Lost in Grades

As my students finished their midterm assessments today, they were very nervous about their grades.  The assessments measure standards, there is no studying involved, just daily work towards mastery of standards and application on the assessment.

The stress levels of my students were through the roof.  As these are midterm assessments, they do not count much as a grade, but my students were stressed non-the-less.  In fact, I am most concerned with growth since the pre-assessment.  The growth was through the roof.

But....


That is not what my students were looking for.  That is not what their parents are looking for.  We are so married to the idea of grades that we miss the bigger picture...growth.

I have to admit, this is a newer idea for me and I have had much more time than my students and their parents to digest these changes of mindset and focus.  I want my students to understand but their preconceived notion of the value of grades being the end all, be all...is literally making my students sick.

I have a new mission.  I need to create something that conveys the real meaning, new meaning of grades to my students and their parents.  I need them all the see the value of growth and how we all begin in a place, then we grow towards mastery, then we meet a set point to decide if we are proficient.

If this was a student learning to play a musical instrument and at 9-weeks, my students were to be given a grade based on how they are playing and their mastery...would they expect an A?  They are at a beginning stage and working towards mastery.  By the end of the year, they should be at a place where one year of work should be considered as proficient.  At that point, the grade makes sense based on the mastery to this point.

This shift is rough.  I want to help my students to see that...They are on their way...not arriving each time that we take an assessment.

I need to be intentional and most of all, patient.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites