SNAPSHOT: Many teachers have formed strong opinions about grading practices based on their own experiences as students. For this reason, making changes in grading practices can be particularly controversial and difficult to implement. This webinar with grading expert Ken O'Connor will help you and your staff reflect on grading habits and practices and analyze which do and do not serve the true meaning and purpose of grading--student learning.

Ken O'Connor is the author of How to Grade for Learning (Corwin, 2009) and A Repair Kit for Grading, (Pearson/ATI, 2007). In this 2-hour webinar he will share 15 recommended practices that will help you improve the quality of grading in your school or district.

Use the webinar as a starting point for discussion at a professional development meeting where participants reflect
on existing grading practices and Ken's recommended 15 "fixes".

CD-ROM & link to recording $197 You will be able to both hear the webinar and view the PowerPoint on the CD-ROM. Need to pay by purchase order? Click here for information. Questions? Call 207-632-1954.

WEBINAR TOPICS: In this webinar, Ken will discuss:

• How to handle absences and late work
• How to handle extra credit or bonus points
• What to do about cheating
• Grading and group work
• The role of formative assessment
• Involving students in the grading process
• When to focus on "recent achievement" in grading
• The best way to organize grading information.

Other webinar topics include:

• Choosing assessments
• Setting expectations for achievement and becoming a "warm demander"
• Alternatives to using a mean in grading
• The zero grade--Is it ever advisable?

See FAQs below for more information about webinars or call 207-632-1954.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Ken O'Connor a.k.a. "The Grade Doctor," is an internationally known educational consultant who specializes in the "communication of student achievement." Ken first developed 8 guidelines for grading in 1995. In 2007, he reorganized the guidelines as his "15 fixes for broken grades". He also developed 11 guidelines for standards-based reporting of student achievement. Ken is now acknowledged to be one of a small group of leading experts on how to grade and effectively report student achievement.

Ken's experience includes more than 30 years as an educator in grades 7-12 in 6 schools in Ontario and Australia. Ken is the author of How to Grade for Learning (Corwin, 2009) and A Repair Kit for Grading (Pearson/ATI, 2007). From 1990-1999, he served as curriculum coordinator responsible for student assessment and evaluation for the Scarborough Board of Education and then the Toronto District School Board.

Ken has been a staff development presenter and facilitator on assessment, grading and reporting, and curriculum design in 42 states and 9 provinces. He has been a presenter at the National Staff Development Council Annual Conference, the Rick Stiggins Pearson/ATI Summer Institute, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Annual Conference.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS My school district only pays by purchase order. Do you accept POs? Yes. You may fax the PO to 815-461-5647 or call us at 207-632-1954. Please include the full name and email address of the registrant. For more information about ordering with a PO, click here. Can I ship the CD-ROM to other district offices so that they can watch and listen at a later date? Please limit use of the CD-ROM to staff in one office. We offer discounts for 3 or more locations. What is the difference between the recording link and the CD-ROM? The emailed recording link provides immediate access to the full PowerPoint and audio presentation, but is good for only 30 days. The CD-ROM provides permanent access to the same recording. CONTACT INFO: Educational Research Newsletter PO Box 2347 South Portland, ME 04116 Tel: 207-632-1954 Fax: 815-461-5647