Good Intentions, Best Practices, and Unintended Consequences

Grading. One of the most complex, sometimes hotly contested topics within education. Almost everyone has strong feelings on the matter; each stakeholder group has a different perspective; and there are always new arguments to be made for any side. Over the last twenty-one years during my teaching career there have been plenty of inflection points, leading to a change in practice and/or philosophy. 

As a school, we have worked very hard over the years to refine grading practices so that a student's grade in a course is a true reflection of their mastery of the course content. Eliminating things like 'extra credit for bringing in Kleenex,' or heavy participation points - which can really hinder students who are either shy and/or have difficulty with the language as ML students, have proven to be positive, best-practice changes over the years. Additionally, taking a hard look at the mathematical breakdown of grade distribution and making a slight alteration has helped too...instead of the "F" range being from 59% - 0%, the "F" cut-off is 50%. In other words, if a student has done the work, taken the test, completed the performance, written the essay, etc. they can't score worse than a 50%. This has helped limit the number of times a student's grade completely plummet, thus maintaining a stronger, more positive mindset. 

As a middle school, being the bridge between elementary school (no real grades) and high school (official transcripts, class ranks, college applications, etc.) is an important role to help guide and train kids toward what grades and grading looks and feels like. In many ways, we have made strides with some of these good intentions and best practices. In some other ways, I feel as though we're perhaps setting students up for and even harder time in high school and beyond.

The other day one of my colleagues relayed a very interesting story that has been gnawing at me for the last few days. A couple of her 8th-grade students approached her and let her know that they'd done the math and decided they just weren't going to do their final speech project because, to quote them: "we know the school's rule that you have to give us a 50%." This took me by surprise (it shouldn't have... I mean #teenagers) because:

• it's an end-of-semester final project
• it's directly aligned to specific state standards
• they're approach wasn't "just mail it in, it doesn't matter" ... the approach was a bold proclamation that "we're simply not going to do it."

And this is just another example of how tricky and maddening grading can be in 2022. Not to mention virtual, in-person, hybrid, quarantining, etc. We're in a situation that quite often feels "can't win." Students come from elementary school and many don't have much sense at all how grades work and what they might mean. We all work hard to talk about the importance of the learning process and how our tests, projects, and daily work all align with state standards and learning objectives. But in the end, middle school grades don't really mean anything (or more accurately, they mean whatever the beholder wants them to mean). The trouble is all of this changes DRAMATICALLY once high school begins. Everything counts, grades start to really "matter," and there is not nearly as much opportunity for retakes, trying again, etc. 

We talk a lot about gradual release in the middle school setting...that from entering in 6th grade through exiting in 8th grade, more and more responsibility, ownership, and independence are put at the feet of the students to get them ready for high school. I don't feel as though much of this conversation has been applied to grading yet. I'm not even saying that's the answer. The fact is it's still very much a top-down application of pressure going on --> colleges & universities look at grades, class rank, etc. for acceptance; high schools need to have these systems in place as a result and need to teach/train students around these concepts. Elementary doesn't do grades in a real sense at all (some start to do a little of that in 5th grade to help transition), so middle school ends up being a bit of this wilderness between two worlds. 

If you're reading this you might be an educator, parent, or both. Everyone has thoughts and feelings on this stuff, and I feel like there could be larger conversations with all stakeholders involved!

Coming Back from Breaks

Anytime we return to school after an extended break - winter break, spring break, even the occasional 4-day weekend - it can be tough for students to find their footing, maintain positive momentum from their time away, and create a sense of consistency. 

This is always especially true after winter break, which can sometimes last up to two weeks. With a nice stretch away from the 'grind,' most of us are usually able to unwind, catch up on sleep, relieve a little stress, and find enjoyment in activities outside of school. For many students, there can be much apprehension around returning to the day-to-day business of school, and they can quickly feel overwhelmed like they're back on the hamster wheel.

In my mind, there are a couple of important things students/parents/families can do to help ease these transitions. 

