July 1, 2011

Share your progressive methods and experiences

As research for my new book, ROLE Reversal, continues, I'm looking for educators who have experiences with the kind of progressive methods that are used in a Results Only Learning Environment.Consider the following questions:

  • Do you teach in a workshop environment? If so, how does it differ from what your colleagues in  traditional classrooms are doing? 
  • Have you eliminated rules and consequences to any degree at all? What is the result?
  • Is your class project-based? What is the impact of this method of teaching on standardized tests? Do your students perform better than their peers in traditional (homework, worksheet, grades) classes?
  • Have you eliminated traditional tools, such as homework, worksheets, bell work, multiple-choice quizzes, etc.? How has this affected your students' attitudes toward learning?
  • Have you eliminated number and letter grades? How do you evaluate learning?
  • Have you eliminated rubrics?
  • Do you use narrative feedback? Do you allow students to make change after your feedback? What is the impact of this on learning?
  • Are your students involved in evaluating themselves for report card grades? Can you explain the procedure and its value?

Please take time to comment, and subscribe to comments, so we can get a lively discussion started on these important topics.

6 comments:

  1. hey Mark. attempting to answer your bullets in the same order below:

    the purple thistle is one prototype of our vision of space: http://cap.vcn.bc.ca/capyimagazine/youth
    a commons for resources, meet ups. immersing in the city as floor plan.

    our rules of sorts: http://screencast.com/t/8rEmRETv
    rules generally negate trust, which is the culture we are trying to build. David Wiley says that we could be teaching the world, but policy gets in the way. we figure we should model what we're after from the ground level.

    in our first pilot year, which was a self-directed math class, we did compare, and we did just fine. started out a little behind, ended up a little ahead. last year, at the end of the year when transcripting, kids work was said to be rich. receiving A's. we feel, however, these comparisons are a huge compromise. perhaps the biggest hold up to the culture we're after. to that end, we are working on a means to eradicate standardized tests and such.

    in the lab - useful - is our gauge. which eliminates a lot of what we normally do. kids appreciate legit. they know busy work. we are mending misconceptions of learning. some are unearthing an insatiable hunger for learning.

    this last year, if they wanted their work on their transcript, at the end of the year they met with teachers of like certification to get that. next year a goal is simpler means to whatever type of credentialing the learner is requesting. simpler for the learner, simpler for admin.

    we are trying to blur the line between life and school. our vision is that people don't ask how the schools in your district are doing, they ask how the people in your community are doing. narratives/expositories are great. we're pushing even beyond that formality. so - as in life, feedback loops and reflection and revision are perpetual, 24/7. again - useful - as a gauge.

    self-evaluation is huge. a key problem arises as kids doubt the legitimacy of their interests. getting them to ship/share brilliant work can be a struggle, when they are so used to rubrics, and being told what is expected in order to be labeled/graded/evaluated.

    hope this helps Mark. love what you're doing. bravo man.

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  2. Monika, I love what you and all of your colleagues are doing. You are a true revolutionary; I'm just trying to take the best of what I find from people like you, Daniel Pink, Alfie Kohn, Joe Bower and other luminaries in progressive education, and make it real in my very traditional world.

    I couldn't agree more with what you say about grades being a compromise. Grades and standardized tests only handcuff the learning process. Hopefully, if more of us can ban together and work make our voices heard, maybe share more examples of the power of learning communities, we can turn this thing around.

    Thanks so much for chiming in on this. I've truly enjoyed the connection.

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  3. I haven't transformed my classroom as much as I would like, but I no longer assign homework, use worksheets, assign bell work, and haven't given my students a multiple choice quiz in years.

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  4. David, you have certainly made a transformation, especially when you consider that most teachers still employ the traditional methods that you have eliminated. I hope you'll consider doing away with grading, in favor of narrative feedback, as part of your continuing effort to change teaching and learning in your classroom.

    Let me know how things go.

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  5. Anastasis Academy will be doing much of the above school wide this year Mark. http://anastasisacademy.com When we open August 22, you are welcome to visit in person or virtually to see how it is going :)

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  6. I've reviewed Anastasis online. It does look a lot like a ROLE. I'd love to visit.

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