Grading students on grit

The problem with grades is that too often, students work for the A rather than focusing on learning. My students generally want to know what they can do to raise their grade or get an A--not what they can do to improve their work or learn a concept more thoroughly. Wouldn't it be great if we could get rid of grading altogether and focus on igniting the spirit of discovery and creativity in our youth? 

This year my colleagues in the English department and I have taken on a new challenge--to help students focus on learning, develop characteristics that will enable them to succeed in life, and foster creativity. We can't get rid of grades, but we can take the focus off of weighting every assignment to unfairly reflect intelligence and ability. 

Our grading rubric challenges students to self reflect as they set personal goals to show GRIT: guts, resilience, integrity, and tenacity. Each of these characteristics is tied to actions they can perform in school that will help them learn and grow, such as turning work in on time, using their time wisely, and redoing work that doesn't meet a standard of excellence. We continue to focus our teaching on the core standards, but assignments don't receive credit; instead, students must prove that they are working and growing. 

So far this has been a wonderful success. Students are less stressed, actively engaged in learning, and challenging themselves at every level--from gifted to special needs, every student sees that they have the capacity to learn and succeed. Classroom management issues have decreased dramatically. Instead of telling students that their participation grade will go down if they don't stop talking, a teacher can remind them that they show integrity when they pay attention and allow their peers to do the same. We are seeing that our students are intrinsically motivated and we no longer have to punish them for bad behavior our hold out the carrot of a grade to convince them to work. They are truly excited about learning--many of them for the first time since early elementary school.

For our part, we are able to provide authentic learning, timely feedback, and a calmer learning environment as we focus on individual needs rather than assignment deadlines and getting it right the first time. We celebrate mistakes and failure as opportunities to learn and grow.

This system has not been without challenges, and we are asking students to be patient with us as we work out the kinks. They have been resilient and wonderful. This is new to them, and they are meeting the challenge with grace and patience. We have worked to show leniency and understanding. 

Some parents are concerned about the subjectivity of the GRIT grades as well as our efforts to teach values to their children. Admittedly we do have to let go of some objectivity. We are willing to do this because of the overall benefits to learning. We also understand that grading by nature is subjective--especially in the language arts. Participation and citizenship grades are subjective and value focused--but we find that students respond much more positively when allowed to show their excellence rather than react to the threat of losing points. Whereas I might have previously given a low grade on a paper that was incorrectly formatted or illegible, the student and I now work together to improve the work until it is as good as it can be. Teaching specific concepts doesn't have to end with the final grade at the end of the term; I can grade students on GRIT and keep going into the next term if they need more time or continued instruction.

As far as values are concerned, we focus on aspects of the characteristics that are directly related to schoolwork. A child's tenacity is shown through their ability to bounce back and try again when they fail; they show guts when they accept challenges and participate enthusiastically, for example. It is not our intent to extend our reach further than the classroom, but we do hope that our students are learning how to become good humans and that they will take this learning further on their own with the support of their parents. 

We are grateful for unconditional support from our administration and district experts on learning. We hope that we will be allowed to continue to improve our GRIT system and look for additional ways to influence student learning and creativity. We want school to be a place of safety--safety to experiment and grow, and safety from many of the stresses of the world. We seek the support of parents who trust that what we are doing is good for kids and want to partner with us as we teach core concepts in tandem with life skills. 

You can access our rubric here. We score each item on a 4 point scale: 4 = exceeds expectations, 1 = does not meet expectations.

I knowed I made the right choice!

There was this one time when I decided to become an English teacher. That was a good personal decision. Here's why:

1. I've had terrible insomnia for about seven years. Last week I slept like a baby who sleeps through the night.

2. It turns out you don't eat non-stop when you're on your feet running around trying to keep 40 teenagers corralled. And learning. Not eating constantly means you lose weight. Running around all day means you lose weight. A small, but much appreciated perk.

3. More stories. If you know me at all, you know I'm never short on stories. I predict they're going to be much, much better from now on. You may not think that's possible. Trust me. (I'm not allowed to share my stories on the Interwebs, because that would violate the privacy of my already beloved students. So I'm not going to do that, which is too bad in a way, but also good for me in the sense that I'll get to keep my job and collect more stories. When I do tell stories, I'll make sure to keep the details obscure to protect the innocent. And not so innocent. But they'll still be good, I promise.)

4. I have not laughed so much or so hard in a very long time. Laughter is really good for the health. Doctors say that, and they're not the same doctors who say that women's bodies can prevent pregnancy under certain circumstances, so I believe them. Daltonboy and I already laugh a lot. So laughing more is an unexpected bonus. I'll take it.

5. I love puzzles. Now I have 200 of them. How to reach this one, how to get this one to shut up, how to find a book this one will read and enjoy . . . the list of puzzle problems is endless. I feel like I've been laying on my couch eating donut gems and playing Diner Dash for the last six years just to prepare me for this moment.

I should probably blog more often. Only one post so far this year? That is not blooming. That is called dying on the vine. Stupid Facebook.

Happy New Year!

It's time for a new word of the year and a very short reflection on last year's word.

Last year I chose Aware. I think it helped to have awareness on my mind. I don't know if I made visible changes, but I feel more generally aware of myself and others. I enjoyed having pictures up that reminded me to be aware as Jesus was, and I had a few cool experiences where I was able to help others by being aware of their needs.

This year's word is Calm.

I've struggled off and on with Generalized Anxiety Disorder for many years. This is the year I'm going to get control of it, once and for all. Last fall I had a pretty severe setback, and I've been working on developing some tools to help me cope. I'd like to continue that throughout this year and learn to be free from panic attacks. It's a very appealing prospect.

Here are some of the tools I'm using:

1. Medication. I plan to be weaned off the meds by spring, but they're really helping me as I learn new behaviors and work to get rid of old, destructive habits.

2. Hypnotherapy. I can't say enough about how awesome this is. I use an app on my iPad that helps me relax, which is huge. It helps me get to sleep and calm my mind when it's going a million miles an hour.

3. Books. My doctor suggested some reading material for me, and I'm really glad I took his advice. Here are two I've found to be very helpful:

For a Christian perspective on giving up our fears to God, this is a very joyful, comforting read. It covers just about anything a person could be fearful of, from natural disasters to personal failure.

For practical advice on how to change habits and develop new ways of thinking, this book has been invaluable. It requires time and a lot of personal effort, but I can tell it will be worth it.

4. Prayer. As always, prayer is the most important part of any struggle for me. I feel my prayers are already being answered as I find new ways to deal with this one.

5. Family. I probably would have been institutionalized long before now without the support of my sweet husband. I love that my family is willing to eat nachos or frozen burritos for dinner without complaint when I'm feeling overwhelmed, and that they don't care if the laundry is done or not. Of course there are drawbacks to that kind of laid backedness, but in this case I'm overlooking those because I'm so grateful for the lack of pressure to be supermom.

So I'm on my way to becoming anxiety free! I predict this will come in handy when I start student teaching and Lola goes off to college in the fall.

Top Ten Books of 2011

My goal was to read 50 new (to me) books in 2011. I have a habit of reading the same books over and over, and wanted to make sure I read some new ones for a change. It was so much fun that I ended up reading 56. Here are my top ten:

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett

I know I came a little late to this party, but this book was amazing. (The movie was good too, but I highly recommend taking the time to read the book.) I loved the different points of view. As always, when I read a book about civil rights, I wonder what I would have done in similar circumstances. Would I have stood by and watched an entire people being persecuted because I was not brave enough to take action? I am happy to say that I related to Skeeter very much, and for the first time I found myself feeling certain that I could have acted as she did.

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand

After I finished this one I wanted to figure out a way to force every single person I know to read it. SO good! I'm not a war buff at all, but this book was incredible, touching, redemptive, and inspiring.

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood

Given my affinity for the post-apocalyptic dystopian novel, I'm surprised I haven't read this book before now. It did not disappoint in any way.

Moon Over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool

This year's Newbery. The committee doesn't always make decisions I agree with, but this is a lovely story. Last year I worked hard to read as many books as I could get a hold of that were on the buzz list, but I missed this one. I was pleased to find that I enjoyed it at least as much as some of the others I'd read.

Rock-Solid Relationships, by Wendy Watson Nelson

An inspiring, potentially life-changing read--if accompanied by a lot of hard work. I finished it feeling optimistic that I can do that work.

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear, by Walter Moers

Possibly one of the quirkiest books I've ever read. Take Paddington Bear, throw in some Jonathan Swift, Douglas Adams, and Jasper Fforde, and you have a delightfully zany YA novel that will surely please--but only if you really really like those other authors, I think. And I do.

Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater, by Frank Bruni

I stumbled on this one, but I'm glad I did. I was surprised at how much I related to Bruni's food issues and how poignant this story was. It was also hilarious in parts. A really enjoyable book that made me do some reevaluating.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonsen

This was a delightful, sweet, sweet story. I loved every minute of it.

Wonderstruck, by Brian Selznick

Wow! Selznick is kind of a genius, I think. Also, it's fun to read a book the size of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in under two hours.

The Pickwick Papers, by Charles Dickens

My Dickens challenge list is getting very short, so I picked this one up. I've started it several times before and put it right back down again. I've done this with several Dickens novels actually, and they always turn out to be favorites. This was no exception. Dickens' wit and keen perspective are always a blast to read--the fourth or fifth time you try. Kind of like a new, unfamiliar food, I guess.

Craft-O-Rama

Since school started I haven't had many chances to knit or do anything crafty. I've had many opportunities to cook, but I haven't taken them, choosing instead to get Costco pizza or beg family members to heat up some spaghetti sauce and cook some noodles while I write papers or sit in a corner rocking and drooling. This vacation from school has been a chance for me to get my craft on (and do a little cooking as well).

First, I made this awesomeness, inspired by this.

Then I made some of these, because hi. SO nerdycool. Check them out. They're a lot easier than they look. I haven't done the R2-D2 one yet, because it's intimidating, but the others were fun, quick, and easy. Everyone that comes over says, "Hey, cute snowflakes . . . wait . . . is that Yoda?"

