Creating a summative grading rubric and feedback form to promote progression in dance at the middle school level

This paper examines published research in assessments, rubrics and educational frameworks to support the creation of a “summative grading rubric” for middle school dance educators. The hope is that this rubric would then promote the building of rigorous lessons, assessments, and expand the opportunity for constructive feedback from teachers to their students. In this paper, the author institutes a teacher's self study to reflect upon the use of the created rubric in her classroom. Elements of the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS) were also examined and applied in constructing this educational tool. Additionally, in the analysis of this assessment tool she takes into account her dance students' reactions to the different methods used over a period of three weeks at West Briar Middle School in Houston, Texas.