Listen you guys have been reading my blog for a little so I fell like I can trust you all, so here’s a little secret, don’t go telling anyone. Sometimes I’m not always honest when I write. GASP. I know I know scandalous, but it’s not actually as bad as you think, let me explain. So first off let me just say this on this blog I’m always honest, I say what I think, and mean what I say. However in my academic writing I can be a bit… how do I say this… people pleasy? There have been a few times in a few classes where I have had professors that had views on topics we discussed that I don’t always agree with, which is weird cause if you looked at my papers that I wrote for them I seem to be agreeing with every word they say. Huh, strange right? All jokes aside, I’ve been thinking about grading and how I’ll grade as a teacher one day in the future, It’s a stressful thought. I want my students to do well, I want them to get a great education, and I certainly don’t want to brainwash them into thinking like I do. So what’s my plan? Well I was reading some blogs and two seemed to have an answer.
In “Grading Student Writing Objectively: A Myth and a Trap” the idea of grading objectively and subjectively is discussed. Now from what I said in the beginning of this post you’d probably think that I’m all in for Objective hard cold only the facts kinda grading, wrong. Sorry, I know it’s confusing but I’m trying to keep you on your toes. So get this Objective grading isn’t special in fact a computer can do it. Grading Subjectively though, now that a whole different ball park. When grading of course teachers should take in the facts, as a writing teacher I have to look at everything in the writing and then give feedback, opinions and judgments, based on what I’ve seen, and how I grade all comes down to what I have seen learned and done before. A computer can’t grade a paper, and give genuine feedback on certain things (Thank God it can’t or I’d be out of a job) only a person can.
I’d want to ask current teachers right now, how they do it. How do you grade a students paper, and while simultaneously removing your own bias use your past experiences to guide and help students reach their peak as learners. Without a doubt I’m sure it’s a complicated task.
Cheese Bistro 