well in. She sounds extremely motivated so it is important to not give up on her. Maybe she is more of an audio learner. It is best to try different strategies and see which one works best. For the next test, tell her that you are going to try something new and read the test questions out to her. When she hears the question, there is a possibility that she will be able to understand the question better. She is clearly trying hard. As the teacher, you just have to see which testing format benefits her learning style most. As for the other student, Shelly, you should try giving her more difficult assignments. If she is receiving good grades on the tests, it sounds like she already knows the material. Shelly sounds bored in the classroom. Try making her assignments a little more advanced and take note whether she tries harder. You could also match these two students up together and ask Shelly to mentor Selena through class assignments. You could also as them to be study buddies and see whether Selena's test grades improve. If Shelly knows she has a responsible role in the classroom, to mentor Selena, she will be more committed to completing her work and will be more interactive in the classroom.
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Solution #11
In the case of Selena, there are a number of options. The first would be to try to determine what is causing her difficulties with the tests and modify them accordingly. It is important to determine Selena's English proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing as they may not all be in the same range. She may also have difficulties with the formatting of the tests or unfamiliar cultural references in the assessment. All of these issues could be mitigated with the use of modified assessments. Another option would be to maintain the emphasis on summative assessments but begin varying the way students are being tested. If Selena is doing well on written work in class or can demonstrate her knowledge orally or artistically, it is likely that she would benefit from the use of essays, short answer questions, or projects to demonstrate her mastery. While it is still important for her to learn to be successful on a traditional assessment, this would provide some buffer to her grade and would demonstrate that she does, in fact, know the material. Shelly's case is a bit more difficult. It is clear that she is a student that has figured out the machinations of grading and school and knows how to scrape by doing as little as possible. While her test grades indicate that she is able to understand the simple course concepts tested in a traditional manner (likely by cramming the night before a test), it is highly unlikely that she is doing any real authentic learning. Expanding the scope of the assessment types as mentioned above might help to alleviate this problem as well. At the very least, it ought to make it more difficult for Shelly to scrape by and would allow for a grade that more accurately reflects what she is doing in class. If not, it may be time to worry less about changes to the assessment and more about addressing Shelly's lack of performance on a day to day basis from a behavioral perspective.
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Solution #12
I do indeed understand this dilemma - I think it is very difficult to balance student performance on assessments with those students who work very hard and those students who just seem to be naturally gifted on tests and assessments. Solutions for Selena: I think Selena would benefit from group projects where she can shine as a group member and find ways to learn from other students. Selena could also potentially work well on a group quiz where she can work with other students and compare how they got to a specific answer and how she got to her answer. It seems obvious that Selena wants to do well and you can capitalize on that as a teacher by helping her to do well on all forms of assessment. In order to find ways to validate her work ethic, perhaps one of her tests might be replaced with some sort of performance task activity where she can display that she knows the material another way. Perhaps she could be given a mini in class project where she can ask you as many questions as she likes to grow more comfortable with the material - then as the class continues she could be given fewer and fewer opportunities to ask questions and do more and more of the test type work on her own. This could validate her wanting to ask questions and participate, this will also grow her ability to become more dependent on learning and listening to you as the teacher in the beginning and then more and more dependent on herself as the class progresses. Solutions for Shelly: Shelly needs to be challenged more by the tests, I would recommend creating a different test for Shelly that would take her to a different level of understanding and really give her a challenge that may force her to spend more time on the homework and other activities that she currently does not do. If she continues to get rewarded for her current behavior of doing well in the class with little work, she will continue to do that. She needs to be motivated to work harder to do well on the test. Perhaps if she starts to do a little worse on the test, she will find that she needs to start studying and working on the homework. Perhaps one day you could choose to take up the homework as a test grade, this could benefit both Shelly and Selena - Selena could do well because she is one to work hard and do her homework, Shelly will realize that if she does not do her homework this time, that it will effect her test average which is what is getting her the good grades she needs to make it through the class.
