Today, I will be the student. Tomorrow the kids will demonstrate their learning. But I am not going to teach them. They are going to teach me parallel structure.

Understanding Parallel Structure

Parallel structure (also called parallelism) is the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence. By making each compared item or idea in your sentence follow the same grammatical pattern, you create a parallel construction.

Performance Targets

• I can identify and fix errors in parallel structure.
• I can use parallel structure in my own writing.

No stranger to experimentation and risk-taking, I am going to flip things upside down (the basic premise behind Project 180) today, and introduce parallel structure by having the kids teach me. Then, tomorrow, I will assess them on parallel structure in a sentence performance. Yes, that’s correct. The kids are going to teach me, and I am going to “test” them. But, remember, I don’t use the “T” word, I use performance instead.

In what I have come to call Performance Learning, I spend minimal time introducing content, so we can get to the Performances. By traditional standards, the kids are not “ready” for the test. I have just barely introduced the content. So, why would I put a test, a performance in front of them? Because I use assessment AS learning. I know and the kids know (now, anyway, it’s taken some getting used to) that performances are simply learning opportunities, chances to demonstrate where they are with the skills and content, which then serves as an opportunity for feedback, information on what they need to do differently next time to do better. The score will go in the grade book, but it is barely etched in pencil, for it is expected to change. That’s the whole premise. The kids DO. They REFLECT on their performance feedback, and they seek to DO BETTER the next time. And though a lot of thinking and tweaking remain as I chase better with Performance Learning, I am pleased with the type of learning opportunities it’s creating in my classroom. Tomorrow I will go into greater detail by sharing the basic tenets of the approach.

Today, I will learn. In five teams of six, the kids will teach me (and the rest of the class, a collateral benefit) parallel structure. Here is what I will be looking for in their lessons. I will challenge them to…

• establish basic idea of parallel structure through definition and example.
• provide a visual, analogous representation.
• provide a way to check my understanding.
• answer clarifying questions.
• provide a mnemonic to help me remember a key idea(s).
• be creative.
• be enthusiastic.
• participate.

Gonna be messy. Can’t wait.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…teach to learn parallel structure.

…reflect in our Journey Journals.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.