FIAE Chapter 12

In chapter 12 of Fair Isn't Always Equal, it discusses the difference of smaller grading scales and larger grading scales. The main argument of this chapter is that using smaller grading scales is more useful for depicting an accurate grade. It moves away from the exact percentages that come from using a large grading scale. Larger grading scales seem to only really be beneficial when it comes to calculating a class ranking, which is going against differentiating by supporting the grade over the learning. Using a smaller grading scale also allows the teacher to grade on knowledge gained or used, rather than the content, because it helps to create rubrics that are moving away from just getting the correct answer. Instead, these rubrics focus on the multiple variables that relate to the objectives of the lesson. By doing this teachers are now able to effectively communicate to the student what they've mastered and what they haven't. It also allows the teacher to assess what needs to be reintegrated into the following lesson, or what the class as a whole isn't understanding.

Another suggestion in this chapter is to work with abstract ideas of grading scales, moving past the typical association with letter grades or converting other grades into letter grades. Using things like 3.0, 5.0, or 6.0 scales help move students, parents and teachers away from those old relationships, that once again, focus more on the grade than the learning, even if not intentionally. Other ways to use grading scales in this fashion are to come up with descriptors that go something like A, B, C, and "not yet achieved." With these descriptors the students understand that failing isn't in the equation and it clearly communicates that anything below a C is not worthy of  a true grade. I think this related back to the previous chapter's conclusion that putting in a 60 is better than a zero. Instead of thinking of a product as a failed piece, it is just considered incomplete.