2. Limited feedback. A teacher’s effectiveness is often reflected in their students’ performance. However, when teachers grade their own students, it becomes difficult to get objective feedback on their own performance as a teacher. There’s a temptation to assume that good results mean good teaching, which can lead to complacency and an inability to improve.
3. Scapegoating. Students may use the subjectivity of grades as an excuse for poor performance, rather than taking responsibility for their own learning. They may blame their teacher for not grading fairly or for having a personal bias, rather than examining their own efforts.
4. Relationship pressures. Teachers have a responsibility to develop positive relationships with their students and their families. However, the way they grade their students can sometimes create tensions in these relationships. When grades are difficult to attain, parents may become upset and pressure teachers to be more lenient. This can lead to inflated grades that don’t accurately reflect a student’s performance or further tension in these relationships.
What a better process could look like
While there are undoubtedly many talented teachers who are skilled at managing these challenges, it’s still worth considering the benefits of unbundling the roles of teaching and assessment. Leveraging technology and creating new staffing models could help create assessment and grading systems that are more reliable, accurate, and free from conflicts of interest.
Imagine a system where students learn through a combination of online and in-person activities, designed by their teachers. As they learn online, they receive ongoing feedback and immediate assessments of basic knowledge from the program. For deeper understanding and critical thinking, students’ work is captured and sent to expert graders for scoring and feedback. By combining machine-graded assessments with human-graded assessments, schools can create a comprehensive picture of student learning and achievement.
Of course, there are many details to work out before such a system can be fully implemented. But the potential benefits are clear: a more rigorous and objective assessment system that allows teachers to focus on supporting and coaching their students, rather than juggling multiple roles and responsibilities.
This post originally appeared on the Christensen Institute’s blog.
Related:
4 simple strategies to help students ace standardized tests
How to use alternative assessments in the classroom
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