8 Easy Steps to Grade Negotiations
What is the role of the student when it comes to end-of-year grades?
Grades should be a tool for effective feedback and learning progression, not a source of anxiety. I have created a grading contract that addresses this in three ways: by creating a minimum grade, providing a finite list of tasks to be completed, setting strict deadlines, and removing any ambiguity from the expectations. Ideally, students are not passive recipients of grades but active participants in their own learning journey.
Over the course of this school year, I have been using more reflective practices in a desire to give students agency, intrinsic motivation, and the ability to set goals that drive their academic progress. Grade negotiations in the form of a contract between teacher and individual student seems to be a logical tool to add to our repertoire.
Why Grade Negotiations?
I spent a week at the beginning of May taking the midyear conferencing to the next level. Back in January, I met with students to discuss their performance and future goals. Students were, overall, very happy with their grades, and our conversations seemed to be very productive. However, to my chagrin, I saw a tremendous drop in motivation and focus from February through April. Part of this is due to the way that my approach to grading is done. In a traditional class, the target is to earn 100% on every assignment all of the time. In my class, the target level increases over the course of the year, so expectations of performance are continually changing. Simply maintaining the same level of performance will be accompanied by a corresponding decrease in student grades.
Noticing this trend and the ineffectiveness of general class discussions, I began discussing solutions. We needed to bring personal awareness to individual students with enough time for them to take action. Thus, we decided to meet with students individually to discuss their current progress and negotiate a contract for their end-of-year grades. For me, this involved numerous conversations. Initially, I found the concept of grade negotiations challenging to grasp. However, following lead, I embraced it, and now that it’s over, I feel really good! In this blog post, I will detail the process so you can decide if it’s something you want to try. I will describe the grading contract model, how it works, and the benefits it offers for both teachers and students.
Some Context
Let me begin by acknowledging that I have always found the last few weeks of the school year very stressful. The need to provide feedback on final assessments, looming deadlines, and sudden panic from students who have not shown much interest for the past three months create a time of heightened emotions and sometimes defensiveness on my part. I really want to avoid this situation, and believe that the grade negotiations can help.
Every year, there are one or two students (or their parents) who send emails that are hurtful or infuriating. Despite the ungraded approach, providing continuous feedback, and engaging in conferencing, conflicts still arise. It’s a situation many of us have experienced. Depending on the level of administrative support and the emotional energy available to stand one’s ground, avoiding these conflicts and giving in to students’ demands is sometimes the easier option. I hate to admit it but it’s often not worth the fight to hold students accountable for their choices.
Returning to the present, we decided to initiate the conferencing process at the end of the second-to-last unit. We had two reasons for this: to align student (and parent) expectations with reality and to give students time to respond to the feedback. We have about five weeks left of school, with our last day on June 16th. In the past, if we held conferences, they were scheduled at the end of May or the beginning of June, which was too late for students to take action if they were motivated to improve.
Grading contracts can help to align student (and parent) expectations with reality and to give students time to respond to the feedback. -Elise Naramore #reimaginedschools #ungrading #LPM
Step 1: Conferencing Parameters
The conferencing took place during class time while students were working on projects. Each conference lasted about 10-15 minutes. I created a form to fill out with each student. I began each meeting with questions to find out student’s perceptions of the class and their performance, and see where that took us.
Here’s a slightly silly dramatization of a typical conversation. (To be transparent, I wrote up a pretty thorough outline and asked ChatGPT to make it into a script for me. I edited it to include aspects of real conversations I had with students.) So here we go, with Mrs. N (me) talking to a well-intentioned but not unusual student, Hannah:
MRS. N (leaning forward)
So, Hannah, let’s start by talking about how you’re doing in general. How are things going?
HANNAH
Everything is going well but I’m SO busy! Besides softball, I have the SATs this weekend, plus my job 3 nights a week. I’m finding it difficult to manage my schoolwork, honestly.
MRS. N (nodding)
That sounds like a lot to handle, Hannah. That does explain why you haven’t been as prepared for class as you had been earlier in the year. Are you concerned? How do you feel about your progress in the subject so far?
Individual Needs
HANNAH (shrugs)
I feel like I struggled in the last unit especially. I just never got over 85% on the content mastery checkpoints and completely messed up the problem solving.
Mrs. N
Do you think this is related to the content itself or do you just wish you had more time each day?
