Setting Students Up for Success — Why Sharing Grading Criteria in Advance Matters (New Teacher Edition)

Starting out as a new teacher can feel like learning to juggle on a tightrope—lesson planning, classroom management, parent communication... and of course, grading. One game-changing strategy that can make your life easier and help your students succeed? Sharing grading criteria before the assignment begins.

Why Transparency Matters

Your students want to do well. But if they don’t know what “good” looks like, they’re working in the dark. By sharing rubrics and success criteria up front, you:

• Clarify expectations
• Reduce student anxiety
• Encourage self-monitoring
• Make grading faster and more consistent

For you, this means more student confidence and independence and fewer questions like, “Why did I lose marks?”

Real-World Example: Using Rubrics in Advance

Let’s say you’re assigning a personal narrative. Instead of waiting until grading time to pull out your rubric, hand it out on Day 1:

• Share what the learning expectations are in the assignment
• Go over it with your class.
• Show examples of what a Level 4 or “Exceeds Expectations” piece looks like.
• Let students ask questions and self-assess their drafts.

Now they’re not guessing—they’re aiming.

The Self-Assessment Flip Book: A Must-Have Tool

One tool we love at Helping New Teachers is the Self-Assessment Flip Book. It’s an easy-to-use, visual tool students can keep on their desk:

• Students flip to the relevant learning goal.
• They self-rate their understanding before handing in work.
• You instantly get insight into their learning—and where they need help.

This reduces the guesswork on your end and builds metacognition on theirs.

📌 Pro Tip: Have students show their self-assessment alongside their work. You’ll see how well they understand expectations and can target your feedback faster.

Other Ways to Share Assessment Criteria

In addition to rubrics and self-assessment tools, try:

• Success Criteria Lists: Post these on your board for every major lesson. Students should know what success looks like whether they’re writing an essay, solving a math problem or building a model.
• Anchor Charts with Examples: Use visuals to show what good work or successful understanding looks like—especially helpful for visual learners or ELLs.
• Checklists for Projects: Provide a breakdown of each step with corresponding marks. Let students track their progress.

Bottom Line

Grading doesn’t have to feel like a mystery—for you or your students. The more clearly you define and share expectations, the more your students can meet and exceed them.

And as a new teacher, you’ll appreciate the time-saving benefits, too.

🎓 Want to make grading easier and more student-friendly?

✨ Check out our Self-Assessment Flip Book – designed for classroom use and perfect for any subject.

🔗 Find it on the Helping New Teachers site and empower your students to reflect and grow with every assignment.