Grading WG

[Mathmommy]

Hi all!

New to HOD this year (been homeschooling 9 years). Using WG, Rev to Rev, and Little Hands.

Because we're beginning our first high schooler this year, I decided to go with HOD because of the independence it will allow. I was hoping for some helpful tips on how to grade the work being completed, really just for the older two.

I'm a very concrete person who likes to use a checklist. If I don't have a set of criteria to evaluate the work, then both me and my kiddos tend to get lazy and "just get it done." I don't want them to just get an A for completing the work, I want it done well. Plus I want to be able to provide a transcript for my highschooler, and my husband likes to see how they are doing.

So, looking at WG, for example, it recommends 15% weight given to oral narrations. OK, but what criteria do I use for the oral narrations? It says not to "grade" the oral narrations because the student may feel that there is a right and wrong way of doing them. So far, at least for the oral narrations, I've thought of 3 categories, Content, Ability to answer ?s, Delivery. Then I set up criteria that earns points from 1-4. For the written narrations, I have: Punctuation, Spelling, Main idea/supporting details (all those on a 1-4 scale), then Strong opener (2 points), Strong closer (2 points), Every Paragraph indented (2 points), Variety of words (2 points). This is just my brainstorming thus far.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

~Carrie

[Jennymommy]

Hi carrie I went here and printed the overview and suggested grading criteria: http://www.heartofdakota.com/pdf/wg-overview.pdf. There is a checklist for the oral narrations and which units should include which aspects of oral narration. HTH

[Mathmommy]

Hi Jenny!

Thanks for the reply! Maybe I'm missing it, but all I see is that the Oral Narration should be 15% of the overall grade for the year. What I'm struggling with is how to grade each of the individual oral narrations. In other words, my son is giving me an oral narration, what criteria do I use to decide if the oral narration for Unit 1 Day 1 gets an A, B, C, D etc. How do I give points for each of the individual oral narrations that he gives on day 1 of each unit?

Thanks,
Carrie

[Jennymommy]

I would say "A" for meeting the criteria such as key word (day 1 of units 1,6,11,16, etc.), summary (day 1 units 2,7,12, etc.), and so on as listed in the suggested grading. Guide dc in their efforts as they work toward meeting all the requirements, hopefully being able to do so consistently by a few months in In the appendix is a list of narration skills that will help.

[my3sons]

Hi Carrie! One of my favorite dicussions on the message board centered around grading in World Geography last year! I will link it here...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15348

When it comes to grading, personal preferences should be taken into consideration. This is true even in public high school, as evidenced by the very different way teachers assign grades. The helps that Carrie has written in the introduction were incredibly helpful! I hope this thread can help you find the way you want to approach it!

In Christ,
Julie