They aren’t ready. And, that’s the plan. Today, my kids will take a Sentence Performance that asks them to identify and fix fragments, run-ons, and comma splices. In addition, and in continuation of our work with sentences, they will have to write simple, compound, and complex sentences with specified phrases. They are ready for the latter–we have been doing this all year, but they are not ready for the former…well, at least not in the traditional sense.

A traditional approach relies upon sufficient front loading with teaching and practice before assessments, a test-when-it-is-time approach. As such, the assessments that correspond with this approach generally emphasize an assessment of learning, an I-taught-it-did-the-kids-learn-it way of conducting business. Such learning is then generally recorded as a grade, where it remains static, and the teacher moves on to the next unit of study, and the process is repeated in a linear, there-is-only-forward progression.

A less-traditional approach, like the traditional,  relies upon a degree of front loading, but it breaks away from the traditional in its reliance on the retest/retake. This assessment-for-learning approach emphasizes a where-are-the-kids-not-proficient and how-will-I-respond way of conducting business. Such learning as this is also recorded as a score, but it generally anticipates that kids will need more and other similar opportunities to achieve proficiency, and so the scores in the grade book are not static, for they may change as the process invites a circular, keep-at-it progression.

A non-traditional approach has revealed itself to me this year, and while it is not, to my knowledge, tried-and-tested or data-driven, it is learner-driven. I believe that learning stems from the learner. And so, I have sought ways to capture and advance that learning. My recent methodology has been a shift to “learning by performing,” which I introduced in a post about using Performances at the end of last month. Essentially, the goal here is to use assessment as learning. It relies upon minimal front loading, getting the kids to the assessment, the performance as soon as possible, so I can give them feedback in preparation for the next performance, where they will have an opportunity to apply their new learning to a similar situation. This approach requires a retest. Scores are dynamic forms of communication. Like less-traditional, it is a circular progression but it gets kids in the game sooner, and there is more back loading as it seeks to be responsive to each learner.

One of my biggest aha’s, as my ideas about learning have evolved in the gradeless realm, is that I need to teach less. That is, I need to talk less. I need to prepare kids less in the front of things and respond more on the back of things. So, yesterday, putting that new knowledge to the test, I offered kids a resource and an organizer for notes on sentence errors. I encouraged, but did not require, them to create their own resources for today’s performance. I am staunch believer in letting kid use resources–a real world consideration–on assessments. So I either provide resources (I call them Sy Sources) or I give kids the opportunity to create their own (I call them My Sources). Yesterday, the kids had a My-Source opportunity. They had very little time, for they were registering for next year with the counselor, so they approached it in various ways. Some copied the notes word for word. Some wrote the notes in their own words. Some took pictures of the book’s pages with their phones, so they could do it later. Some read the pages but did not take notes. Some did nothing. What’s best? Who knows? I want the kids to make that determination, so they can find what works best for them. And with this approach they have some freedom to do that. Today they will perform, which I am pushing as a crucial first step in learning. First step. Many steps to follow. And while the kids are taking those steps through their learning, some will stumble, some will walk, some will run, but all will learn. At least, that’s the plan.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…have a Performance opportunity.

…reflect in our Journey Journals.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.