Communicate
As learners, many of my students have been acculturated to a system of education which was much more focused on grades, rote memorization, and the very clear authority of the teacher than the educational environment in which they now find themselves. For them, grades have been the only indication of success. One of the byproducts of this has been an all-encompassing focus on grades. In a recent science class, four students that I work with were given their progress grades at the beginning of class, which resulted in all four of them shutting down and unable to concentrate on the ensuing lesson and its content for the rest of the block. I have adapted my grading to this type of reception by my students. I emphasize their learning, not the grade. As an educator I do not like assigning grades to the population of learners that I teach, even standard based grades. The students efforts to acquire English are subject to so many environmental factors over which they have no control; access to technology at home, parents' command of English, English speaking siblings with which to converse, homework support, family and work obligations, family literacy practices, and the cultural role of education. I strive to provide feedback using narratives and teachable moments. Having said that, I also realize that the school's philosophy advocates for the use of jumprope. I have created a tracking system and progress reports using that platform which I will use to report out while also holding personal conversations with each of my learners.
As learners, many of my students have been acculturated to a system of education which was much more focused on grades, rote memorization, and the very clear authority of the teacher than the educational environment in which they now find themselves. For them, grades have been the only indication of success. One of the byproducts of this has been an all-encompassing focus on grades. In a recent science class, four students that I work with were given their progress grades at the beginning of class, which resulted in all four of them shutting down and unable to concentrate on the ensuing lesson and its content for the rest of the block. I have adapted my grading to this type of reception by my students. I emphasize their learning, not the grade. As an educator I do not like assigning grades to the population of learners that I teach, even standard based grades. The students efforts to acquire English are subject to so many environmental factors over which they have no control; access to technology at home, parents' command of English, English speaking siblings with which to converse, homework support, family and work obligations, family literacy practices, and the cultural role of education. I strive to provide feedback using narratives and teachable moments. Having said that, I also realize that the school's philosophy advocates for the use of jumprope. I have created a tracking system and progress reports using that platform which I will use to report out while also holding personal conversations with each of my learners.