One of the central features of the modern American educational system revolves around the concept of testing and evaluation. Some believe that in order for teachers to be at all effective, they must be proficient in testing, and that the very proficiency in testing requires that they are able to adapt and synthesize many different skills. For instance, teachers must know their own subject matter, something about the nature and philosophy of learning, and about their own students' experiences. The teacher must be able to present the test in a clear and understandable manner, and must also be able to accurately interpret the results of the evaluation. However, their is a subjective element in the equation, and "in applying testing principles and procedures, [teachers] must use their professional judgment and make informed guesses about their methods and instruction."
Since the subject of grading and evaluation is so vast and multifarious, this paper will focus on only one aspect of testing and grading. In this case, reading at the elementary level will be discussed, with particular relevance to the fifth grade level. After giving a brief overview of reading at that level, the paper will look at ways teachers should calculate reading grades. It will then turn to the philosophical position of grading, look at other assignments and methods of calculating grades, and conclude with a brief analysis of the effectiveness of certain types of grading procedures.
At the outset, it is important to note that there are a wide variety of internal and external perceptions about grading. Just as the individual personality make up of different students influences their interaction with both peers and teachers, these differences have a tendency to change the grading procedure and teacher perception. For example, one study found that there were significant differences in the conceptualizations, attributions, and attitudes about school gradin...