Grading in physical education: assessments
Grading has always been a sensitive topic in physical education. People talk about it a lot, but the discussion often becomes more about emotion than substance. In this piece I explain why assessments, tests and check exercises are a natural part of the lesson, and how to use them so that every student gets a fair chance to show their level and improve it.
Why assessments are part of grading in physical education
I have always told my students the same thing: my job is to teach, to guide and to make lessons more varied. In return, I expect the right attitude and commitment. Learning is a two-way process. If the teacher brings new ideas every week, the student has to give something back too.
Assessments are not a punishment. They are a way to check whether the basic skills are in place. If a pair can’t hit the indiaca five times, an inter-class game won’t work either. That is exactly why the limits of individual practice sometimes have to be pushed: group activity rests on what each person has learned.
Two principles I work from
The first: there has to be enough time to practice for the assessments, and students must know in advance what will be graded and how. A surprise isn’t assessment, it’s an exam.
The second: it must be possible to improve an assessment grade until the end of the trimester. My students know that the initial test at the start of the trimester is not final. A two can become a three, a three a four, a four a five. I have seen a “weak” performance at the start of a trimester turn into an exemplary one within five or six weeks.
Together, these two principles mean one thing: a PE grade of 4 or 5 is within reach of every student. It’s a question of priorities and willingness, not of innate talent.
Why things don’t happen right away, overnight
Sport and physical development don’t work without repetition and consolidation. That’s a simple truth, but these days we hear more and more questions: why doesn’t it happen right away? Why do we have to practice at home? Why doesn’t it work on the first try?
Here is an example from my own practice. At the beginning of September I tell the class that in December I will test sit-ups and push-ups. To start with, they have three months to get up to the required level. If the first attempt in December fails, the next three months, until the end of the second trimester, are a chance to improve it, even up to a five. That’s six months in total for an assessment that is known in advance. Would anyone dare say that’s too little?
The problem isn’t the student’s ability, it’s patience. If physical activity has to be fun and easy every second, development doesn’t happen. Strength, endurance, speed, coordination: they all need regular stimulation. Nobody builds endurance by going for a run four times. That’s not how life works.
Grading in physical education: how it should work
If we are going to grade at all, I favor numerical grades. Teachers can always supplement the grade with a descriptive comment; that hasn’t gone anywhere. But descriptive feedback alone is too abstract. “Well done,” “pretty good” or “try a bit more” give neither the parent nor the student any idea of where they actually stand.
In sport we can’t escape centimeters and seconds. If one child walks 3 kilometers in 40 minutes and another in 25 minutes, even the very first feedback is a number. Whether the criterion is an age-appropriate scale or individual progress, a number makes grading transparent. Everyone understands what “50% of the maximum” or “90% of the age-appropriate level” means.
I’ll finish with a quote from Maie Tuulik, who refers to Peeter Põld: “The system of numbers in school is held up above all by the need for a means of control. For the student, the number tells the extent to which they meet what the teacher and the school require of them in terms of progress, diligence, attention and order. The number that appears on the report card warns those who lag behind and the careless, urging them to gather their strength, and quiets and reassures those who have put in the effort.”
FAQ on grading in physical education
Can every assessment be improved?
Within a trimester or quarter, yes. The tiritamm, the jump rope test, push-ups: all of them can be retaken. Half a year to improve a single assessment isn’t realistic, but three months is.
Wouldn’t descriptive-only grading be better?
My experience says no. Descriptive feedback belongs alongside the numerical grade, not in place of it. Otherwise comparability and concreteness disappear.
Does a PE grade depend on innate talent?
Not if the principles of advance notice and a chance to improve are followed. The grade depends on how much the student practices, and everyone can do that.
Author: Janar Rückenberg
Come and train! ArtGym