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Solution #13
I have a hard time believing that someone like Selena (or any other student) would be receiving a low grade considering the efforts and enthusiasm she exhibits. It does not seem reasonable that if she is trying hard to learn the material that she is having a hard time grasping it, especially if her language proficiency is high. Our valedictorian in high school was a student from Thailand who started in ESL classes as a freshman and by the time she was a senior she had exceeded all expectations and all other students in her graduating class. I cannot grasp Selena's situation to be honest. I do not feel that it is a language barrier. It may be performance anxiety or insecurity when testing, but even those would be diminished once she was permitted to demonstrate her knowledge on something other than a test. A drastic conclusion about Selena could be that she could have some kind of an intellectual disability. As for Shelly, I would question why is not motivated enough to perform. Is it because she feels that her time is being wasted with daily assignments if she knows she can pass the test? That being said, if she performs well on tests it's because she already knows the material. What percentage are the tests? If Shelly is performing so well overall, it would mean the tests would have to weigh about 60% of the grade, if not higher. That being said, I agree that the course grade in the class should determined mainly based on what students make on summative assessment. However, I do not agree that all summative assessments should be tests. I think students should be allowed to produce products of knowledge in various ways that allow them to showcase their talents. Some may be good at multiple choice tests, others might fare better at writing or maybe some might be better at photographically presenting their learning. We can assess students dozens of ways. I like to alternate and provide them with means to express what they learned. On any major unit of study, I provide my students with various ways to express what they leaned by having a between 2 to 10 choices on how to demonstrate what they learned. These are some revision I would suggests to the assessment system in this particular classroom with Selena and Shelly. As previously stated, I believe that summative assessments should be mainly how we determine the student's grade. However, I also believe that those daily efforts that students demonstrate should weigh enough to be able to tip them over the threshold of passing if they are not successful on summative assessments. My county has suggested scales for grade weights and I have come to find them very helpful for student success. The final exam weighs 20% and that is standardized throughout the county. The classroom work weighs at 35% and the summative assessments weigh 45% which totals to 100%. When the summative and the final exam are combined, this still leads us to 65% of the grade total that will help those of us who advocate for majority of the grade counting toward assessments.
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Solution #14
Shelly and Selena both need differentiated assessments. Some students like Selena do really well in the classroom but do not test well. A buddy system to review the content works really well with students who do not do well on tests.Also chunking the assignments and checking for understanding helps to retain the important information. On the other hand, Shelly seems to be either less motivated or not challenged in the classroom. For students like Shelly, learning contracts help to get them motivated. Learning contracts provides these students an opportunity to own their learning. Also pairing Shelly and Selena might help both learn the content and do well along with being engaged in the classroom.
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Solution #15
What you have here is two very different situations. Selena seems to grasp the knowledge in class, but doesn't do well on the test. My first thought was to try giving her the test orally. I know her English is proficient, but there still may some difficulties or confusion. Another thought I had was that she might have attention issues. She may not be able to fully focus on the test to get through it. With Shelly, I immediately thought she shows signs of giftedness. Maybe she already knows the material which would explain her lack of participation in class. I know you said she doesn't deserve a B, but if she is showing mastery of standards, isn't that exactly the grade she deserves? I think you need to consider not only your assessment system, but also your ideas on what exactly you want to assess. What do you want to assess your students on? One type of assessment, a test, does not work for every child. Think bigger picture for Selena. Portfolio or performance task might be the best route for someone like her. For Shelly, I don't think the assessment is the issue, I think it is the material itself. Give her a challenge.
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Solution #16
First of all, it is important to understand that your skills as a teacher can be identified many ways. One is being recognized by those who observe you and another is by the success of your students in addition to others. However, a single one of these measures of your abilities cannot be and is not definitive by itself. Instead it is an accumulation of recognition, evaluation, success rates, etc. that paint a more accurate picture of your abilities. As for your specific problem, I think everyone would agree one hundred percent that the ethnic background of your students has nothing to do with their grade differences. I do not know them personally, but I have seen the case where some good students simply do not test well due to various issues (anxiety, over thinking, lack of sleep, etc.) and some students are just gifted to the point they need minimum study time or practice. The reluctance to participate in group activity and assignments just may be a personality trait or boredom due to lack of challenge. A student feeling like they don't have to do work they feel like they already know how to do is nothing unusual. Selena might also need to be tested for any learning disabilities and have different testing accommodations pending the results. As far as the language goes, she appears proficient but is this verbal as well as written? That might be an issue to check into as well. If you feel that Selena is not receiving her fair share, then address that issue specifically with a participation grade factored into their test averages. This will provide Selena a boost and give her credit where she excels and perhaps encourage Shelly to become more active with classroom assignments and activities. However, you must be careful to not let this participation grade have more influence than it rightly should or give them a false sense of reality. After all, these students are going to grow up and in the "real world" results are what matters. There is no participation grade in the working world, only made deadlines and positive bottom lines. I would have a pointed conversation with both the students and parents to address your concerns as well.
