Alg 2 grading question

[AuntieM]

32 tests, 1 final exam. All are in a nice grade range, with the final being an eensy bit higher grade than the average of the 32 test grades. (I give no grade for homework/participation, that would be a moot 100% since my basic expectation is to work to lesson completion, though of course others may do it differently).

 

My question is, how much weight do you put on each the test average and comprehensive final exam? I realize there's not a truly "right" answer, I'm just looking for some hint as to a norm.

 

Thanks!

[regentrude]

Overlooked the word comprehensive in my first reply.

 

If you really have 32 tests, that would be a test a week and can only test little soundbites of material.

I can make a point for weighting the Final exactly the same - or I can make a case for treating the weekly tests like quizzes, deriving half the course grade form them and basing the other half of the course grade on the Final exam grade.

 

(I personally find weekly "tests" too frequent to carry much weight. Professionally, I go with monthly tests and a Final. Homeschool-wise, I go with on test per semester)

Edited November 17, 2010 by regentrude

[Susan C.]

We didn't do the Algebra 2 final..... :) Dh cousin teaches honors algebra/trig. at ps and says he doesn't do them, which is good for us because we will barely make it to our benchmark before Christmas break. But if I did do it, I would give it the same weight as a test. I actually just average quizzes and tests, then give a percentage for homework that is about a test or two worth to get my grade. Ds's professors at college final percentages are all over the place, anywhere from 0% to 30% of grade.

[StephanieZ]

I generally do:

20 % Homework (100% if complete, 0 if not. . ., so typically 100%)

20% Midterm

40% all chapter tests

20% Final (but final can't lower your grade)

 

If I only had tests & final, I'd do:

 

60% Tests

40% Final

[Jean in Wisc]

I would consider the homework equivalent to one test (sometimes 2). If they do it all as requested, that is an easy 100% test.

 

I probably would not weight the final test more than the rest, but that is just my bent.

 

J

[Julie in MN]

Homeschool-wise, I go with on test per semester)

 

My preference also is just to go with cumulative knowledge and use the semester tests.

 

*If* I strongly feel the semester test does not reflect my student's skills, then I may weigh in other things.

 

If I *do* think the scores are a good picture of the student's skills, then I find it's (a) way easier and (b) more representative of the accomplishment -- to just use the midterm & final.

 

Julie

[annabanana1992]

I use this formula for my Alg II class:

 

20% class participation (quizzes and HW)

30% chapter tests

50% exams

[hoosiermom]

When I taught math in a public high school, we had 6 grading periods per year. The school's policy was to weight the semester exam as 1/7 of the semester's grade. So the grade from each of the 3 grading periods was 2/7 of the semester average, with the semester test worth half as much.

 

I also taught some dual-credit math classes. As I recall, there were about 5 tests during a semester worth 100 points each, and the final exam was worth 200 points.

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I average all math tests equally. Sometimes we skip unit tests,mid terms, or finals. I do not count homework grades.

[Ester Maria]

I believe the final grade should be only and exclusively the product of knowledge - not of participation, hard work, homeworks, whatnot. That being said, weekly tests mostly measure "staying in touch" rather than knowledge, so I wouldn't consider those.

 

I'd either consider midterm + final, either final only.

If I strongly believed the grade on the final was a product of illness or just a bad mood/day, and thus not representative of the knowledge, I'd give a second final (much like what they do in universities) rather than take into account anything else.

[Gratia271]

For HS course work here, DD has quarterly exams which alone establish her grade.

[AuntieM]

Thanks for the input! There are so many different ways it could be done! I'll take all this info into consideration, thanks again.