Friday, December 9, 2011

Grading Dilemma or Attitude Dilemma?

During a recent meeting with fellow physical education teachers, we had a discussion about grading.  The interesting thing about our discussion is that we had about three or four different grading philosophies that were shared and there were only six of us there. One thing we discussed is: what/how are we grading?  Is our grading participation based, performance based, discipline based, or even a combination.   Then we discussed what those specific styles look like for each of us.  I do not think there is necessarily a right or wrong philosophy.  However, I do think that the reason for some of the philosophies could be questioned.  As difficult as it is to develop an effective grading plan, one of the main factors should not be what is the least amount of work.  I understand it is difficult to grade and assess six hundred students, but that is a part of the job.  Physical education teachers often complain that their subject demands more respect and credibility.  If that is the consensus, then we need to advocate for ourselves in a positive way.  That is done first and foremost, by developing a quality physical education program and being a quality physical education teacher.  Going through the motions while teaching and sharing beliefs like "that's too much work" is not going to demand anything but negativity.  We need to eliminate these negative factors, if we want to change the perceptions of our profession.  It is and always should be about the kids, not what's best or easiest for the teachers.