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Solution #17
I do think that re-evaluating your assessment methods is in order here. I give similar weight in my own course to different types of summative assessments and do not think that tests should be the only summative measure used. With Selena, I would try some different types of summative assessment and see how well she has mastered the content. This may help provide you with some insight into why she is not doing well on her tests. Also, I would talk to her about why she thinks she doesn't do well on tests, even though she is doing well on class work, and see what information she can provide about her own struggles and learning style. Shelly represents a struggle I have been facing in my classroom all year long this year. Ultimately, what's most important is that the students master the content - they do not all have to show mastery in the same way. I also really like the idea of a homework/class work contract and think that may be helpful. Also, you might want to provide Shelly with some more choice in the type of assignments she is completing in class. By allowing her to have some choice in the type of assignment she is completing, or possibly even by letting her come up with some of her own assignments, her motivation to complete coursework may increase.
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Solution #18
I feel that you do not need to modify your grading scale because of one student doing poorly on your test. Test are suppose to measure a student's complete understanding of the unit. However, you can modify your test to help those who are in need because they are struggling. Therefore, it is possible to give different versions of the test and modify the questions slightly based on the students capability. For example, I went to a work shop where a teacher puts different levels for one question on the test for the students to choose from. The question is, what is the catch? The catch is the question are at different point level. If a student chooses to do all the easy ones, they can only receive a certain grade because of the level they are working at. If they choose to do the more rigorous questions, then they will receive the highest grade possible. This will help challenge those that feel they understand it the most and help those that maybe struggling boost their self-confidence. Students who maybe struggling to a certain extent will not be penalized because they are not ready at that time for the rigorous questions but can later on increase their understanding to become more comfortable with those questions.
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Solution #19
You could make classwork, homework, other types of assessments worth a little more points/percentage wise. You could also provide multiple types of assessments that could allow Selena to show that she has mastered the concepts. When assigning group work, add a component where group members grade each other based on contribution. Make this anonymous and allow students to drop it in some sort of box. I would definitely consider grading a lot of the other assignments to help the students because traditional test aren't always the best form for students to showcase their knowledge.
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Solution #20
I would definitely try an assessment with a rubric, maybe some type of research project. THis way, Selena and Shelly can both choose something that intrests them within your content and work on it at their own pace. THis does allow them some freedom. You might give them the option of working in groups or partners and also the choice of working alone. This will work for both girls learning styles.

That is a great idea to work with partners. This is a way in which both of the students can be successful and learn from each other. Also, a grade can be given for group work. Sometimes children learn better from their peers. This is a different way for the students to be assessed. I believe that both students can be successful this way.

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Solution #21
I would create an alternate form of assessment for Selena, test anxiety can be a real problem especially with ELL's. I also believe that Shelly may not be getting enough stimulation from the course work, offering challenges that cause her want to try may help since she seems to know the material.
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Solution #22
I know that this is a very tough situation, as I have seen it many times in my own classroom many times before. I think that the issue is a lack of balance with the grading system. For example, it seems as if the majority of the grade comes directly from tests. This is unfortunate as life in and of itself is not begging for people to pass paper tests. Rather, it is demanding that people be motivated to do things which they are good at. Perhaps Selena is not a good test-taker, but that has no reflection about how motivated she is to do things which she finds interesting. This leads to my next question, how differentiated are your assessments? In other words, does everyone have to take the same tests? Or can the test grades come from a differentiation assignment in which students get to choose their final product? In the latter case, it seems as if motivation would play a much more crucial role. I think that this would help Selena, as she would get to choose something that she is good at, while also forcing the white student to become more involved in the class.
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Solution #23
I am not sure if your school district has mandated weights on grading percentages. If not, you should consider changing the way your tests are weighted. Another consideration is to look at alternative assessment methods. Some students are not strong test takers when it comes to written tests. With Selena being an English Language Learner (even though she is proficient in the language), she might not understand how to convey what she is thinking even though she understands the content. Many students like this do well on performance tasks. This could be taken as a test grade rather than a written test. Shelly is obviously an intelligent student, but lacks motivation it seems. Some students do not do well when working with other students. Does she interact well socially with other students? She also could have something going on outside of school that is making her withdraw socially. Have you tried talking to her about the situation? Her grade is a B because she does well on tests, but does not complete other assignments. If the weights for grading were changed, her grade might not be as such. I would have a conference with the student and her parents or guardians, if possible. Maybe this would shed some light on the situation. A student contract (saying that she will complete and turn in homework and complete other assignments) would be a good option to try. By having different assessment methods, you will be meeting the needs of all of your students. Giving a learning styles inventory or survey can also help with evaluating how your students learn best.

