Redefining Fair: How to Plan, Assess, and Grade for Excellence in Mixed-Ability Classrooms

With a focus on mixed-ability classes, the author outlines instructional practices that engage, empower, and motivate students. Using stories, strategies, case histories, and sample documents, he explains how to implement equitable instruction, assessment, grading, and reporting practices for diverse 21st century learners.

The book explores the vital role of differentiation in ensuring student success as schools set goals of proficiency for all and discusses ways to create a culture of excellence in the classroom by focusing on student understanding rather than on outcomes achieved through memorization. The author takes on the mythology of measurement and draws a distinction between assessment designed to improve learning through feedback and assessment designed to measure learning through grades. The book concludes with recommendations on how educators may improve their reporting and examines the types of information a report card should contain to communicate an accurate, succinct, and easily understood summary of learning and behavior to students and parents.