Grading and Conferences: Three Free Tools for Grades 6-12

Three of the most-used free resources on Elevate the Norm have one thing in common: they make a hard conversation easier. One helps students explain their own learning to their families, one helps teachers explain a grading scale, and one helps teachers grade a discussion fairly. All three are built for middle and high school and are free with no email required.

Student-led conferences

A student-led conference only works when the student has something to say and a structure to say it in. This student-led conference template PDF (with an editable Word version) walks the student through their goals, the evidence they picked, and their next steps. The teacher's job shifts from presenting to facilitating.

Standards-based grading

Families who grew up with percentages often read a 3 as a B. This guide to the 1-4 grading system explains what each level means, why a 3 means the student met the standard, and how schools convert the scale to percentages, with a printable conversion sheet to send home.

Discussion grading

Counting how many times each student spoke rewards the loudest voices. This Socratic seminar rubric for high school and middle school scores preparation, use of the text, treatment of others' ideas, and a written reflection across four levels instead.

More free printables for grades 6-12 are in the Elevate the Norm resource library.

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