Rubrics: The Good and the Bad

As educators and continuous learners in our own experiences, we all thrive from feedback and knowing what is expected of us. There are people who provide us with standards that we have to teach and have our students understand, but there are also expectations that we have to live up to as educators.

When thinking of being evaluated and knowing what expectations are, I think of assigned rubrics in the classroom that line up to assignments. They are great when your educator took the time to make a clear understanding of what was expected of you, as the student. As educators, we want to provide our students with tools that help guide them on the path for success. 

Here is the good. This educator broke down what the students were expected to do. Expectation is the key word. If our students do not understand what they must do, we are setting them up for failure. Each category explains what tasks the student must preform to reach that level of understanding. It is clear, concise, and give the students a great understanding of what they need to do. 

Here is a poorly designed rubric. Although it does have what it lacks, it does not show how the student improves or what they have to do to receive a certain level of understanding. What facts do they have to know? How are they supposed to show detail? Are there different types? I am not even the student in this scenario and I have so many questions. If your students are struggling to understand your expectations, you have to be more detailed so they are able to understand you. 

In my schooling experience, I have had some good rubrics that were very clear and many very bad rubrics that left me sitting at home confused, and often times questioning "where do I even start". As educators, we have to be concise yet detailed so our students understand what is expected of them to understand our assignment. We want our students to succeed and by having good rubrics, we are helping them reach their best potential. 

Emily