From Standards to Gradebook, how do you get there?

The more I read and research topics of standards, unit design, assessments and grading I've come to the realization that most classroom applications of the process are not supported by research.  As an assistant principal, I have the opportunity to be in classrooms frequently during the week and have conversations with the teacher about the process they follow.  I observe that while teachers are wanting to do the best for kids, they are generally practitioners, not researchers.  They don't know what is research-based and what is not.  Most have strong opinions about what they do because it's worked for them, but when you press them on where their beliefs originate from, many don't know how they have gotten to the current point.

Through the next 5  posts I am going to dive into my thoughts on getting from Standards to the Gradebook.  Providing research supported processes and support for teachers to implement in the classroom.  I'll discuss unpacking the standards to make them deepen the understanding of the standard; unit design by Wiggin's UbD process; formative and summative assessments; how to design a summative assessment; and in the end what grade do you give the child using standards-based grading practices.