It’s not the first time I have taken a leap. Back in year one I took a flying leap when I gave each kid an A for the year. And while this leap may not be as big and bold (brash) a jump, it is another significant step away from grading to better learning. But it’s not a reckless rush as much as it is a reasoned response to my continuing reflection on present practice in my search for my next better.

Below is my communication to a brand new group of kids about what to expect from their learning experiences with me as we enter second semester. In it you will find changes that I have made to delve deeper into the feedback/response process, to fade farther away from points and grading, and to come closer to learning.

Feedback

This has been the focus all year. Last semester, I made strides into elevating the feedback/response process as the place where learning happens, where I teach and where kids learn. I contend that I don’t really teach until I engage kids in this process. I facilitate and guide to get things moving, but I don’t really teach anything until I respond to their work, and thus, I, too, believe, they don’t really begin to learn until they respond to my response (feedback). And the process continues.

This semester, I want to front load this idea, and I believe I have arrived at something with the “not done till one” mantra. The goal is to get everyone to a 1. Everyone. If they are not at a 1, then there is still learning on the table, and if there’s still learning, there’s still work. Our work.

Scores

Rather, “numerical indicators” (yes, I hate the name, too, but I wanted something that sounded ostentatious, not for it’s formality but it’s inanity). They are just numbers, just symbols, just indicators–for convenience. I began playing with 1 and .7 last semester for a couple of reasons. One, I got tired of Skyward deciding my kids’ grades and raising alarms for outside eyes (parents). So, I changed it to .7 so the bottom was a “C” for those looking in. For inside eyes (kids), it was an invitation to revise and resubmit. I want that in front of our work this semester. Two, I wanted to give the middle finger to points and scores by reducing them as much as I possibly could (for now) in a way that let me manipulate Skyward to better fit my approach. My wife asked why I don’t just use 10 and 7 or 100 and 70 to keep it simpler for the kids. I told her that’s too close to the traditional view of points and scores. I wanted to reduce them to mean as little as possible. 1 = Done. .7 = Invitation.

Off the Table

This is the biggest step. I had planned on doing this next year, and I have even written about it here recently in the “C to See” post (http://www.letschangeeducation.com/c-to-see-project-180-day-83/). But I decided to take the leap this year, this semester by formally taking “D” and “F” grades off the table. I will no longer offer them as options in my class. The goal is for all to learn, to grow. And so, I don’t want kids worrying about what’s below (Deficit and Failure). I want them worrying about what’s above. I am done with the deficit approach to teaching and learning. Well, I have been for some time now, but this more formally cements my decision.

Will kids then magically do all the work, then? Of course not. But it’s my reasoned belief that where we meet will be a more authentic commitment to each other in our shared experience. And so, I decided to go for it now. I am ready, so I might as well jump. And if it so happens that I don’t land on my feet, I have grown accustomed to 180 cycle, and I will Do, Reflect, and Do Better until I find my feet again.

Happy Monday, all. Wish me luck on my first day of Hybrid.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.