Skyward. Most schools across the country use an online-grading system. Our district uses Skyward, as do most school districts in the State of Washington. It allows teachers to post grades so students and their parents can “see” how they are doing in class.

See. They see numbers, which are generally averaged to represent a grade, which is generally accepted as indication of learning. High percentage equals learning. Low percentage equals no learning. So the story goes. But I wonder if there’s more to the story. I wonder if students and parents wonder if there’s more to the story. I wonder if teachers would reveal that there’s more to the story. There’s more to the story. 

Earlier this week, I had an opportunity to sit down with parents at our annual Open House. I got to introduce myself. I got to put faces to names. I got to let parents know a bit of my philosophy/approach. I got to “read” the preface to the learning story that will take shape over the course of the year in room 206.

I shared my “select-and-support” approach to grading.

I shared my “assessment-for-learning” beliefs.

I shared my “students-own-their-learning” convictions.

I shared my “this-is-a-culture-of-possibility” paradigm.

I shared my “it-doesn’t-need-to-be-complicated” three-point scale.

I shared my “practice-is-not-for-putting-scores-in-the-gradebook” spiel.

And then…

And then I shared that we had a problem. I shared that Skyward would be the bugaboo that’d get in our way. I shared that I was tethered to a system that could not simply average the stories that the kids and I would write about their learning this year.

Having already shared that a “2” on an assessment was a “near miss” for meeting the standard, I now had to share that Skyward could not translate such language and would speak a falsehood as it presented this achievement as 66%, a D. And the old tale would be spun, as parents and students conditioned to see and accept the numbers before them as the Word.

In short, we have problem. But problems love solutions. Simplest solution would be to take Skyward out of the equation, but I cannot break that chain. The best solution, at least until I find better–always chasing better–is to go to the source. There are two people in the room who know best the story. And of the two, I am but a consultant. The other holds the pen. She writes the story. It is her learning. So I ask her to pen that paper every day in her Journey Journal. I also ask that she send an explanatory email to her parents every two weeks to share the details and nuances of her personal (shouldn’t learning be personal?) and complex (is it really as simple as an average?) story.

Perfect? Not even close. Different? Purposefully. Easier? Come on. Respectful? Ask her. Better? Has to be.

At worst, it invites a conversation between parents and me about learning. At best, it creates an opportunity for kids to take some authentic ownership of their learning. If either is a problem, then they are problems I can live with. Have to. Can’t turn back now. Won’t turn back now.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…continue viewing Freedom Writers.

…reflect in our Journey Journals.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Friday, all. Have a great weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.