This blog is on the move

Although there is still plenty of excellent content here, all new posts on education and a variety of other topics are now hosted at Brilliant or Insane.

Please be sure to visit Brilliant or Insane today and everyday for inspiring content 365 days a year.

What are you waiting for? Hurry over to www.brilliant-insane.com now. You'll love what you read.

Don't miss ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com and Mark's new book, The 5-Minute Teacher: How do I maximize time for learning in my classroom

Are you a Freedom Writer?

For some reason, I was in need of inspiration today. Even though I'd seen it before, I watched the movie Freedom Writers.

I taught for 20 years, and I like to believe that along the way I made a difference in many kids' lives. Erin Gruwell, though, makes me wonder just how true this is.

As a young, new teacher, Gruwell chose to go where no one wanted to be -- a tough inner-city school, newly integrated, where she was given classes full of the most troubled students. Constantly told she should lie low, that she couldn't help them, Gruwell did everything humanly possible to make her students feel valued.

I found myself wondering how often I was like her, in two decades in the classroom.

If you haven't seen the movie, watch it. Then, ask yourself if you are a Freedom Writer.

Don't miss ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com and Mark's new book, The 5-Minute Teacher: How do I maximize time for learning in my classroom

Answering questions about the ROLE

In a detailed, thoughtful reaction to Role Reversal, my Twitter friend, Aviva Dunsiger, wonders about a few important concepts in results-only learning. Rather than leave a lengthy comment on her blog, I decided to respond in a post of my own. I've taken some of Aviva's questions and paraphrased them below with my answer. I hope this helps.

How is a student with autism successful in a ROLE?

I taught a few students with Asperger syndrome; they didn't struggle with the noise and disruption as much as others might. What made the ROLE successful for these students is the freedom. For example, when we were completing research, one student wanted to do a PowerPoint project, rather than a formal paper. In the past, I would have never allowed this departure from tradition. As a ROLE teacher, I said, "Why not?" He did a fantastic project, complete with proper citations and a Works Cited section.

Is there a way to give students autonomy while also communicating student performance regularly to parents? 

The best way to communicate is with your online grading program, using the comment feature, or on your classroom website, complete with student blogs and private web pages. Parents were always in the loop, because I put everything on our classroom website.

Why would teachers want to eliminate guided reading?

Aviva suggests some small-group "guided reading" strategies, but I think we differ on the meaning of the phrase. My top 5 reasons for eliminating guided reading are here.

What about the one student who is insistent on getting a report card grade of A, when she deserved a C?

In this section of her blog, Aviva says:

"Grades may not be as important as feedback, but they do give parents an impression of student achievement and next year’s teacher an impression of student achievement too."

I will respectfully disagree with her here. As I contend in Role Reversal, grades say absolutely nothing about performance. They are misleading and unfair. When my children come home with report cards filled with A's, I don't say, "Good job!" I ask them what they learned over the course of two months. "Are you satisfied with your accomplishments? Of what are you most proud? Where did you fail?" No letter can answer these questions. So, to answer the larger question, if a student insists on an A, I'll give it to her. It's never happened more than a few times.

What about homework?

I have written widely on homework and have a new HW post coming in the near future. Meanwhile, here is my most-viewed post on the subject.

Thanks again to Aviva for her passionate critique of Role Reversal. Feel free to add to her work.

Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com

Let's have a Twitter chat about results-only learning

I have spent most of the previous month talking about my new ASCD Arias book, The 5-Minute Teacher: How do I maximize time for learning in my classroom.

In spite of the excitement swirling around the new book I am still inundated with correspondence from readers of my first book, Role Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom.

Although I attempt to respond to all readers, I decided it's time to have an open chat about results-only learning, and what better way to do it than on Twitter, using the #RoleTalk hashtag?

Monday August 12th, 7-8 PM EST

Mark your calendar and add the #RoleTalk stream to your Twitter, HootSuite or TweetDeck feed. We'll discuss the following and more:

• student-centered learning
• yearlong projects
• narrative feedback
• SE2R feedback model
• BONUS: sneak peek at 5-Minute Teacher strategies
• transitioning from traditional to progressive student-centered learning
• digital/mobile learning strategies
• building autonomy into the ROLE
• discarding rules and consequences
• your other favorite ROLE strategies

 

Share with friends and colleagues

This promises to be an amazing chat with hundreds of intelligent teachers sharing their opinions on student-centered digital learning, assessment, feedback, project-based learning and much, much more.

