Who is packing your parachute?
This question is an analogy for how well do students need to know, understand, and do.
At the time of drafting this page, I am nearly 52. I was formally educated from 1973-1993. I was not an outstanding student, did my fair share of struggling, but emerged with a BA in Education, followed by a Master's in Elementary Ed. and later an endorsement in School Administration. Over the years, the goal of education has not changed. A community committed to providing the best possible education to prepare the largest number possible for the most possible roles and responsibilities. As a community, society, and world, we commit our children to the care of those who have answered this grand call. In some societies, educators are highly esteemed while in others they are highly under valued. Yet, we press on. As educators in general and society as a whole, we strive to hold on to what has worked in the past yet continually seeking better ways to reach an ever changing demographic. I remember the day of wiping chalk dust on the seat of my pants, then day our superintendent turned a rock into laptop, and just recently recently if textbooks are now obsolete. The methods, the engagement strategies, tools, etc. all ebb and flow, but our purpose doesn't change. How do we best prepare children for a world that does not yet exist?
I will also be the first to admit that as an educator, I passed students along that I should have been able to help. But I couldn't and I didn't. Instead, I made excuses to make myself feel better. Things like, "Oh, their dad wasn't a good math student either..." or "You know, she is part of that family..." or "Well, if they would just try harder then..." or "If that teacher would have done a better job at...." The list is extensive, nearly endless. But that is what they are, excuses. I must offer apologies for doing my best even when my best wasn't good enough. I couldn't do better until I knew better. Now, I don't even pretend to have all the answers, but what I do commit to is doing better than I did before. Not better because I am working harder, no. Better because I am more committed, no. Better because I commit to learning, their learning, rather than teaching. In the past, it was my job to teach and their job to learn. Agree, that hasn't changed, but it is also my job to ensure they are learning and not simply attending class where I am talking.
So, that brings us back to the question,
"Who is packing your parachute?"
The kid I made excuses for and passed along or the kid that I didn't let go of until they knew how to do it without me?
That is the seismic shift between traditional grading and Standards Based Grading
"Who is packing your parachute?"
The kid I made excuses for and passed along or the kid that I didn't let go of until they knew how to do it without me?
That is the seismic shift between traditional grading and Standards Based Grading
Standards-Based Education Modules
Changing grading practices are just one aspect of a standards-based education. In the three modules of Standards-Based Education, educators can learn from national resources, other states, and Iowa educators who have undertaken this approach and how many aspects of their systems need to be considered in making this significant change.
Module 1: Standards-Based 101: An Introduction to a Standards-Based Approach to Learning - Uses a standards-based education self-assessment rubric to help educators explore their school’s or district’s readiness for the move to standards-based education. By considering this rubric, educators can identify areas that are close to the standards-based ideal, in transition, or not at all standards-based.
Module 2: Standards-Based Classrooms - Uses scenarios and actual standards-based classroom artifacts to explore two essential questions:
Module 3: Standards-Based Systems - Identifies the key conditions for a standards-based system, offers advice from practicing Iowa administrators about what they’ve learned as their system moved to standards-based, and helps participants create a vision and identify next steps in transitioning to a standards-based system.
Changing grading practices are just one aspect of a standards-based education. In the three modules of Standards-Based Education, educators can learn from national resources, other states, and Iowa educators who have undertaken this approach and how many aspects of their systems need to be considered in making this significant change.
Module 1: Standards-Based 101: An Introduction to a Standards-Based Approach to Learning - Uses a standards-based education self-assessment rubric to help educators explore their school’s or district’s readiness for the move to standards-based education. By considering this rubric, educators can identify areas that are close to the standards-based ideal, in transition, or not at all standards-based.
Module 2: Standards-Based Classrooms - Uses scenarios and actual standards-based classroom artifacts to explore two essential questions:
- What does it mean to be a standards-based classroom?
- What are the critical components needed for a standards-based classroom?
Module 3: Standards-Based Systems - Identifies the key conditions for a standards-based system, offers advice from practicing Iowa administrators about what they’ve learned as their system moved to standards-based, and helps participants create a vision and identify next steps in transitioning to a standards-based system.
Where to begin...
What do we want students to know and be able to do?
What is it that every child must be able to know, do and understand
before leaving your class for the day, week, unit, semester, or year?
before leaving your class for the day, week, unit, semester, or year?
The Core Standards
How do we, as an individual, grade level, community, or nation decide?
