Which of the following describes how a TA can assist with rubrics during student work?

• A. Grade all subjectively scored parts for the students.
• B. Help students understand criteria and, if permitted, score objective components.
• C. Ignore the rubric and focus on behavior.
• D. Create new criteria without teacher input.

Answer: (B)

Rubrics spell out exactly what quality work looks like and how it will be judged. The best way a TA can help is to guide students through the criteria so they understand what each part means, what counts as meeting or surpassing it, and how points are assigned for the objective components. If allowed, the TA can assist in scoring those objective parts to keep evaluation consistent and timely, while students learn what the standards are and how to reach them. This approach keeps feedback aligned with clear standards, supports student learning, and ensures fairness across submissions. Relying on subjective judgments alone, ignoring the rubric, or creating new criteria without input from the teacher can undermine consistency and the intended learning targets.