Journal 6: The Trouble with Rubrics

Kohn, A. (2006). The Trouble with Rubrics. English Journal, 95(4), Retrieved October 6, 2009 from http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/rubrics.htm

In “The Troubles with Rubrics” by Alfie Kohn he discusses the positives and negatives about using rubrics in the classroom. Kohn believes that standardized grading is not the most efficient way to grade students work. Kohn states that “just as standardizing assessment for teachers may compromise the quality of teaching, so standardizing assessment for learners may compromise the learning”. Kohn does mention that when a student only receives a grade on the top of his or her paper do not know the quality of their work. A rubric allows the student to see the teacher’s assessment and where he or she can improve. Rubrics can be very beneficial when creating the beginning of the curriculum; however, they should not be used when creating determining the curriculum. When creating your curriculum “it matters whether the objective is to (1) rank kids against one another, (2) provide an extrinsic inducement for them to try harder, or (3) offer feedback that will help them become more adept at, and excited about, what they’re doing.” This was a great article to read because it really made me think about how I want to be as a teacher and what I believe to be a great and beneficial assessment.

Have you ever been confused when receiving only a letter grade on an assignment?

Yes! When I received higher grades I was happy but I also wanted to know what the teachers like about my work. After working so hard on something it is nice to see feedback. Also, in times when I have not received a high grade I felt confused on what I was missing. I personally think rubrics are a great way to make sure all students understand where there grade came from and why they received this.

Why do you personally believe rubrics can be beneficial?

I think that rubrics can be beneficial to students because they know what the teacher is expecting and when they receive their grade they know where to look on the place to improve or where they did their best. I have always enjoyed being graded on a rubric but after reading this I can see how there potentially could be a downside if not done correctly.