For the Love of Books: Fair Isn't Always Equal

By: Heather Kaiser (theTechedOutTeacher)

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Classrooms are diverse places. Students come to us with a variety of needs and abilities. Their lives outside school have great impact on their performance in school. Some students receive free and reduced breakfast and lunch at school while others are made to pay for theirs. Is this fair? I doubt any of us would argue against it. But, is it equal? Fair Isn't Always Equal.


Rick Wormeli challenges teachers to keep this in mind when developing grading practices as well. Discussions about grading practices can quickly become a heated debate. Grading scales are as varied as the students who enter our classrooms. It is also a topic that is breezed right over in teacher education programs. Very little time is spent critically thinking about the impact a zero will have on a students' grade. Consider this point made by Wormeli: Assigning a zero for work that was not completed does not show what a student can do, it shows what he/she did not do.

If you're looking to grow professionally this holiday season, consider picking up a copy of the book "Fair Isn't Always Equal". Whether you agree or disagree with the points Wormelli makes isn't the point. The point is that you take time to reflect on your grading practices and how they affect your students. I believe all teachers want to be fair. Now the real question is: Does that mean we treat all students equal?