I feel that there are two perspectives that are relevant to consider when looking at the reality of failure in my school. First, do our students perceive that failure is an option? Second, do the teachers' actions reinforce this perception?
When I asked my class about what failure is and if they think they have every failed I got a wide array of responses. Some students said failing was getting a lot of problems wrong on a test. I asked if they thought getting answers wrong on their classwork was similar or different to this. Most said it was different because they knew they had to keep trying to find the answer for classwork. However, when I asked if they felt like they were failing in anything at school- none of them did. They talked about how some things were harder, but that they know they are getting better. (Sidebar: I was only able to have this whole class chat as a result of months of work. I've worked really hard with my class since the beginning of the year to be able to have these type of open and vulnerable conversations. We have norms and expectations for these types of conversations. I was really proud of how honest and reflective they were during this chat.) So, while I feel my class understood what failing was the overall understanding was that it happens when you stop trying.
Now, thinking about this from the teachers perspective I see that clearly the message my actions have sent to my class are that failure isn't an option. As a campus, I see many teachers grading based upon competency rather than compliance. Through our PLC (Professional Learning Community) we have developed cycles of planning, formative assessments, revising, reteaching or extending content. We pay close attention to those students who haven't mastered concepts after reteaching and we look at what additional supports we can provide. I think this habit of continual support has modeled for the students that we don't just let them "not get it". We do whatever it takes to help them understand.
All this said, could we do better as a campus to communicate this to all our parents so that the parents can also support us in this process. Too often I hear parents focus on the report card score in a way that sets their child's understanding of a concept in stone. We teachers view this score as more of a snapshot of where the student is in the learning process at that moment. I always begin my report card conferences explaining this to parents. This can also help them to understand how/why their child's report card grades can be at grade level one trimester and approaching grade level the next and vise verse. Another way our school could improve would be to help promote progress and celebrate this. Did second grade collectively improve their understanding of subtraction? Let's celebrate that with something as simple as a colorful banner hung in the hallway!
"Never to Late to Learn" would be a great concept to bring to our SchoolSmarts program we host for parents. This could be a wonderful way to involve parents in this conversation so they too can support the on going learning of their children.
5 things I am willing to do this semester that will increase learning opportunities:
1. Work with my grade level to review our WIN (What I Need) time and see which students need to switch classes and which classes need to revise the content or level.
2. Continue to work with students who are struggling and provide additional supports through WIN time
3. Connect families with outside supports that are available through tutoring contractors funded by the district
4. Meet with other grade levels to collaborate on our homework policies to discuss if we are all grading based upon competency or on compliance. This discussion may eventually lead to looking at our classwork grading as well.
5. Work with students to celebrate the hard work they put in towards their goals.
When I asked my class about what failure is and if they think they have every failed I got a wide array of responses. Some students said failing was getting a lot of problems wrong on a test. I asked if they thought getting answers wrong on their classwork was similar or different to this. Most said it was different because they knew they had to keep trying to find the answer for classwork. However, when I asked if they felt like they were failing in anything at school- none of them did. They talked about how some things were harder, but that they know they are getting better. (Sidebar: I was only able to have this whole class chat as a result of months of work. I've worked really hard with my class since the beginning of the year to be able to have these type of open and vulnerable conversations. We have norms and expectations for these types of conversations. I was really proud of how honest and reflective they were during this chat.) So, while I feel my class understood what failing was the overall understanding was that it happens when you stop trying.
Now, thinking about this from the teachers perspective I see that clearly the message my actions have sent to my class are that failure isn't an option. As a campus, I see many teachers grading based upon competency rather than compliance. Through our PLC (Professional Learning Community) we have developed cycles of planning, formative assessments, revising, reteaching or extending content. We pay close attention to those students who haven't mastered concepts after reteaching and we look at what additional supports we can provide. I think this habit of continual support has modeled for the students that we don't just let them "not get it". We do whatever it takes to help them understand.
All this said, could we do better as a campus to communicate this to all our parents so that the parents can also support us in this process. Too often I hear parents focus on the report card score in a way that sets their child's understanding of a concept in stone. We teachers view this score as more of a snapshot of where the student is in the learning process at that moment. I always begin my report card conferences explaining this to parents. This can also help them to understand how/why their child's report card grades can be at grade level one trimester and approaching grade level the next and vise verse. Another way our school could improve would be to help promote progress and celebrate this. Did second grade collectively improve their understanding of subtraction? Let's celebrate that with something as simple as a colorful banner hung in the hallway!
"Never to Late to Learn" would be a great concept to bring to our SchoolSmarts program we host for parents. This could be a wonderful way to involve parents in this conversation so they too can support the on going learning of their children.
5 things I am willing to do this semester that will increase learning opportunities:
1. Work with my grade level to review our WIN (What I Need) time and see which students need to switch classes and which classes need to revise the content or level.
2. Continue to work with students who are struggling and provide additional supports through WIN time
3. Connect families with outside supports that are available through tutoring contractors funded by the district
4. Meet with other grade levels to collaborate on our homework policies to discuss if we are all grading based upon competency or on compliance. This discussion may eventually lead to looking at our classwork grading as well.
5. Work with students to celebrate the hard work they put in towards their goals.