Rubrics are a part of the way that I teach.
I’ve been using rubrics for the last ten years or so. I can’t tell you how much using this tool has familiarized me with my standards in a way that’s embedded them into my practice. In the last year though, I’ve ‘amped’ up my use of rubrics in the classroom.
Now I actually use the rubrics as a language of sorts.
At my school, rubrics have to be used with specificity, so for example…if I am teaching students how to add and subtract to 20 with strategies, then, the rubrics should reflect that. At the beginning of the year, many of the students can’t really read a rubric, even though I have to have them displayed. I came up with these generic ones, and then I point and tap the cards. As I tap each card, I change the language slightly to reflect the intent of the lesson.
We use five point rubrics in my county. Here’s how the rubrics breakdown.
Level 4: This is the above grade level performance. If a student shows mastery of Level 3 and can go further with the content into the same standard for the next grade level up with success, they can achieve a 4. They should also be able to lead other students in learning this skill.
Level 3: This is the fullness of the on grade level content. Students can show or share what they’ve learned with me or with a peer.
Level 2: This is also on grade level performance, but it is not the fullness of the standard. This student may understand the vocabulary, but they may not be able to always achieve mastery. They most likely need more time for practice.
Level 1: This is below grade level performance. Students who earn a level 1 most likely need my help in order to be successful with the work.
Level 0: This is also below grade level performance. This level is also reserved for the first stage of learning. For example, when I taught my first graders the difference between defining and non defining attributes of shapes, many of them were a Level 0 on day one, because they didn’t know what attributes were!
When my students can talk about what they know, that gives them a sense of control. They can be clear with me or another adult who is helping them either at school or at home. They can get the help they need with specificity.
I’ve also noticed that using this system in my classroom has helped students learn to lead. Students in my classroom who are Level 4’s can teach others during small group time. They love that! 🙂
I use these in my classroom every day! I know that although many of us use rubrics in our rooms, from district to district there can be a distinction in how things have to look. I made this version editable for you so that you can do whatever you need to with them. There are two types in there. I use a primary color version, but there’s also a bright version too. There are directions on which fonts to use if you want them to look exactly like mine. You can even change the language to reflect the language that you need in your room.
I hope you’ll try using rubrics in your classroom this year to help facilitate learning for your students! I’ve seen a lot of growth in mine as I’ve used these in tandem with setting goals for my kidlets. If you’d like to learn more about how I set goals for my learners, you’ll want to check out this post.
Love working with rubrics and need a few more ideas? Check out my Pinterest Board:Scales & Rubrics