I completely missed the fact that Shelly's issue may only be group work. With that in mind, Shelly may be more willing to complete assignments on her own. Some students get anxious in social situations and this could possibly be Shelly's problem. The teacher could try to get to the root of Shelly's lack of motivation by one-on-one conversations, and then progress with possible solutions.

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Solution #24
In my county, tests make up 50% of students grades. This is often unfair to students like Selena, who maybe do not test well, but clearly know the material. My suggestion would be to offer students the opportunity to fix their mistakes on their tests if they have all of their classwork turned in on time and have participated in discussions and group activities. This will help students like Selena, who work hard, and at the same time it may encourage students like Shelly to work harder. I would also adjust how much tests are weighted in your class, assuming that you are allowed to do so.
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Solution #25
I would suggest each girl having a buddy to help them. I think that it would be important to explain to the students and the buddy why your are asking for their help, and if the student was comfortable with having someone help. Sometimes the students we think would be a big help to another student are not the "best fit". I would also try and talk with her one on one to figure out what is going on and why she is performing so poorly in class. I would also ask Selena why she thought she was making bad grades on tests because I can see in class that she knows the material. I would ask her if there was any way that I could make the test "easier" for her.
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Solution #26
I think there are several aspects of the assessment system that can be examined. The first question that I would ask is whether or not what you are teaching aligns with the assessment. Does every assignment bring you closer to the culminating activity? Another aspect of the assessment that you may to look at is whether or not the test contains vocabulary in which Selena would be unfamiliar. Even if she knows the answer, she may not know new vocabulary associated with the correct answer especially if there happens to be a false cognate. If this is the case, then you might want to give Selena and other struggling readers a list of vocabulary words to be familiar with prior to the test OR build those vocabulary words into the lessons. Also, is there one particular power standard that she does not meet that would effect her performance in many other standards? Does anyone read the test to her? Does her IEP, 504 or ESOL plan provide for extra accommodations? If everything is being done to address these questions, then I would look at adding some performance based assessments, authentic assessments, portfolios, and the like to the assessment category. A portfolio would help Selena and "catch" Shelly in not doing her work. At the end of the day I probably would re-work my grading protocol to be more reflective of the type of grade a student like Shelly should have at the end of the semester. I know that our grading protocol in the English department where I work is tests - 30%, writing - 25%, daily/quizzes - 25% and EOCA/SLO - 20%. Does your grading protocol at the middle school level look similar? If not, then you may want to consider aligning your protocol more closely to the high school level since that may better prepare your students for high school days. These are just a few possibilities to consider; however, I know that there is not one quick and easy answer to meet the needs of both students.
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Solution #27
In regards to Shelly, I do not recommend that behavior be a factor for determining content knowledge and skills. I would instead refer her to the guidance counselor or other support personnel to determine a solution for her behavior. In regards to Selena, it may be the for of assessment that needs to be modified. Have you tried oral assessment or performance assessment? I would use different assessment types to figure out what assessment type Selena is successful with. Your classroom observations imply that Selena understands the content, yet this isn't reflected by the assessment. I think that if you experiment with some different assessment types, you'll likely find some type that works best for Selena.
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Solution #28
It sounds to me like Selena may have some test anxiety. She may also need some accommodations to help with her ELL needs. She may have trouble reading and comprehending so read out loud accommodations may be helpful. She also may need testing in a small group with extended time. Shelly sounds like she may have some social anxiety. She may become very nervous when working with the other students in class. If she is receiving the highest grade on the test she is definitely understanding the material. She may need some motivation to improve her performance on classroom assignments.
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Solution #29
I teach special education and most of my students have learning disabilities. The students in my resource classes, especially, usually do horribly on tests. Therefore, I try to work in as many classwork grades as I possibly can to offset those poor grades. Some students just aren't good testers. Whether it is test anxiety or a learning disability, they know their stuff in class--even on quizzes--but can't perform when it comes to the big test. Multiple forms of assessment, including formative assessment, will show you that your students have retained the knowledge, and the classwork grades will give you the back-up for the grade book that you need.