See you on Twitter #RoleTalk at 7 PM EST on Monday, August 12th.


Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, and The 5-Minute Teacher:: How do I maximize time for learning in my classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com

I'm talking student-centered learning on Education Radio

Want to learn more about Role Reversal and student-centered learning? Tune into my online Education Talk Radio interview with Larry Jacobs Thursday, June 20th at 9 AM EST.

Just click here to locate the education radio site, bookmark it, and tune in at 9 AM on Thursday.

We'll discuss results-only learning, narrative feedback and more; plus, I'll preview my newest book, coming in August from ASCD. Be sure to tune in Thursday. Just click this link and listen from anywhere.

Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com

Want to eliminate cheating? It's easy!

Recently, my 8^th grade English language arts students were writing our guiding question at the beginning of class. This is a routine activity that takes about two minutes. Some students write faster than others and finish in as little as 60 seconds.

via: salon.com

As I meandered my way around the tables, looking in and chatting with small groups and individuals, I noticed one student, who had finished the task and was copying a friend’s homework. “I see something important is due in science today,” I said. The two girls looked up sheepishly and nodded. The copier asked if I was going to take the papers. “Why?” I queried. “I’m not hurt by your cheating; you are.” The cheater only shrugged and went back to copying. Her cohort grinned and shrugged, right along.

Are educators responsible for cheating?

Research indicates that cheating is on the rise, especially in high schools and colleges. Donald McCabe, a Rutgers professor, believes rampant cheating is due to the stress of competition that schools present. “I don’t think there’s any question that students have become more competitive, under more pressure, and, as a result, tend to excuse more from themselves and other students, and that’s abetted by the adults around them,” McCabe told The New York Times last year.

McCabe and other luminaries, like Harvard researcher Howard Gardner, believe the Internet may also shoulder some of the blame. Students, they claim, don’t understand honor codes and plagiarism, so they are quick to “borrow” content they find in a simple Google search.

It’s not the Internet, it’s grades!

I would argue that there is a much larger root to this problem. When I asked the girls in my class why they were so willing to copy their science worksheet, they quickly acknowledged that they needed the points to maintain a good grade. “Hmm,” I wondered aloud, “you never cheat in my class. Why is that?” They didn’t contemplate the question for even two seconds. “There are no points or grades on your assignments,” the copier quickly said, “so there’s no reason to cheat.”

A smile quickly brightened my face. “So, what do I value?” I asked, beginning to move away, so I could engage another group of students. “Learning,” the two said, almost in unison.

So, would you like to eliminate cheating in your class? It’s easy! All you have to do is abolish grades. Give your students feedback about their work, and allow them the opportunity to revisit activities and projects and improve them, in order to indicate mastery learning.

Cheating will disappear, and, best of all, your students will become independent learners.


cross posted at ASCDEdge


Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com

Talk feedback with me and Grant Wiggins

I am honored to be part of a webinar with education author and consultant Grant Wiggins Monday, April 29.

Join us at 7 PM Eastern standard time. Get your free ticket at the link below.

http://ubd.ticketleap.com/webinars-with-grant-wiggins---2013-/#/=&view=list

Excerpts from my Kappa Delta Pi Webinar

I recently presented a Webinar to nearly 180 Kappa Delta Pi members. The webinar is based on the concepts in my book, Role Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom (ASCD 2013).

The video below contains a few highlights of the webinar, in which I discussed the value of student-centered learning over a traditional classroom and narrative feedback, and I answer a few audience questions.

If you'd like to view the entire archived webinar, learn how at this KDP.org website.




Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: Achieving Uncommonly Excellent Results in the Student-Centered Classroom, now available in the ASCD store, Barnes & Noble and at Amazon.com

Use the app, Evernote, for formative assessment

The web site and mobile app, Evernote, is a powerful collaboration, content management and formative assessment tool. Check out how one school uses Evernote in a 1:1 computer environment. 