HANNAH
Oh, yeah, I definitely didn’t do as much consistent practice as I usually do. I did watch the videos and took notes, but didn’t really study outside of class time. When I did the problems, I just copied down your work from the video guides, but I never really did the problems on my own without help.
MRS. N
That makes sense. It’s kind of like being a huge fan of Taylor Swift—listening to her music, being able to name every song and music video. But that doesn’t make you a pop star! When you watch me solve problems, it makes you familiar with them, which can be deceiving. It tricks you into thinking you know how to do them when, in reality, you just understand how they are done. Does that make sense?
HANNAH
Yes, I get it. What is a better way to use the video guides?
MRS. N
There are two ways: one is to do the problems yourself to the best of your ability, using your notes if needed to find similar but not identical examples. Then use the video to check your work and make corrections. A second option is to do a problem until you get stuck then watch the video up to that point getting a hint for the next step, pausing the video to continue working. Only restart the video when/if you get stuck again. Do you see the difference?
HANNAH
Yes, I do. I’ll try that.
Step 2: Examining Current Scores
Mrs. N
Great! So, let’s talk about your current work overall. Here are your current scores:
Using the grade translation chart, these most recent set of scores put you at a C+. Do you think they accurately reflect your performance?
HANNAH
Not really. I know I’ve done better on Experimental Design especially. I usually earn a proficient but on this last lab, I earned a Developing.
MRS. N
(supportive)
I hear you, Hannah. Let’s take a look at your tracking log. Do you have that fully updated?
HANNAH
Yes. Look, all through most of unit 3 and all of unit 4’s lab reports and even the first one in unit 5, I earned Proficient. It was only the past 2 that I earned Developing because I was just short of time and didn’t address all of the details. It was careless of me.
MRS. N (encouraging)
Oh, that’s true! Looking at that, I’m confident that you know how to achieve that level of performance on Experimental Design. So let’s change that score on the form to Proficient. What about the Engaging with Content, which is at Beginning level? That means that you did not earn greater than 85% on your content mastery checkpoints. Was that unusual for you?
Hannah (looking at the tracking log)
No, I have been very inconsistent on those all year. Sometimes Developing, sometimes Beginning…
MRS.N
OK, so we will build in some practice for that in a minute.
Step 3: Setting the Minimum Grade
MRS.N
We are going to use your current grade to establish a minimum grade for the year— this will be your floor. That means that you cannot do worse than a C+ as long as you meet the conditions we’ll set.
HANNAH
Wait, I have a C+ for the year? My parents will kill me!
MRS. N
No no don’t worry. This is simply the lowest you can get. You don’t have to worry about earning lower scores on these skills; only work on improving. In other words, you can focus your efforts on the areas that will enable you to raise your achievement, such as the vocabulary and the problem solving skills, and don’t worry about accidentally messing up and doing worse.
HANNAH
Oh, I get it! Phew! And what are those “Areas of Focus”.
MRS. N
Those are the 3 areas that you should pay special attention to if you want to move your grade up from the C+
HANNAH
OK, so what should I do to improve those?
Step 4: Choosing Next Steps
Overall Goal for the Year
MRS. N
(explaining)
First, I need to know: what is your goal for the class?
HANNAH
Well, obviously I want “an A.” but I’d be okay with a B+.
MRS. N
Listen, nothing would make me happier than for everyone to achieve an A! You can do that, but it’s more reasonable to aim for a B- at this point. This means ensuring all your scores are at most one level below the target. Then push on a few of these to move them up. A B+ means that no more than 3 skills are one level below target and the rest are at target level. It’s doable, but you’ll have to make this class a priority. Do you want to do that? Or more importantly given how busy you are, can you do that?
HANNAH
Yes, I think so. The SATs will be over this weekend, and I’ll see if I can better use my study hall to get some extra practice in.
Identifying Areas of Opportunity
MRS. N
This last unit of the year is going to be a little different. There isn’t a lot of new physics content. It’s mostly revisiting the previous content and bringing it up to current levels. Remember that when we learned DC Circuits in the fall, we were only working at the Developing level. So we’ll revisit it at the Advanced level. I made new practice sets that will each have 6 questions with one question from each unit. And each practice set will specifically be addressing a specific skill so I can assign you only what you need to work on. Does that make sense?
HANNAH
Oh yes, that’s a good idea. Do you have one for Problem Solving?
Mrs. N
Yes, that’s Practice Set 2. I’m going to write that on your list of mandatory assignments, to complete fully and hand in on time. If you want to get to Proficient in Creating Explanations and Graph Interpretation, those will be separate practice sets. So I’ll write those down as strongly recommended. We will do what we normally do… begin them during class and then the rest is for homework.
HANNAH
That makes sense.
Lab Reports and the last Unit Test
Mrs. N
We’ll be doing two more lab reports. Since you’ve already met the minimum requirement of 16 lab reports, these will be optional for you.
HANNAH
That’s good to know. I’ll still consider doing them for extra practice, but I’m pretty happy with my lab scores.
Mrs. N
I agree. Since you’ve already done 17 of them, I think your time will be better used for the other types of practice. You’ll participate in doing the labs of course, but you won’t need to write them up.
Mrs. N (Continuing)
So, the last test will be during the final exam session. It’s a regular test that gives you an opportunity to improve your scores. Remember, you cannot do worse than your current scores, so you can relax and focus on showcasing your knowledge and skills.
HANNAH
So what if I mess up on the Graph Interpretation like I did in Unit 4? I forgot to clearly show the graph feature that I was using to answer the question and got a Beginning!
MRS. N
You cannot do worse than the scores here. You earned Developing on every test since Unit 2, except for that one. So it’s okay. You just need to try to earn Proficient without worrying about doing worse.
HANNAH:
Okay, that sounds so much less stressful!
Mastery of the Big Ideas and Vocabulary
MRS. N
There’s one other thing I want you to do that should help with the Content Mastery Checkpoints. I’ve made a practice quiz on Canvas with 6 questions that will be different every time you take it, pulled from the same question banks as the CMC. How many times a week do you think you should take it to feel confident that you can get your scores at 85% or better each time?
Hannah
I think 4 times a week would be good.
MRS.N
Do you have time for that?
HANNAH
Well, maybe 3. Let’s say 3.
MRS.N
Ok, so I’m going to write here: Take a practice quiz on Canvas at least 3 times a week on different days in order to improve your vocabulary mastery.
HANNAH (nods)
That will also help me with the “Creating Explanations” and with the project too.
MRS. N
Yes, because both of those learning progressions emphasize overtly stating and applying the unit’s Big Ideas to answer questions and solve problems.
Criteria for All Students
MRS. N (referring to her list)
Now, Hannah, I want to go over a few additional expectations for the remainder of the year. These apply to everyone in the class.
HANNAH (listening attentively)
MRS. N (smiling)
First, all assigned work is expected to be completed and show authentic effort. This includes maintaining or improving your performance in each task, like we’ve been discussing.
HANNAH (nods)
MRS. N (continuing)
Secondly, everyone has one project left to complete. This project should showcase your understanding of the concepts we’ve covered throughout the year. Did you understand the feedback I provided on the Unit 5 project?
HANNAH (determined)
Yes, except I don’t know how to improve my documentation to move to Proficient.
MRS. N
OK, we can discuss that. Would you mind making an appointment another time to go over it? Let’s write that on the recommendations list.
HANNAH
Yes, I’ll do that before we start the next project.
MRS. N (noting down)
Lastly, by June 2nd, you’ll need to complete the reflection assignment. This will provide evidence of how you have maintained or improved your performance throughout the year. I’ll assign that in a few weeks.
HANNAH
Okay. Seems easy enough.
MRS. N (proceeding)
Now, let’s talk about end-of-year conferencing. This is a last opportunity for us to check in and see if you’re meeting the conditions of your contract.
HANNAH (curious)
What if I have new evidence to raise my minimum grade?
MRS. N (encouraging)
If you have new evidence to support raising your minimum grade, you can certainly renegotiate your contract. For example, if you choose to do one of the optional labs and you earn higher scores on any of those, we may be able to adjust these scores. However, any changes must be made by June 7th. After that, I won’t be able to entertain further grading conversations. I hope you understand… Once final exams begin, it’s non-stop scoring and paperwork for me. I just don’t have the time or mental bandwidth!
HANNAH (understanding)
I’ll keep that in mind and consider if I have any new evidence to present.
Step 5: Explaining the Contract
MRS. N (handling a contract, see Figure 3 above)
Now, Hannah, let’s go over the details of your contract. This contract outlines the conditions for your minimum grade and the “Next Steps” you’ll need to take. Do you think that it’s fair and customized to your needs?
HANNAH (thinking)
Hmm, I think it looks good so far. But I think I should come for extra help once a week. It will give me the opportunity to clarify any doubts.
MRS. N (writing it down)
Good idea! I’ll add it as a recommendation but not as a mandatory requirement.