As a special education teacher, I can really relate to your posting. It is difficult for struggling students to make good grades on tests. Special education students are already behind when compared to their peers. It is great that you are a teacher who believes in giving grades for formal as well as informal assessments.

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Solution #30
I am currently dealing with this same situation! Unfortunately, I am not able to change the weight of assignments or assessments. In this situation, I am playing with other options that can benefit students like Selena. First, talk to Selena and see if the language is causing confusion on tests. I believe that this is the most logical explanation to the poor grades on test. Language on test usually differs greatly from the daily vernacular, even within a classroom. The diction could be causing confusion. I would try to develop a test that would be aimed at a lower lexile while testing the same content. A test is used to test the content of the unit, but the way that the test is designed is usually at a higher lexile with more complex grammar, such as, IN WHICH, ALL BUT, EXCEPT, FROM THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE (asking for the student to interpret language). Reducing complex language on a test would be my first step to assist this hard-working student.
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Solution #31
As a teacher, I have came to realize that all students don't perform well on tests. Some students have the fear of tests and just bombs them. Therefore, other things have to come into play when students are being evaluated. Students have to be scored on informal assessments as well as formal assessments. I feel as if the student who participates well in class and tries to do work should have some type of grade or reward for her good work. The student who does not do her work and does not pay attention should not receive just good grades because all of her actions are not good. The grading system needs to be balanced so that each student gets a fair chance to be successful.
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Solution #32
I do not feel this is an uncommon issue. I do think there are options to support both students. I do suggest diverse ways to test your students, written tests have been the standard for a long time and they have a benefit. I would suggest using a rubric to asses the classroom performance of these students. This will help Selena who clearly struggles with pen to paper testing, it will reward her willingness to participate and will help Shelly provide participation in class or her grade will suffer and this may encourage her to participate more.
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Solution #33
Unless your school has a specific policy on how grades should be determined, I believe that revising your grading procedures is a perfectly acceptable way to ensure your students are being graded effectively. You should breakdown your grading so everything has a percentage of the final grade. Yes, tests do test knowledge, but so do research reports and various other works. Give your students a breakdown of how much each task will count towards their final. Another key issue that you may want to look into is, why is Selena failing her tests if she is doing so well on class work? It seems to me that you should conference her ELL teacher and discuss strategies that will help Selena be more successful on all of her tests.
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Solution #34
First of all I would try and put Selena and Shelly together as work partners. It appears that they may draw one another out. Also, allow Selena to take verbal tests away from the group to reduce test trauma, I have had good success with this approach. Shelly seems to have studied as a Greek Stoic philosopher, I think I would first discuss with her parents how to get her involved in ANY school or outside activities. Withdrawal is a danger sign and needs to be addressed.
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Solution #35
I have come across the same dilemma in my class. While under the grant our school is under, it has opened my eyes to other areas that can show me if my students understand the standards taught in the course. One method is formative assessments. It allows me to see their strengths and weaknesses. Then, it helps me determine what areas they need to work on during the work session. However, in your situation, there are a few things that can be used to help both students. For Selena, since she does well on classwork, then allow her test to be on the same level. Allow her to feel success when taking the test, then progressively up the level and show her that she can do the test at the same level as her classmates. For Shelly, you may want to try a different approach. Shelly seems like she needs to be challenge more. For the classwork, she may not feel any pressure and she sees that she can just do the test and succeed and still pass. Provide Shelly with more rigorous on her test. If she sees herself slipping, then she may start to pick up the slack on her classwork.
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Solution #36
A possible solution would be to implement performance assessments instead of relying solely on written tests. By using a performance assessment you could incoporate a portofolio that displays the class work as well as a summative assessment. This will definitely help to increase Selena's grade and to give Shelly a more deserving grade.
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Solution #37
You need to include some informal assessments into your lesson plans. Traditional tests require students to be able to read well. Selena is great at spoken English, but spoken language and written language is completely different. Sounds to me like she is having a reading problem. Try and give her assessments that allow her to show her knowledge by doing something instead of answering a paper test.

