BC's Gradescale

When I switched to grading on a 4-3-2-1-0 rubric, I created a new grade scale on Discovery. I felt I need to do so because the traditional grade scale calculates 3/4 = 75% = C. I didn't think a student who was proficient (which is what my 3 means) at all objectives should recieve a C. So here it is:
A = 90%
A-=87%
B+=83%
B=79%
B-=75%
C+=71%
C=67%
C-=63%
D+=59%
D= 56%
D-=52%

Now a person getting all 3's (meeting objective) would recieve a B-. You need to be exceeding on some objectives to get higher than a B+
A person earning all 2's (progressing) and a couple 3's would recieve a D-.

Any thoughts? Anyone else want to share their grade scale?

Too Many Objectives!

Whew! I am feeling so relieved to be done with Chapter 3, Linear Relationships. I had WAY too many objectives (22). I need to figure out a way to narrow them down for next year. Any algebra teachers want to weigh in on what they would consider the "top ten" objectives for linear relationships?
I am happily beginning Chapter 4, Line of Best Fit and Point-slope form. I will be keeping objectives much more general (As in "Can write an equation in Point-slope form"). Maybe too much so, but that will help me learn the balance.

Homework

It's the new year and I'd like to go back to school with a shiny new homework policy & system. Let's hear it from all of you. How do you do homework?
1) how often?
2) how many problems?
3) how do you grade it?
4) how is it connected to their overall grade?
5) how do you correct it?
6) do kids do it?

Getting Feedback From Students

I was just reminded by my PDP coordinator that I need to do student surveys soon. Instead of doing the normal district provided surveys, I think I'll make my own and find out what my kids think/know/feel about my grading. I know I want to ask "how do you know what quality (good) work looks like in Algebra?"

Any other ideas for questions I/we could ask to get info about the grading system? I'd love some ideas from all of you!

Question for Graders

I would like to make student learning more public. One way to do this is the elementary strategy of a chart with stars. Each student would get a star when they "master" an objective. What do you think about this strategy with middle and high schoolers? Is it motivating? Would we have to use student IDs rather than names? It seems like this would be a good way to share overall class data with the class. We could look at how the class is doing as a whole and we could see where the group needs extra help, etc.

Bibliography

Books that groove with grading:

Fair Isn't Always Equal, by Rick Wormeli
Differentiation, by Rick Wormeli
Ahead of the Curve, The Power of Assessment to Transform Teaching & Learning, by Ainsworth, Almeida, Davies, and DuFour
Transforming Classroom Grading, by Robert Marzano
Improving Student Learning One Teacher At A Time, by Jane Pollock
Rethinking Homework, by Cathy Vatterott
Results Now, by Michael Schmoker

BC's 4-3-2-1-0 Rubrics