*First, be intentional about how you use your time. One of the most practical pieces of advice I received from experienced Principals, Superintendents, etc. during my Admin program was this: "run your schedule or your schedule will run you." While that made a ton of sense within that context at the time (and still does), I feel it applies to all of us in our everyday lives. It is so vitally important to be "in charge" of your time, as it is one of our most valuable commodities!

• carve out time every day for activities/hobbies/etc. that bring you joy! Maybe this is something you started over a break or it's a lifelong enjoyment...either way, make time for it. Even 30 minutes per day goes a long way.
• write down your commitments --> assignments, practices/games, weekend plans, etc. Seeing everything in front of you can help greatly with managing time.
• ask for help or guidance whenever you're feeling overwhelmed or just need a helpful hand with time management...parents, teachers, coaches can all be great resources. The good news about just any adult you ask is that they've been through it before!

 *Make a point to exercise your mind, spirit and body on a consistent basis.

• read for your own enjoyment 20-30 minutes a day. Not a big reader? Try shorter articles, the sports page, a magazine suiting your interests, etc. Read a wide variety of topics and genres if you can.
• pursue your interests and passions! This goes with the point above, but can even go beyond...look to join a club, do some research, find a cool documentary.
• plan to get yourself outside to play, get exercise, and be active a few times a week! Fresh air, vitamin D, exploring, creating games with friends...all of these have great benefits to our physical and mental health! If you're in middle school or high school and don't have recess anymore and/or only have gym class every other day, this is even more crucial. 
• make and build connections with people...help a parent around the house with some chores and talk while you're doing that. Write a letter to an extended family member who lives in a different state. If you have younger neighbors and you see them outside playing, help them build a snowman!

Bottom line...coming back to the daily grind of school can be tough, especially after a nice, long relaxing break! Be intentional with your time, value your time, and make time for yourself and the things you love to do. Create and maintain a healthy balance in your life and you'll have the outlets needed when things get stressful. 

Establishing New Habits & Building

Coming off the business of the holiday season, winter break, and juggling many activities, I've come to the realization of just how important it is to have highly established habits. Not just for myself, but also - and more importantly from my professional standpoint - for my students. 

Down the road and in tweets I will address some of how that applies with my students. For now, I'm reflecting on how this plays out in and affects my own life. 

Over the last 3-plus months I have been recovering and rehabbing from a ruptured Achilles tendon injury suffered in late September. Following surgery, I have been diligent with my habits...first around recovery - following doctor's orders, doing the right thing, etc., and then with rehab exercises and disciplines. As a result, my surgeon, PT specialists, and I have all been very pleased with how things have progressed. I still have a ways to go, and am now working toward larger goals: one-leg calf raises, holding body weight with one leg, and building toward running and jumping again. 

Throughout this whole ordeal it has become increasingly obvious just how important small, consistent, and disciplined actions - habits - can be in our lives. I've subscribed to James Clear's email newsletter for a while, and have been reading his book Atomic Habits. It truly is amazing to see firsthand just how small habits can create change over time. With an injury recovery it can be so easy to become impatient! But, staying the course and being diligent can lead to sudden improvement. As cliche as it sounds, I have had days where I wake up and seemingly out of nowhere I have crossed some sort of invisible threshold. Walking feels stronger, the stability in the leg seems more sure, flexibility & range of motion have grown. 

For me, the next step is to apply this practice to other parts of my life. Re-establishing those small habits around working out. Carving space out of each day to read for pleasure. Creating purposeful sleep habits. Establishing household routines that lead to less moments of "oh man, we need to clean up the house!" Finally, making time each and every day to do just this...write. It sharpens my mind, helps me reflect on my teaching & coaching craft, and will hopefully help lead to building an audience of students who want to grow, parents who want more resources and ideas for their kids as students, and like-minded professionals who can share ideas and insights. 

So, here's to 1% more & better each day. Here's to small growth compounding over time. Thanks for reading!