For starters, we are not called upon to "grade" attitude. I would much rather a student learn the content and be grumpy, then for them to be full of life and energy and clueless. As far as the student with the bad attitude goes, I would continue to give her the grade she earns. The last time I checked, attitude is not one of the Common Core standards that students are expected to master. As for Selena, is it very possible that your assessments are somewhat biased, though likely unintentionally. I would look for an alternative way to assess her learning; a way that provides her with the opportunity to display her knowledge in an alternative form. I is possible that she "does" understand, she just may not be able to explain it. If I asked my 16 month old daughter if she wants a cookie, you better believe she is thinking "yes!" However, if I asked her to write down her response on paper, she would never get a cookie would she?

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Solution #38
I do realize that in todays classroom it's all about the test, but it is other was to assess what a student has learn. You may try reports over certain part of the lesson or try something different with Selena it mybe she has a problem with taken test and may need to be in a different environment apon being tested.And for Shelly she needs to know that homework and participation is important as well.
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Solution #39
Assuming your county does not have mandated percentages for grading, you can always adjust when you see issues. Perhaps a lower weight on your tests and a higher weight on your classwork would help with this situation. Yes, a test is one way to show that a student has learned the information, but there are other ways. Performance tasks is class, class discussions, and portfolios are all great ways to assess a student's learning. This change in weighting would help with Selena's grade and somewhat address your problem with Shelley as well. Selena's grade would be higher because she does well with classwork. Shelley's grade would more reflect her work ethic and attitude in class because her high test scores would not count as much. If changing the weighting of your test is not a viable option for you, perhaps allowing Selena to take the test in a different manner would help. Is she both a fluent speaker AND reader of English? Maybe allow her to take the test orally with you or a parapro. You could also have the test read to her and see if this helps with the issue. Tests don't always have to be paper and pencil. I hope some of this helps.
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Solution #40
I feel that an important part of what students learn is cooperation, problem solving and research skills. Some students are poor test takers and for whatever reason never get to show what they know on a paper & pencil test (or even a computer based assessment). I like using projects and performance tasks as well as a participation grade along with traditional tests. These 3 things give a more complete picture of student performance, in my opinion.
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Solution #41
Some students have difficulty passing tests, which may be the problem for Selena. I would suggest she attend workshops that focus on test taking skills and maybe receive extra testing practice to determine factors that are preventing her from passing tests. She could be suffering from test anxiety. As for Shelly, it seems that she may be bored. She may benefit from differentiated instruction that is more challenging than what is regularly taught in class. I would also suggest the teacher consider changing the format of his grading standards. Although he uses tests to determine what his students know, the activities for grade percentages could be higher for students that complete assignments and return homework. In this case, Shelly would have to complete additional assignments in order to receive a passing grade.
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Solution #42
As far as Selena's concerned, I would have pre and post assessment conferences with her to determine her outlook on the assessment. She may suffer from testing anxiety. This technique could ease that stress. Another strategy is the change the weights of the testing to equal. For example, I equally place classwork, testing, projects and homework (25%). That way, that can support her weak testing scores. For Shelly, You can have parents come in for a behavior contract and monitor her progress on a sheet for each of her classes. Keep a record of her behavior and let that be a factor on progress reports. Another option is to test her for gifted or "challenge" program, in which she'll receive more challenging work to focus on.
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Solution #43
Just as differentiated instruction is more beneficial for a spectrum of learning styles, differentiating assessment can give educators a better idea of what our students are really learning. Using formative assessment strategies is just as important as using summative assessments such as cumulative tests. Selena's ability to comprehend and respond to written English may not be as strong as her ability to verbally communicate, so her poor test scores may simply be the result of her confusion with the testing format. Even students who are not English Language Learners perform at different levels in varying forms of assessment. Some may be better able to discuss a topic or apply it to a real life situation than to take a multiple-choice test about the information. More importantly, we must consider what we are training our students for as we teach them. The ability to recall information on a test is good, but being able to work with others in group settings and being able to apply the information in a practical way is a much more valuable life skill. I would suggest an assessment system which gives more weight to participation, projects, and discussion, rather than placing all of the emphasis on testing.
