Creating a Standards Based Classroom

Grades, by their very nature, are subjective. That is a fact of education. Because of this, we need to be able to do everything we can to make sure the expectations for those grades are as transparent as possible.Enter in Standards Based Grading. Standards Based Grading is a way to use mastery scales to help give meaning to the grades we put into our gradebooks. It ultimately removes behavior from the gradebook, instead focusing on communicating to students, parents, and other educators exactly what the students do and don't know about the content in your class.Like every classroom change, it takes effort to implement the method. There are growing pains as behaviors are pulled away from the gradebook. Without some guidance, it can feel overwhelming. That's what the purpose of this course is. I want to help other educators navigate the implementation process of Standards Based Grading, so that they can focus on the most important aspects of it: Creating the materials and scales needed to help transition the class clearly and effectively.When you are done, I hope that it brings meaning and transparency to your gradebook, and that it brings students closer to both mastery and success in your classrooms!