Grading

[Jessica Louise]

Do you have a simple method for keeping grades for report cards for elementary school? I have a rising fifth grader.

[Jen_NH]

I don't start keeping grades for everything until 8th grade. Prior to that, I've used the grade sheet in the downloads for the individual subjects for which I've kept grades. (spelling, math, Latin) I use one sheet per subject.

[Enigma]

I had my husband create an Excel spreadsheet that automatically calculates percentages for me.

I am like Jen- no grades kept until later on. That said, getting a grade is a great motivator for many kids.

[jen1134]

This might help: https://seekingdelectare.com/simple-...ecord-keeping/

[Jessica Louise]

Thank you ladies.

[enbateau]

I've been grading quizzes and midterms/finals for many years, but I don't keep cumulative grades at all. I'm going to let that learning curve start in 9th! The goal of grades should be to tell the appropriateness of your child's study and review habits and how well-placed your child is in the material.

[Jen_NH]

I've been grading quizzes and midterms/finals for many years, but I don't keep cumulative grades at all.

Yes, this. In the younger years, we work for mastery. I grade the work/quizzes/tests; they make corrections.

[Enigma]

Yes, this. In the younger years, we work for mastery. I grade the work/quizzes/tests; they make corrections.

Same thing here, too.

[smithamykat]

There is a simple gradebook sheet in the back of some of the curriculum manuals (can't remember which). I make a bunch of copies of that, write the names of the kid and the subjects at the top, and record grades for quizzes and tests, which I keep in a notebook in my desk. I divide our school year into quarters and make report cards for each child at the end of each quarter. I make report cards for all of them, but only put letter grades starting in 2nd grade. K and 1 get check marks. The report card also shows how many lessons of which books were done within that quarter, so it's a progress report as well as a grade report. I guess this sound very formal, especially compared to the above responses. In practice, it doesn't take me much time, and the kids all really like to see their reports. I think it gives them a nice sense of accomplishment when we pause to look at what they have learned over the last 9 weeks. A huge part of this, too, is that I do all the formal teaching, and my husband is gone a lot for work. These report cards are one big way we show him what they have been learning and how they are doing with the material. He always spends a while with each kid, commenting on their grades, asking them questions about the content of each subject, and complimenting their good work. I know they love this! And I also love that he gets to see very specifically what we are doing in their education, since it's impossible to bring him along for all of it.

[Jessica Louise]

smithamykat Thank you so much for that explanation. It sounds lovely!