Single point rubrics: A useful tool in formative assessment

Teacher of Physics, Frankfurt International School I was introduced to single point rubrics (SPRs) a few years ago, initially trialling them before dismissing them as a useful tool. My introduction was an assessment rubric levelled for a mid-level student that ‘could be used for any/every student’. Assessing every student against a single statement felt like a rapid return to the 1900s. However, I could see real value in the layout, having observed students getting lost in huge assessment rubrics designed to separate different levels across numerous strands. I suspect that all teachers have seen assessments where the rubrics are longer than the task or contain more words than the work submitted. My colleagues and I returned to SPRs later, trying several different versions. Following these iterations, I wanted a more concrete picture of how my students felt about them. Over the last four months, I used SPRs instead of the usual detailed criteria for two classes that I had not ta