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Essay Name       : 758.txt 
Uploader         : 
Email Address    : 
Language         : English
Subject          : Education
Title            : Evaluation Essay
Grade            : B+
School System    : Archdiocieese of Great Milwaukee
Country          : USA
Author Comments  : Essay on a possible system Evaulation in a class room
Teacher Comments : Soild paper
Date             : 10-2-96
Site found at    : Link
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Essay On Evaluation
	A system of evaluation is necessary in the classroom.  It is important to choose a
system appropriate for the subject being taught,  the environment the students are
learning in and how the students learn in general.  If the system that is chosen will not
suit those factors, learning can be hampered.  But by selecting a system that is beneficial,
learning can be greatly enhanced.  In creating a system three areas need to be looked at:
criteria, assessment, and grading.

	There are many criteria that can be used in judging an individuals performance. 
These criteria must be explicit and can not favor any particular group of people.  For
example, someone can’t be judged by how much they talk in class for a couple reasons. 
First a student could just talk garbage and get rewarded.  Second, some people have a
very hard time speaking in class.  This is not fair for the people with that difficulty.  A
better solution to for that problem would be what a student contributes to the class.  This
could range from sharing opinions and feelings to merely paying attention and not
disturbing others.  Another criterion that should be judged is effort.  This can be very
hard to judge, but it is necessary.  A piece of work just at the last moment should receive
a lower grade than a complete piece of work.  Judge these kind of assignments can be
difficult because some students don’t require as much time to produce the same quality
work as another student.  Ideas is a criterion that would be essential because it shows that
a student is thinking rather than just blindly throwing ideas on to paper.  Judging ideas
would also aid in evaluating effort. Other criteria that would be included are timeliness,
spelling, attendance, and following directions.  These criteria are fairly strait foreword.
	Assessment can be very tricky because each individual has a different way of
expressing what they have learned.  For instance, one student could participate in class 
often but on a test the student might freeze up.  It would not be fair to that student to use
test as the only means of assessment.  Tests do have there place; the measure what a
person at a given time.  But a test does not show what a person at any time, what
information actually sticks with him/her.  The test should not make use of trick questions
that judge the persons problem solving skills, when knowledge of the subject should be
the are being tested.  In advanced writing  papers should be the major form of
assessment; since that is the subject being taught.  Homework could also be used as
assessment, but the importance would be minimal.  The main focus should be placed on
the next paper; homework could be done to assist in writing the next paper.  Assessment
should mainly be done by the teacher, who has the least biases position.  If the
assessment is done by a fellow student, the results have the potential of being flawed; a
friend could give a friend a good grade, while an enemy could give a poor grade. 
Self-assessment has the same potential of being flawed.  The honesty of the student could
be flawed and the student would give himself/herself a undeserved grade, either good or
bad. 
	Grading is a significant part of this process.  A poor grading system can greatly
discourage students.  On the other hand, a well suited grading system can bring out the
potential of a student.  Weighted grades are a fair way of grading because this allows the
students to focus on part of the class.  Furthermore, extra credit should be able to bring
up grades.  Extra credit should always be available to the students because it is easy to
mess up on an assignment, and the students should have the opportunity earn some
points.  Curves are another area that can hurt a students grade and confidence.  Some
grading curves forces the students to fight to be perfect.  Students could even turn-in high
quality work and get a penalty for not being as perfect as his/her classmates.  If a curve is
necessary, the curve should only benefit the students grades; if the curve does not 
improve the grade, the curve should be disregarded.
	By structuring the areas of criteria, assessment, and grading to the needs of the
class, learn can be taken to its greatest potential.  While the ideal would be absolutely no
grades, the current system of education demands grades.  The grades given should reflect
the student’s overall accomplishments. 
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