TITLE: Scored Discussions
AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford
DATE: January 20, 2013 10:28 AM
DESC: 
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BODY:
My wife has been on a long-term substitute teaching assignment
for the last few weeks.  Yesterday, I ran across the following
rubric used by one of the middle school teachers there to
grade "scored discussions".  The class reads a book, which
they discuss as a group.  Students are evaluated by their
contribution to the discussion, including their observable
behavior.

<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Productive behavior</B>
<UL>
<LI> Uses positive body language and eye contact (5) </LI>
<LI> Makes a relevant comment (1) </LI>
<LI> Offers supporting evidence (2) </LI>
<LI> Uses an analogy (3) </LI>
<LI> Asks a clarifying question (2) </LI>
<LI> Listens actively -- rephrases comment before responding (3) </LI>
<LI> Uses good speaking skills -- clear speech, loud enough,
     not too fast (2) </LI>
</UL>

<B>Nonproductive behavior</B>
<UL>
<LI> Not paying attention (-2) </LI>
<LI> Interrupting (-3) </LI>
<LI> Irrelevant comment (-2) </LI>
<LI> Monopolizing (-3) </LI>
</UL>
</BLOCKQUOTE>

Most adults, including faculty, should be glad that their behavior
is not graded according to this standard.  I daresay that many of
us would leave meetings with a negative score more often that we
would like to admit.

I think I'll use this rubric to monitor my own behavior at the
next meeting on my calendar.
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