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Solution #44
I think that, in the past, unfair assessments have been a major issue in education. With the advent of new and innovative assessment strategies, however, there are many ways to circumvent these issues. I have students very similar to the one's you described in my own classroom. I have a Hispanic male that is one of my hardest workers in the classroom. His work is always organized and thorough, yet his tests are always failing. The way that I resolved this issue was to give his test orally. His grades immediately improved, showing that he knew the information. He just couldn't display it on a traditional assessment. Fortunately, he had an IEP that allowed me to easily arrange the oral examination. This would be logistically difficult without a co-teacher, however. Another option would be to provide performance assessments throughout the term. This allows the hard workers to truly shine, and it forces the lazy students to work for their grade. While providing this variation in assessment will not completely fix the problem (we can never completely get rid of traditional assessment under the current regime), it will begin to level the playing field a bit. You can also see how truly creative and enthusiastic your students can be towards the topic when their assessments are not so rigid.
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Solution #45
There are a couple of comments that stand out to me that need addressing in this case study. The first is "The course grade in my class is determined mainly based on what students make on tests, because I feel that tests are the only means for me to know whether students have retained what they learned or not." I think this dilemma has two roots to it. (1) You need to have a clear understanding on what your curriculum is and (2) you need to have an assessment system that you feel good about. Once you are clear on what your students are to learn in your class you can then search for alternate ways of assessing. It is perfectly acceptable to continue using tests for most students but offer other assessment methods for students that you feel do not take what we consider traditional tests well. The second comment that stands out to me is "At the same time, I think Shelly does not deserve a B with the attitude she has displayed." I think we have to be careful as teachers that we don't give grades according to how well we like the personality of our students. If working in groups is part of your curriculum then you can assess that, but we need to be careful that we aren't giving grades on how well we like our students. I know it's sometimes hard to give an F to a kid with a great attitude that you like and it seems unjust to give an A to a kid with a poor attitude that can rub us the wrong way. This is where we have to be clear on what our curriculum is and how we plan to evaluate regardless of the likability of the student. With those things addressed, I say revise your assessment system but do it with your curriculum in mind and not the personalities of your students.
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Solution #46
First of all, I think it is excellent that you are unhappy that your current assessment system creates problems and unfair situations for your learners. It is extremely important that educators are aware when grading policies are not conducive to all learners. Grading systems can make or break a student because often times students are so grade oriented. A good grading system is set up where all learners are successful after participating in casework, assignments, and assessments. I think the best way to make sure that your Hispanic student is treated fairly is to count assign equal weights for your casework, discussions, and assessments. Even if you don't make these areas equal, you should make sure that once doesn't dominate the other. For instance, make casework 40%, homework 10%, and tests 50%. That's only one possibility. Explore the many different arrangements and even asks other teachers how their systems are arranged. When you have your system arranged appropriately, make sure each category has equal representation. For example, if you have 5 casework grades; there should be more than one test grade. I believe that a system that is set up in this matter will be fair to not only the two you are concerned with but it will be fair to all learners as it should. Also, this is an area that teachers should assess periodically and consistently; therefore congrats on your continuous evaluation of your practices.
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Solution #47
My school district has a required grading system that all teachers must follow. 60% of the grades are tests/projects, 30% are formative assessments/class work, and 10% is homework. Unfortunately there are some students who do not work well with others and do not participate in class but will perform extremely well on assessments. On the other hand, there are some students who work really hard in class but struggle with testing. Several options can be considered before revising the assessment system, if one has the authority to do so. ELL learners sometimes struggle with testing and understanding test questions. One question I would ask is: Is Selena receiving any testing accommodations and support in the classroom so she can better understand the content? Many ELL students at my school receive read aloud, use of dictionary, and extended time testing accommodations. Also, if Selena is working extremely hard but struggles with testing, one can give her grade a slight boost to reflect her efforts. One other option is to assess the level of differentiation of lessons. Lessons should be differentiated so that all learners are able to grasp the material; In addition, lessons should capture the interest of all students.
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Solution #48
It is wonderful that you as the teacher have come to the conclusion that there may be an issue with your grading system. Many times teachers today want to blame the students and not look back at their own mistakes. Although I do not know if your grading system is the issue. All of our students learn and test better in different situations. By saying that I would test Selena in a different way rather than just by a written test. You mentioned that you think that the only way to see if students have learned the material is by testing them. In my opinion, this is not the case at all. There are so many different ways that a teacher can assess the students other than giving them a major test over the material. Testing the students knowledge could be as easy as giving the students a ticket out the door or calling the student up to your desk and asking them a question or two. Shelly on the other hand seems to be a very intelligent young lady that does not have to try hard to do well in class. For this type of student you should first talk with them and see what the problem is. Next, parent contact would be necessary. Also, I would see about different forms of motivation. Rewarding the student could be something that helps the students pay better attention especially if they know they will be rewarded for their good behavior. I would first try these steps to solve the problems. As I mentioned earlier all students learn in different ways and we as teachers should do whatever needs to be done to engage our students in our classrooms.