Evernote offers the sort of technology integration that helps create a Results Only Learning Environment. 

You can learn more about Evernote here.

Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: How Results Only Learning Will Change Education as We Know It, due in early 2013 by world education leader, ASCD

Formative assessment in action

While browsing YouTube, I ran across this insightful video on formative assessment. Listen for keywords, like conversation and feedback. This is definitely worth 5 minutes.




Don't miss Mark's book ROLE Reversal: How Results Only Learning Will Change Education as We Know It, due in early 2013 by world education leader, ASCD

Why are reluctant learners better at self-evaluation?

The school year is ending, and we're completing our final self-evaluations for a report card grade. Throughout the marking period, I conference with students about their activities and projects and leave plenty of narrative feedback. There are no number or letter grades. At the end of the grading period, I ask students to complete a self-evaluation, reviewing their work and assigning an appropriate report card grade.

Although most students come remarkably close to the grade I would have provided, some are so conditioned to the value of grades that they overvalue their work and give themselves inaccurate grades.

Surprisingly, my most reluctant learners almost never do this.

They are the most honest, when it comes to self-evaluation, while honors-level students are the ones who may tend to "stretch" the grade. There is something strange about this. Most people who know I allow my students to grad themselves believe that students who have suffered through years  of D's and F's are the first to give themselves A's and B's. This is not the case at all, according to my own experience.

So, why are reluctant learners better at self-evaluation.

Why can't administrators figure out assessment?

Many of my colleagues understand me. They don't agree with all of my methods, but the logic behind results-only learning is clear.

Why, then, can't administrators get it?

I've made it clear in many places, that narrative feedback is far more objective than grades. The SE2R method I use, eliminates the subjectivity that comes with numbers and letter grades. I tell a student what she did, explain how it matches learning outcomes, redirect her to a prior lesson if necessary and request a resubmission of any changed activity. Simple and objective enough, right?

Not to a principal. Today, I was asked to share my "grades" on a particular student with a principal. After one quick glance at the lengthy, detailed narrative feedback left on our online grade book, she said, "So, it's just all of these subjective comments?"

Of course, I quickly explained that my feedback was not subjective at all. In fact, I proclaimed, my feedback is far more objective than any points or percentages would be. The principal persisted.

After reading feedback that ended in 'You have demonstrated mastery learning on this activity,' she looked at me quizzically and wondered aloud what the points on that activity would be. "I  assume it would be 100%," she stated.

When I persisted that there are no points, percentages or grades, she strode off shaking her head.

I started shaking my head, too, wondering when, and if, administrators will ever figure out 21st-century assessment.

The power of daily goals

When students are working in a workshop setting -- both individually and collaboratively, on computers and in books -- there can be many distractions. Although proper coaching from the beginning of the year helps students understand the value of efficient work, it's easy for the chaos to get out of hand, especially when the year is coming to a close.

What I always fall back on that quickly reels my students back into solid engagement is daily goal setting.

Teachers often help students set yearly, perhaps even quarterly, goals. Sometimes the daily goal can be even more powerful.

I don't have students set daily goals all year -- next year when working in longer blocks I intend to do so -- but when I notice less engagement, I know it's time to return to this, as I did today.

The process is simple. We use my classroom message board, but this can easily be done on notebook paper or an index card. I instruct students to tell me what they'll accomplish in a specific amount of time. So, a goal might look like this:

"In 40 minutes, I will read two nonfiction articles, bookmark  them on Diigo and annotate both. I will also post a reflection  letter on the novel, The Hunger Games, on KidBlog."

What makes this truly effective is saving five minutes at the end of class and asking students to complete a self-evaluation, in which they now write down exactly what they accomplished and see if it matches the goal. If not, ask them what they could do differently next time to meet the goal.

What do you think? Can daily goal-setting work for you?

One thing is certain: teachers are passionate people

I have thoroughly enjoyed the debate started by Michael Lopez over at Joanne Jacobs' blog. More to the point, I suppose I started it with a comment I made about grades being punishment for students.

