Should behaviour be graded?
I have been wrestling with the issue of whether it is appropriate to include “behaviour” as part of a student’s mark. It is common practice for teachers to award students marks for good behaviour or to deduct marks for poor behaviour. This is done as an attempt to motivate students to do things right, like coming to class with the appropriate items, having homework done and arriving on time. Sometimes if is very cut and dry: Students will receive two free lates, after that, one percentage point will be deducted from the student’s final grade each subsequent late. Sometimes it is a bit wishy-washy: Students will receive a mark out of 10 on their classroom participation and cooperation. Whether the practice is to reward desirable or penalize undesirable behaviour, it impacts the student’s final grade in the course. I agree that a student’s grade should reflect how well they know the concepts, targets, objectives, learning outcomes (or whatever else they are called) of the class. I also understand that some courses have a larger emphasis on the affective domain, physical education comes immediately to mind, and consequently it is somehow more appropriate to include this domain as part of a student’s grade. Certainly it is not less important for a math student to come to class prepared and participate in the lesson than a phys. ed. student. So how do we properly assess behaviour? Do we separate the two components completely? Can they be completely separated? Isn’t it important for the end users of the grades–the gate keepers to post-secondary education—to know the affective characteristics of a student, as well as their level of academic achievement? What about the “soft skills” so sought after by employers, shouldn’t a student’s marks communicate something about their capabilities in those areas? I know, more questions than answers . . . what are your thoughts?
September 14th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Hey, finally got to your site, my intern is doing the computer class!! Here is the age old question: Does behavior affect learning difficulties or do learning difficulties affect disruptive behaviors. Hmmmm…. Should we mark behavior . . . I guess that depends on what the criteria is, participation? I believe behavior somehow affects a student’s mark anyway, not doing assignments (unmotivated, defiant etc.). Not paying attention in class (missing information, again defiant?) interesting question. Leanne
September 19th, 2007 at 12:50 am
So let’s say a student is a total genius in Math…can solve any problem, offer multiple solutions, meets all the objectives in the curriculum. But the kids misses half the days, never does any homework but again, achieves all objectives in the curriculum?
My feeling is this kid has some problems but there not in Math. What would grading this student less than 100% do to help his shortcomings as a person or student?
As Leanne says, depends on the criteria. Even participation: is that found anywhere in any curriculum? It might be a criteria of your classroom, just like treating each other with respect is a criteria of your classroom. I think we’ve tried to bundle up all that a person should be into a single grade.
Achievement of curriculum objectives, while often requiring skills such as communication or other behaviours, need to be viewed and measured as they are stated currently.
Elementary teachers have the luxury of providing details and anecdotes and assessments of work skills that are not tied directly to subject areas. This is a helpful breakdown and needs to remain separate for achievement. Yes, I recognize some links but behaviour isn’t directly tied to learning and achievement so why assume they are by grading them together. By doing so we perpetuate the myth of numbers and grades defining a person….in most cases they don’t even define learning all that well.
September 19th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Dean, you make a good point about a number or grade defining a person. What does a grade of 78 mean? It is above average – if you take 65% to be average. Is it proficient? I don’t I think I would like to fly with a pilot who was 78% proficient at landing!
September 22nd, 2007 at 9:22 pm
I agree with what I think Dean is saying. In our state and district (Florida, Collier County), you’re not supposed to grade students on behavior…it’s explicitly against the rules. And for high school classes, in particular, the assumption is that a grade for, say, a “Geometry” class reflects how much Geometry the student knows…not whether he/she shows up on time, behaves, has a good attitude, etc. Given that assumption, using anything BUT Geometry mastery in determining a student’s grade is misleading. If there’s a desire to reflect behavior, work ethic, etc., that needs to be articulated separately, I think.
September 23rd, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Not to contradict myself but perhaps grading behaviour or assessing it should be done. Not inside a curricular area but as part of character education. The skills needed to become a contributing citizen and worker are important. Being on time, courtesy to others, work habits, all these things might be more critical to life long learning that the ability to factor equations.
Doug Reeves spoke about the growing interest from higher ed in these skills when deciding among qualified applicants. If we clearly laid out the expectations for behaviour, which most teachers do, we can assess it. Again, not in the same place as our subject grades but as a separate, yet important area of growth and development
September 24th, 2007 at 7:11 am
I don’t believe that grading behavior changes behavior. In order to change behavior, we must get to the bottom of the cause for the behavior.
Another thought–Say that behavior is included in a child’s grade. If the child is a star student as far as behavior goes but doesn’t master the content, what should the grade be? Do we increase a grade because of positive/good behavior?
September 24th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Dean, I completely agree . . . I believe the so called “soft skills” are as, if not more, important that the academic skills, when it comes to being a contributing citizen. I am interested in exploring how to assess these skills in a parallel process to academic achievement.
Sunny, I hadn’t considered the inflated effect of awarding grades for good behaviour. Interesting observation . . . I wonder how much of this occurs unintentionally?!
September 24th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Sure, it happens unintentionally, but it has been my observation that students are also punished unintenionally or even intentionally. I think it is a way for some teachers to feel like they have power. I don’t get that need, but I have seen it.