1. Is failure a real and regularly option and experience for kids at your school?
I believe that failure is part of life and should be part of every child’s school experience, including my own school. To deny them this experience would mean denying them an important lesson that will help them when they are older. I don’t mean sit back and watch them fail time after time. And, there might be more risk in failing in high school that there is in the primary grades. Failing in the safe environment of the classroom is essential no matter what grade the student is in. Last semester we read A New Culture of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown. The authors tackle the subject of failing and explain how it is part of learning, especially with today’s generation of students and their online and gaming experiences. They go on to say that gamers learn from their mistakes and use this learning in order to adjust their skills and move on to the next level(s).
2. If so, what impact do you believe that is creating? If not, what structures have been put into place to accomplish alternatives?
I believe that it is establishing a stronger student body. One that can fail, learn from their mistakes, and persevere. Our students take risks and are not afraid to try new things.
3. What conditions exist that make it too late to learn and reach competency in your school? Can you give an example?
My school, although we have high standards and a hard working staff, has a lot of situations that interrupt learning and assessment time. There is always something going on at our school that gets in the way of either our teaching time or our assessment time. For example, there are a lot of assemblies during the morning hours when the kids are fresh and ready to learn. Usually they come back very wild and this gets in the way of continuing with a highly productive day. This week, one week before report cards are due it is Read Across America. We could have done something small. But, instead we had dress up day on Monday and pajama day on Friday. This gets in the way of learning and assessing.
4. What would you do, if anything, to introduce/enhance “never too late to learn” structures in your school if you were the school leader?
I would eliminate ALL morning assemblies. ALL assemblies would have to be right before everyone goes home in order to maximize the school day. I would also make a schoolwide Don’t Interrupt My Classroom rule. This rule would make the time from arrival time to lunch time a no interruption time. Any and all interruptions would have to wait until after lunch. I would also make a homework club that would be mandatory for kids who need extra support. This club would be fun homework help and extra computer time for those who do not have computer access at home.
5. What can you do in your present position to create “never too late to learn” structures into your current practice and those of your peers? Are those things in your sphere of influence?
I cannot influence others but what I could do is hold a morning study time/intervention session. Students who are struggling could come to receive tutoring and those who are at grade level could come and have extra computer/Ipad time. This would be a great time to get extra reading in and for completing homework.
6. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school better and increase learning opportunities:
I believe that failure is part of life and should be part of every child’s school experience, including my own school. To deny them this experience would mean denying them an important lesson that will help them when they are older. I don’t mean sit back and watch them fail time after time. And, there might be more risk in failing in high school that there is in the primary grades. Failing in the safe environment of the classroom is essential no matter what grade the student is in. Last semester we read A New Culture of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown. The authors tackle the subject of failing and explain how it is part of learning, especially with today’s generation of students and their online and gaming experiences. They go on to say that gamers learn from their mistakes and use this learning in order to adjust their skills and move on to the next level(s).
2. If so, what impact do you believe that is creating? If not, what structures have been put into place to accomplish alternatives?
I believe that it is establishing a stronger student body. One that can fail, learn from their mistakes, and persevere. Our students take risks and are not afraid to try new things.
3. What conditions exist that make it too late to learn and reach competency in your school? Can you give an example?
My school, although we have high standards and a hard working staff, has a lot of situations that interrupt learning and assessment time. There is always something going on at our school that gets in the way of either our teaching time or our assessment time. For example, there are a lot of assemblies during the morning hours when the kids are fresh and ready to learn. Usually they come back very wild and this gets in the way of continuing with a highly productive day. This week, one week before report cards are due it is Read Across America. We could have done something small. But, instead we had dress up day on Monday and pajama day on Friday. This gets in the way of learning and assessing.
4. What would you do, if anything, to introduce/enhance “never too late to learn” structures in your school if you were the school leader?
I would eliminate ALL morning assemblies. ALL assemblies would have to be right before everyone goes home in order to maximize the school day. I would also make a schoolwide Don’t Interrupt My Classroom rule. This rule would make the time from arrival time to lunch time a no interruption time. Any and all interruptions would have to wait until after lunch. I would also make a homework club that would be mandatory for kids who need extra support. This club would be fun homework help and extra computer time for those who do not have computer access at home.
5. What can you do in your present position to create “never too late to learn” structures into your current practice and those of your peers? Are those things in your sphere of influence?
I cannot influence others but what I could do is hold a morning study time/intervention session. Students who are struggling could come to receive tutoring and those who are at grade level could come and have extra computer/Ipad time. This would be a great time to get extra reading in and for completing homework.
6. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school better and increase learning opportunities:
- I will open my door 15 minutes early 2 days a week in order to give struggling students the opportunity to receive extra support and hopefully increase their success in class.
- My struggling students are also the same students who are not completing their homework. Since I will open my door early my students will have extra time to work on homework.
- I will talk with my principal to see if we can synergize and create a homework club in the computer room so that we can implement the idea that I included above.
- I currently use Schoology for posting online assignments and resources. I will post more things that are geared toward struggling students and more importantly, that I am able to track usage and/or progress for accountability purposes. I will also hold parents accountable for ensuring that their student is using these resources.
- I will mentor and encourage other teachers to do the same thing so that we can create a school-wide culture of online accountability.