HANNAH
I’ll definitely schedule those extra help sessions when I get back to my computer.
MRS. N (explaining)
Great! Now, remember, this contract is a promise. I guarantee that you will earn at least the minimum grade outlined here, or better if earned, in exchange for completing the 10 “Next Steps” on the list.
MRS. N and HANNAH both sign the contract.
HANNAH (taking a photo)
I’ll take a photo of the contract to keep track of the conditions.
HANNAH
I appreciate your guidance, Mrs. N. I’ll make sure to put in the effort and improve in those areas.
MRS. N
I have no doubt that you can do it, Hannah. Remember, I’m here to support you every step of the way.
Just to clarify, keep in mind that this conversation we’re having is a simulation, and each student’s contract will vary slightly based on their unique needs. In all honesty, this is pretty much how these conversations went with my students. I made sure to ask each of them if they were comfortable with the agreement and if they felt it was fair. Here is a copy of the contract if you’d like to adapt it to your own needs.
Step 6: The Meaning and Use of a Minimum Grade
The idea behind the minimum grade is that it is conditional. I guarantee that students will earn at least that score as long as they meet the “Next Steps” outlined. In theory, if they complete the “next steps,” they should actually receive sufficient practice to exceed that level. This approach allows me to customize the work in the next unit according to each student’s needs. I explained to the students that this is a contract. I promise to “give” them that minimum grade (which they have, for the most part, already earned) in exchange for completing the 8-10 items on the list of “Next Steps.” I believe that those 8-10 things will enable them to meet or even exceed the negotiated grade. Students are also welcome to renegotiate their contract if they have new and persuasive evidence to raise their minimum grade before the last test, as long as it is done by June 7th. This is crucial for my own peace of mind.
In addition to providing a copy of the contract to the students, I sent an email home to explain this process to parents.
What is the Pedagogy behind Grade Negotiations?
The grading contract model goes beyond just grades. It emphasizes reflective practice, student agency, and social-emotional learning (SEL). By focusing on specific skills and providing clear expectations and feedback, the model encourages students to engage in reflective practice and self-assessment. Students are empowered to take ownership of their learning as they set their own goals and work towards them in a meaningful way. Furthermore, the model promotes SEL by cultivating a positive classroom culture built on trust, respect, and collaboration. Much of the research has been discussed and cited in our previous blog posts.
My Hidden Agenda: Stress Reduction!
While the pedagogy behind the contract implementation is well-researched, one of my primary goals has been to find a way to reduce the typical end-of-year stress for both myself and my students. Since students cannot perform worse than their current scores, they can relax and not worry about “failing” due to small or careless mistakes. They can focus on simply demonstrating their knowledge and abilities. It also alleviates stress for me: once I determine if students have fulfilled their end of the bargain (i.e., completed the items on their contract), I can solely assess their improvements. I no longer have to fret about “Hannah’s” occasional math mistakes or missing units on her graph axes. It truly puts the ball in the students’ court.
This is a new process for me, and I’m sure there will be some hiccups along the way. I will provide a review of the results later in June! I hope that the final days of the school year will be much more enjoyable for me, and that the students will take pride in successfully completing their junior year.
Grade Negotiation is a form of Reflective Practice
Our approach to grading emphasizes the transformative potential of grades as a means of constructive feedback and continuous learning. By implementing a grading contract that incorporates a minimum grade, specific tasks, deadlines, and clear expectations, we aim to alleviate the anxiety often associated with grades and foster an environment where students actively engage in their educational journey.
Throughout this academic year, our focus has been on cultivating reflective practices that empower students with agency, intrinsic motivation, and the ability to set meaningful goals. We firmly believe that students should not passively receive grades but actively participate in shaping their academic progress.
The concept of grade negotiations through individual contracts between teachers and students serves as a logical addition to our instructional toolkit. It further reinforces the idea that grades are not arbitrary judgments, but rather tools for growth and self-assessment. By promoting student ownership and accountability, we create a learning environment that values progress over perfection and encourages students to embrace challenges as opportunities for personal development.
In embracing this approach, we strive to transform grades from a source of anxiety into a catalyst for effective feedback, learning progression, and the cultivation of lifelong learners. Our commitment to reflective practices and student-centered approaches will continue to evolve, ensuring that grades serve as stepping stones on each student’s unique educational journey.
Grades are not arbitrary judgments, but rather tools for growth and self-assessment. -Elise Naramore #reimaginedschools #ungrading #LPM