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Solution #49
There are many ways to assess students, not just by using the typical multiple choice assessment. Students can be assessed using performance tasks to demonstrate what they have learned. These assessments can be writing, projects or a higher level learning task that requires them apply what they have learned in a unit. Selena might do very well on a performance assessment. It sounds like she is either experiencing test anxiety or doesn't understand the information in that format. Selena's grade may go up if different assessments are used. However, as we live in the day and age of state assessments conducted in the multiple choice way, it is still important for Selena to develop test taking strategies. I have to do this with my special education middle school students. Throughout the year, I read them their tests aloud. I observe what they are good at and I teach them test taking strategies such as eliminating answers and highlighting key words such as what is NOT and example. Teaching the kids these strategies is just as relevant as teaching the material. Shelly is evidently a good test taker, however she is not participating in daily class activities. I think if assessments were performance based, you may find that she is not performing as well. Performance tasks require a lot of effort more so than a typical assessment. If these are calculated into the students grade, it would be more reflective of what the students know and what the students are completing on an everyday period on in class performance. To do my grade book, I use multiple assessment including multiple choice and performance based to show an adequate picture of how well my student understands the material and how much work they are putting into the course.
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Solution #50
I agree with giving more weight to tests than to the daily assignments. Our job is to teach the students information, and not necessarily grade them on their attitude. Shelly may be having severe problems at home that we are unaware of. You could reward Selena's initiative with extra credit assignments. Selena could demonstrate her understanding with projects or reports. Selena may also be eligible for receiving some assistance with the test. Someone could read it to her verbally if she has difficulty reading the questions. Selena also may have anxiety during the test that results in a lower score. Even though the weight should be on testing, there are other ways that she can demonstrate her understanding.
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Solution #51
I would definitely suggest revising the assessment system. I think that incorporating projects allows the students like Selena to excel when traditional tests do not show her true knowledge and potential. Also through projects, you have tangible proof of why a student like Shelly does not receive a higher grade and her grade is more accurate of her effort. In the past I have had to incorporate different assessment strategies so that I could accurately assess the student. Also, you might want to think about doing (if possible) a weighted grade where 60% of the grade is summative assessments/tests/projects and 40% is formative assessments which could be from daily grades. Also, something that I have found useful with students that you described is giving them an oral exam where they have to have a conversation with me on a topic or verbally show me how to work through a problem. This has been very beneficial for my ESOL students because the vocabulary they might not recognize on a written test they are still able to communicate how to complete the problem. Also, it makes students like Shelly work for her grade and earn the B that she has.
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Solution #52
I believe that you can still assess with a test but make it a performance assessment instead. Look at the standards you are trying to teach and create a rubric with what you expect out of Selena on the assessment. Since she does well in different areas, she may be able to do well if she is in a more comfortable environment of assessment instead of a written test. Shelly may not be challenged enough so getting her to "perform" on a performance task may show her that she needs to do more than just know what is the correct thing to say on the test. The rubric can be perfectly aligned with what you are trying to teach according to your curriculum but allow for different strengths of the students to show through the assignment
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Solution #53
Selena may have test anxiety if she is continues to struggle on test I would try asking her the test questions orally under no stress so she doesn't even realize she is taking the test and see if she knows the answers. For Shelly you have to beat her at her own game. Get her zoned into class by letting her have a hand in things; make her the assistant and make her pass out papers or help kids with hands in the air when you are done lecturing. She will be involved and learning even more by helping people and maybe her grades will go up.
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Solution #54
I have come across this same dilemma also. Unfortunately, my school district sets the weight of our grading standards. All major assessments are 50% of their grade, minor assessments are 30% and final exams (or EOCT's) are 20% of their final grade. I have a problem with this standardization across the county. We are also not "allowed" to give participation grades...another thing I have a problem with. I would much rather have Selena in my class because she works hard, than Shelly who just does the bare minimum and still passes. I am really challenged this year because I am teaching my younger brother (and he is Shelly)!! He makes me so angry because I have a hard time "loving" the kid that is the smart, lazy kid...and that's him (and Shelly). I think that we should adapt our grading scales to our kids...afterall, the doctor adapt medicines for the patients and their conditions.
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