Calculating Semester Grades

Before creating complicated grading rubrics, check with your state law to see if it is really necessary.  And before giving tests, consider all the other evaluation options that are available to homeschoolers because of our fabulous student-teacher ratio.

I am having a hard time calculating semester grades. I am trying to place all grades into one of two groups... tests/quizzes and classwork/homework. I added all grades then multiplied by .5. Some of the grades do not look correct. Can you tell me if I am doing this right? I have asked my accountability group, but no response yet! Thanks for any help!
~ Christine in South Carolina

Christine, I did mine a little different. I just added up one column. Then I added up the other column. Then I averaged the two columns (add them together and divide by two.) Honestly, I have heard that teachers do it differently, too. They may drop the lowest grade in each column, or weigh each column differently.... Whatever you do will be just fine. Also, I don't know your state law is, but you only have to calculate grades like that if it is required by your state law. You don't have to do it just for you, and you don't have to do it for colleges either.

Check with other homeschoolers about the law in your state. Just because  you have to give a number grade on a transcript doesn't mean you have to give tests and quizzes and stuff. You could just choose to evaluate in other ways, as many other homeschoolers do. Here is an article about giving grades without grading that will explain what I mean.

I hope that helps!



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