Wrapping up a great week in 211 today. I was so pleased with the kids’ poems. But it was not as much about their poems as it was about their challenging themselves to get on stage. For some it was easy peasy, but for others it was a real challenge. But they did it anyway. And in the 180 classroom they did it for their own personal growth, not a grade. And that’s the beauty, that’s the supreme satisfaction I have gotten this year with grades being off the table. I have been continually amazed by the majority of the kids’ dedication to learning this year, despite the extreme shift in approaches.

As I look ahead to next year, I will seek to pull back a bit from the extreme, but I will continue to place feedback and growth at the center of our experience, not grades–at least not in the traditional sense. Never going back there. Never. I’ve already begun working on a plan for next year, and I will unveil it in due time. In the meantime, I will continue to process what I have learned from this year–inside and outside 211, seeking to revise and refine the 180 approach.

Today in 211, we will finish up the last few poems, talk last minute strategies for the SBA, and conclude with Community Circle. Perfect end to a great week.

Happy Friday, all. Have a great weekend.