Separating Proficiency From Behavior

Let me tell you about “Jake D.” Jake was a student in my class last year, and he was what some teachers call an “onion kid”-each time we try to help him and peel back another layer of pain, poor self-image, challenging home life, rationale for bad behavior, we cry more and more. Despite being a distraction to other students’ learning and rarely completing an activity on time or at all, Jake always performed well on summative assessments. He was constantly tardy, regularly disruptive, and personified a poor work ethic, but demonstrated consistently and brilliantly that he “knew what I was teaching him” all year long by showing proficiency (and sometimes mastery) on all standards for every summative assessment. What are Jake’s grades in all his other classes? In the C or D range. In my class? Straight A’s.

Wait. Jake is not a “Straight A” student? “Straight A” students do their work, show up on time, and work well in groups. Why is that? Perhaps it is because in traditional grading systems, behavior is a significant factor in determining students’ final grade. Points/credit/grades are earned for being compliant, bringing in materials for extra credit, and participation/collaboration. Also, points/credits/grades are reduced for misbehaving, late work, and being silent. What if the ONLY factor in determining a student’s final grade was his/her proficiency in standards? Then, the learners’ final grade would be an accurate reflection of what we “taught” and nothing else. It is possible; you can do it; teachers do it all the time; Aric and Megan have been doing it for years.

Let’s be clear. Behavior, citizenship, work habits, employability, or whatever you want to call it, IS important, SHOULD be taught, and NEEDS to be reported...just reported separately from proficiency. In my school, Armada, learners earn two marks at the end of every grading period: a letter grade and a “Citizenship” mark. This duality and separation facilitates distinguishing proficiency from behavior-a key element to a successful Standards Based Learning classroom.

Oh, and Jake? In my class, he earned an “A” and the lowest citizenship mark possible. On the A.C.T.? In Reading and English,” he earned scores well above the national average. So is he really a “D” student?

Share you comments and thoughts below, email Aric and Megan at stemflowerlc@gmail.com or visit stemandflowerlearning.com.

To subscribe to receive a weekly newsletter, please click here. 

STEM and Flower Learning Consultants