From there, Lopez wrote this blog post, which has sparked over 80 comments -- many of my own responses to teachers who are in an uproar about my declaration that grades are subjective and punitive and should be eliminated.

Take a look at it, and join the conversation, if you like

Are you making the most of Google Docs?

Although there are many ways to provide students with detailed narrative feedback, web-based tools, like Google Docs, are often the most useful for two-way feedback that facilitates 21st-century learning, without the penalty of a number or letter grade.

This brief video demonstrates how Google Docs can be used to provide specific feedback on an ongoing writing activity, including a link to a presentation that immediately reinforces a prior lesson that the student can apply to his writing.



Are you using Google Docs, or other web-based tools, to provide meaningful narrative feedback to your students?

Talking narrative feedback at ASCD Conference

I'm heading to Philadelphia this weekend for the ASCD annual conference.

In my session, I'll be discussing results-only learning and how we can eliminate grades, which only punish students.

If you're attending the conference, I hope to see you at my presentation: Using Narrative Feedback to Replace Grades: One Step in Results Only Learning Environment (ROLE).

The session is Monday, March 26, 10:30-11:30 am Room 112A, Pennsylvania Convention Center, First Level.

How numbers and letters punish students

During our nine-week grading periods, I never put a  number, percentage or letter grade on any activity or project that my students complete. I supply detailed narrative feedback, asking students to return to activities and demonstrate mastery, if necessary.

When our quarters end, my school requires a letter grade for a report card. Instead of arbitrarily supplying a grade, I invite my students to participate in this evaluation process and tell me what their grade should be. Most students are remarkably accurate with this process. Some, however, are so stuck in the world of numbers and letters, that they can't comprehend how to come up with a grade, without the aid of points and percentages.

A powerful lesson
In an attempt to demonstrate the problem with grades, I tried a new approach, and we revisited the the points world at the end of the third marking period. I gave my students a list of all activities and projects and arbitrarily applied a point value (years ago, I never understood how strange this practice is). I then asked my students to put a point value on their production for each activity.

As the process ensued, there were plenty of sighs and groans around the room. Some students looked for ways to circumvent the system, because the math didn't provide any wiggle room. Fifty percent on a major project, crushed their overall grade. It didn't matter that they may have gone above and beyond in other areas. Many hated the process and literally begged to be "let off the hook."

Of course, in the end, seeing how clearly the numbers and letters punish students, we left the points world, returning to the comforts of the Results Only Learning Environment, where punishment is abandoned in favor of real  learning.

Survey your students about their learning

Want to engage your students like never before and get them excited about your class? Try asking for their opinions about how your class is conducted and about how they learn.

The easiest way to get some quick, honest results is with an online survey. Try a tool like SurveyMonkey. With SurveyMonkey, you can have a 10-question survey, with multiple options, set up in 30 minutes or less.

Remember, though, if you are going to ask students what they want and how they want to learn, you have to be ready to make changes. It might be a bit scary, but it should also be exciting.

I'm surveying my students tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes.

Feedback about feedback

As our second grading period draws to a close, I felt it was a prudent idea to remind students how we end the quarter. Even though we discuss reflection, evaluation and feedback often, it's never too much, I think.

A week prior to sitting down for our one-on-one discussions, when we'll reflect on the quarter and decide on a report card grade, I reminded students that they needed to begin the self-evaluation process.

"Remember, the major work we've done for the past nine weeks," I reminded them, heading into a three-day, holiday weekend. Review the feedback you've received and ask yourself how you will answer the question, "What grade should go on the report card?"

This quick reminder of how we do things in a results-only classroom will, I believe, go a long way toward making the evaluation conferences run more smoothly than if I had said nothing at all.

I meet with each student next week. Stay tuned for a report on how it turns out.

ResultsOnly Twitter chat link

In case you missed the first, monthly, scheduled #resultsonly Twitter chat, here is a link to the chat. The first chat was about formative assessment and narrative feedback.

I'd like to offer a special thanks to the people who helped kick off what I'm hoping will one day grow into something as big as other popular education Twitter chats.

Don't miss next month's chat, Wednesday, February 1st at 7 PM EST.