Then I made this cuteness for my niece's baby. I want one. (The hat--not the baby--I'm content to just look at her.)

I made this a long time ago, but finally got daltonboy to take a photo of it.

And in between I decided to make some holiday treats inspired by Christmas traditions around the world: nougat from Italy, fudge from India, stollen from Germany, gingerbread from Australia, and a little Japanese Christmas cake. All delicious and all gone. I have a couple of mutant gingerbread men sitting around somewhere, but I won't torture you with photos.

And for my next trick I'm planning to make little fidget toys for all the Primary kids for next year. We have several children that can't sit still, and I'm hoping to keep them in their seats with something clever to do with their hands. High hopes. Very high.

I am also giving myself the gift of a simple, healthy 30-day menu, which I will rotate through for the next four months until school's out again. It's been fun to make some stuff (besides lesson plans) for a change.

Halloween

This year I decided to dress up. I'm not exactly sure why. One of my friends convinced me to do it "for the children," and the Trunk or Treat wasn't sponsored by the church, which made me feel better about it. We don't have to get into that here. This is about our costumes, not the fact that I hate Halloween and want it to go away forever.

Daltonboy was happy, because he loves Halloween, and he's been ever so patient with my boycott for a lot of years. So when I decided to dig my Star Trek costume out of the costume chest, he got right on board and decided to go as a Red Shirt Guy. Only we couldn't find a red shirt in the house, and we could find a gold shirt. So he morphed into Captain Pike, because The Shatner is just cliche.

Oooooooohhhh, yeaaaaahhhh!

I made my own costume circa 1984. It's been in dry storage ever since, and still looks pretty good. A new insignia made it a tiny bit cooler than it was, and it was just awesome enough that Lola begged for it when she saw it. It wasn't that hard to give up. I didn't feel comfortable in the mini skirt anyway. But daltonboy felt sad that we weren't going as a duo any more. Oh well.

Sexy Nurse?

Costume #2: and now you get to start guessing. I had this genuine Indian salwaar kameez that I'd never worn, so I got that out of the costume chest and steamed it. I felt slightly racist about wearing someone's traditional cultural dress as a costume, but at the last minute I came up with a brainwave and was able to go as an actual (very obscure) literary character (and possible literal political personality--we'll never know).

Check out my awesome henna. Also known as brown marker. Washed right off.

Hint #1: Select invisible text below to read.

I have one prop that is not pictured. It is a wand.

Hint #2: More invisible text right under here.

I am never actually seen in the books--just referred to.

Hint #3: Last chance for invisible text.

I share my last name with the current Indian president. It's possible I am the current Indian president. Wouldn't that be something? Infiltrating the muggle political system . . .

I hope you play, and I hope someone gets it. I was very disappointed in the children, for whom I went to all the trouble of coming out of Halloween hibernation, because only one of them got me.

Oh, and please remember, this costume is not racist, so you can't guess "the Comcast lady" like one guy did. I'm sorry to say I laughed really hard.

After the Trunk-or-Treat we decided it was too early to go home and that we hadn't shown ourselves off to enough people. So in order to avoid offending all the masses of Indian people that live here in Utah Valley, we went out for hamburgers. Saw nary a one.

Oh, total amount spent for all three costumes: $6. We had almost everything in our awesome costume chest! I don't know about next year, but it is definitely fun to dress up.

Your mom goes to college!

That's right. And your mom has learned three things so far:

1. Don't compare yourself to other people.

I showed up for class one day to find we were having a quiz. I quickly wrote down the answers (because I'd studied), and took my paper up to the front of the class. As I did so, I checked out what other people were writing. Every other person had totally different answers from me, and all their answers were the same. I panicked. Freaked. Out. And then today the papers came back. Everyone else failed, except for me and one other guy.

2. We took these little assessments for my Ed. Psych. class. Turns out my strongest intelligence (by far) is musical. After I freaked out prior to a couple of quizzes because I couldn't remember the stuff, I decided to start using my strongest intelligence by putting facts to tunes. It was like a miracle! I could remember everything, in about 1/3 the time. I highly recommend taking the test and doing everything according to your strength. Now, if I could get the teachers to let me sing in the testing center . . .

3. Two words: amphetamine salts. My brain has been feeling like it has a blanket around it, which is nice and cozy and all, but not so conducive to learning new stuff. Even with the mnemonic singing, I still have to remember other things that can't be put to music--concepts are harder to sing about. So as the weeks go by and I feel more and more in a fog, I decided that desperate times call for desperate measures. And these particular desperate times call for a trial of Adderall.

Um.

Someone turned the lights on in here!!!

I told daltonboy I felt like I could major in chemistry and get straight As. He suspects someone slipped me some cocaine. Come to think of it, I also feel sexy and invincible. Interesting.

Anyway. I may never be without my new friend Adderall again. I didn't need it so much when I was homemaking and occasionally doing a little volunteering, but now I think the times they are a-changin'. Reports that I am acting slightly hyper are exaggerated, but I will say that I came home from school today and made dinner. Normally on Tuesday nights I just fall on the couch and tell someone to microwave a couple plates of nachos. Oh, and after dinner, I cleaned up. So make what you will of that.