When grading, it is useful to divide the assignments into two categories: 5th grade math tutor online first, those which are free-form and open ended, such as creative projects, papers, and fun 6th grade math projects presentations; and second, those which test for automaticity of core skills and knowledge such as spelling and vocabulary words, appropriate grammar use, and where or not the student has done reading assignments. The former category should be graded based subjectively upon the student’s progress and ability; the latter should be graded in a standard manner, with ‘wrong’ and ‘right’ answers.
Grades should focus on helping the student realise what his proficiencies are, and what things he may study in order to improve his work. The teacher must not only recognise these domains, but also try to understand how the students are attempting to solve them. This does not require that the teacher make lengthily records and descriptions of student behaviour for reference; rather, she should keep a mental tab of their emotional and intellectual abilities.
With this in mind, she is better able to understand her students without overburdening herself with work. Nel Nodding describes how she attempts to engross herself completely in the student’s mindset when helping them: If I care about students who are attempting to solve a problem, I must do two things: I must make the problem my own, receive it intellectually, immerse myself in it; I must also bring the students into proximity, receive such students personally.
(659 Goldstein) To help students grow into participating members of their societies, their education should inform students about the kind of world in which they live. Some basic example of this would be: developing a critical understanding of how laws are passed (both in theory and practise), an understanding of different cultures which are prominent in the students’ lives, and the sceptical analysis of the students’ own values.
All of these should be executed with immense respect for the students’ personal beliefs, but should nonetheless be thought-provoking exercises. Unfortunately, the teacher can only do so much to cater to her students individually. Students must eventually learn to be self-reliant, treating the teacher as a resource. For this to happen, it is important that a general atmosphere that encourages enthusiasm of the subject matter be maintained, one that is conducive to learning.
Once this is done, the teacher can appropriately work her students’ interests and ideas, and help them develop both in school and independently of it.