In Progress Grades for Athletic Eligibility

Today was the start of second semester. I asked my students what they liked about our class and what they would like to see changed. There were quite a few positive comments about retakes and the feedback that I provide on formative assessments. They liked the group work and the cup system I have in place for communicating levels of struggle as I walk around the room. Many students like the flipped videos and taking notes at home, which allow them class time to work on homework with their peers. Others would prefer if I taught in front of the class more often and suggested that I do that twice a week. All of their comments were thoughtful and it was good to see that my intentions were effective and well received.

Another suggestion, that breaks my heart a little, is the lingering desire for a traditional letter grade. The students that asked for this, and there were not many, explained why they felt they needed it. I still read their words and tear up because the reason they gave is athletic eligibility. To me this seems simple – if you’re making progress then you are eligible. Because learning is a process I don’t issue grades until I am required to do so. How do I capture a weekly grade while progress is being made but the last piece of evidence has not been submitted?

In perfect situation, I would mark “Making Progress” or “Progress Stalled” or “No Progress” for eligible or ineligible each week.  At the end of a grading period, I would only issue “Evidence of Proficiency Demonstrated” or “Has Not Yet Met Proficiency”. That’s right only two marks: Yes or Not Yet. To justify using this two-pronged approach, because I am on the SBL Island alone in my school, I can issue traditional letter grades at the end of the term. But only at the end. (I also wish there didn’t have to be an “end,” but there is an end in June-every year.) Every day before the last day of school is still an in-progress learning day – there is no grade – we are STILL learning.

So, I can stand on my Island and talk to myself and send messages in bottles hoping to be heard, but I really want my students and their parents to understand and be comfortable with my policies. The current concern seems slightly less focused on the grade for the sake of a grade, which warms me, but rather focused on the need for a grade for athletic eligibility. The thing is I am very committed to communicating with all parties involved so I complete athletic eligibility every week based on my student’s progress and use standards - “Making Progress” or “Progress Stalled” or “No Progress”.  Is this enough?  How do you determine athletic eligibility?

Please share your thoughts and the way that you address athletic eligibility for your standards based learners on twitter @stemflowerlc or by emailing Aric and Megan at stemflowerlc@gmail.com.

STEM and Flower Learning Consultants

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Teaching Students to Reflect on Their Learning

Student reflection is without a doubt a practice that many teachers, new or experienced, struggle with starting, sustaining, and making the practice relevant and valuable for student learning. I recommend you start with the type of reflection in which you are interested. I divide the times to reflect into two categories: without a formal assessment and with a formal assessment.  Then, I consider where students will record their reflections. Finally, I decide actions, for both the learners and myself, that will follow the reflection.

Reflection without formal assessment is a style of reflection that may seem more journal worthy.  This type of reflection is a great place to start with students new to reflecting on their learning because the questions are less intimidating.

• What is something new I learned today?
• What do I still have questions on from today’s lesson?
• What do I feel most confident about from today’s lesson?
• What do I feel the least confident about from today’s lesson?

These reflection prompts are easily done at the end of class as an “exit slip” or in a learning journal. They can be private or shared with peers or the teacher. They can even be submitted anonymously. Remember, if the focus is on learning and you have created a culture with trust, learners are likely to want you to read their reflection.

Reflection with a formal assessment is a step that follows written individual feedback. Students are assessed, teacher feedback is shared, then students make meaning of that feedback and “process” it in a meaningful, purposeful way in hopes of clarifying the feedback, foster a culture of learning, and internalizing miscues to prevent them on future assessments.

While the following examples of sentence starters that facilitate this type of reflection below are geared for STEM classes, they can certainly be modified easily for Flower classes:

If you got the WHOLE problem right…

• I learned…
• I got the problem right because…
• I know how to...

If you got part of the problem right…

• It is still difficult for me…
• I should ask my teachers or my peers…
• I need help with...

If you got none of the problem right…

• I make mistakes on…
• I need to relearn…
• I need help with...

Another type of reflection with formal assessment is contingent upon the type of response a leaner gave on an assessment.  These are similar in organization to the last set of prompts; however, they differ in two ways. First, they are in the form of a question asked by the teacher. And second, these questions are less about getting the “right answer” and more about understanding the concept. Although I have added to this list, the majority of these prompts are from Jeromie Heath (@TeachHeath).

If you’re wondering when teachers have time for students to reflect thoughtfully, it is a natural question. I have found that discussing a formal written assessment takes close to an entire 50-minute period. It may seem like a lot of time to spend going over a completed quiz or test, but it has become one of the best learning opportunities for my students. They see mistakes and successes all in one place, and I give them the time and space to reflect on both. In the beginning, when this process is unfamiliar to them, it will take longer, but eventually, it will become a smooth part of the learning experience.

In the end, reflection is a process that will improve with practice.  It will seem uncomfortable and forced at the beginning.  Make it a regular part of your classroom and, along with everything else you introduce, it will become a habit. The bonus is this habit will likely become something they do after they leave your class and head to the next.

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

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STEM and Flower Learning Consultants

Teaching Students to Reflect Begins with Teacher Reflection

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you handed back a quiz or rough draft of an essay with meaningful feedback directing the learner where to go with their learning and as they read the feedback they made plan, asked themselves questions and completely internalized your suggestions only to then continue working on the standard(s) in question to find deeper understanding and become more proficient? Well, of course it would! I want that of my learners and for my learners. But it wasn’t until I began really reflecting on my teaching and my practices that I became proficient enough to help my learners with the process.  

I recommend that teachers wanting to increase learner reflection in their classes begin reflecting individually in a more formal way.  All of us walk out of class or the building at the end of each day and think about how everything went and how we may do it different next time.  Beit a lesson, a project, a conversation or an entire unit, we are doing some sort of reflection on how an experience transpired. However, it is less common for us to write down our thoughts.  I am not implying you do not make a note and leave it in a file that you’ll find next year when planning that particular unit, but I will guess that most teachers do not make an effort to ask ourselves any deeper questions beyond: “How did that go?” and “What would I do differently?” Both are beginner questions so let’s go deeper.

Here are some questions to answer out loud or in writing: (modified from Julie Tice – Writing a Teaching Diary, 2004)

• Was there a clear outcome for the students?
• Did the students understand what we did in the lesson?
• Was what we did too easy or too difficult?
• What problems did the students have (if any)? How did I address the problems?
• Were all the students on task (i.e. doing what they were supposed to be doing)?
• If not, when was that and why did it happen?
• Which parts of the lesson did the students seem to enjoy most? And least?
• Did activities last the right length of time?  Was the pace of the lesson right?
• Did I use whole class work, group work, partner work or individual work? Why did I choose that arrangement and was it the best for student learning?
• Were my instructions clear?
• Did I provide opportunities for all the students to participate?
• Was I aware of how all of the students were progressing?
• What are my next steps? What will I do the next time I see my students?

Give it a try. It will take around 10 minutes in the beginning and may even feel unnatural, but so did putting on skis for the first time. Keep trying and before you know it, you’ll be reflecting without making a conscious decision to. After you’ve done it for a few weeks, you can help your learners make the transition and see the benefits.

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

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STEM and Flower Learning Consultants