Should it matter that in Teacher A's class you learn all your letter sounds but in Teacher B's class you learn some and in Teacher C's class you only learned the names of the letters. What are the implications not only for 1st grade, but the foundational skills necessary for you learning to read?
Should it matter that in Teacher A's class you learn all your letter sounds but in Teacher B's class you learn some and in Teacher C's class you only learned the names of the letters. What are the implications not only for 1st grade, but the foundational skills necessary for you learning to read?
Here at Hawthorne, each grade level has determined their Essential Standards for all Core subjects. Each teacher within that grade level knows what those essential standards are, have built common assessments around them and will provide direct instruction to ALL students. This is NOT the ONLY instruction that will be provided, but this is the learning each child will leave the classroom with.
Teach to Learn
Here is where that old saying, "My job is to teach, it is their job to learn," comes into play. I fully agree with this statement, but it is not complete. It is also my job (our job) to ensure they learn, not just taught.
Teaching is an art, but there are also guiding principals to enhance its effectiveness
Learning Targets
I must admit that I have never packed a parachute, don't plan on packing one and have even less desire to ever use one. But, if I did, while the over all Standard would be for me to successfully, efficiently and independently pack a chute each and every time, what are the smaller learning targets or steps that go into this? I certainly don't want them to hand me a chute and say, "Here ya go, good luck, we will test it when you jump out."
I need to know and master, step by step. If I can't demonstrate this step, you know to stop and help me. If I can't quite do this step, I can let you know where I am having trouble. As the targets are mastered, one by one, they lead me to reaching the Standard rather than waiting for that one big, final test--where pass or fail has life altering consequences!
Learning targets serve two main purposes.
1. So the teacher knows what the students need to be able to know, do and understand.
2. And equally important, so that the children know what they need to be able to know, do and understand.
Now, with that...at the younger grades, this is often with prompting and support. Because of this there is likely to be fewer targets and more assessing their accuracy and consistency in meeting the Standard, such as identifying letter sounds or rote counting. The Standard does not change, but with less and less prompts and supports, the child should be more and more successful. A few target areas may be counting accurately to a lower number, mastering transition numbers, understanding that 51 is 5 groups of 10 and 1 more and that 15 is 1 group of 10 and 5 more.
As the Standards become more and more complex, they may need to be pulled apart into smaller chunks or targets. If I need to add, subtract, multiply and divide within 1,000, then far more skills and understanding must be mastered to successfully and consistently do this independently. Learning targets may need to be generalized for the classroom, but then broken down even further for students who have skill gaps or need to review material more often.
For learning targets to be most effective, tell the students up front and throughout the lesson what it is they are suppose to be able to do by the end of the lesson. Is it simply knowledge--name 3 states, is it do--identify 3 states on a map, or is it understand--how historically these 3 states are related. Then, throughout the lesson, assess where they are at in relationship to the expected outcome. Assess by asking questions, allowing them to talk, asking for direct feedback in relationship to their understanding, watch their body language and facial expressions. There are many, many ways to informally assess, but the most important things is to know what is you are assessing, assess, then make the necessary adjustments.
I need to know and master, step by step. If I can't demonstrate this step, you know to stop and help me. If I can't quite do this step, I can let you know where I am having trouble. As the targets are mastered, one by one, they lead me to reaching the Standard rather than waiting for that one big, final test--where pass or fail has life altering consequences!
Learning targets serve two main purposes.
1. So the teacher knows what the students need to be able to know, do and understand.
2. And equally important, so that the children know what they need to be able to know, do and understand.
Now, with that...at the younger grades, this is often with prompting and support. Because of this there is likely to be fewer targets and more assessing their accuracy and consistency in meeting the Standard, such as identifying letter sounds or rote counting. The Standard does not change, but with less and less prompts and supports, the child should be more and more successful. A few target areas may be counting accurately to a lower number, mastering transition numbers, understanding that 51 is 5 groups of 10 and 1 more and that 15 is 1 group of 10 and 5 more.
As the Standards become more and more complex, they may need to be pulled apart into smaller chunks or targets. If I need to add, subtract, multiply and divide within 1,000, then far more skills and understanding must be mastered to successfully and consistently do this independently. Learning targets may need to be generalized for the classroom, but then broken down even further for students who have skill gaps or need to review material more often.
For learning targets to be most effective, tell the students up front and throughout the lesson what it is they are suppose to be able to do by the end of the lesson. Is it simply knowledge--name 3 states, is it do--identify 3 states on a map, or is it understand--how historically these 3 states are related. Then, throughout the lesson, assess where they are at in relationship to the expected outcome. