Standards-based grading and conferences

We had our first round of parent-teacher conferences this past Thursday. Let me tell you that once I was able to explain my new grading system it really simplified my conferences. The individual student reports we are able to print from Powerschool were simplified so parents could understand them. The best part of the system is that I was able to tell parents exactly what the students could do to improve their grades.

No matter how low the grade is at the halfway point, the grade the student wants is still within reach. I was able to be very specific and give parents skills the students need to improve on.

Only one parent wanted to make some changes to how their student has reacted to the new grading system. I agreed to collect work from that student so we could hold them more accountable from day to day. This system should work well because both parents are involved and want to do whatever they can to help. Overall, I would say conferences were better because of standards-based grading.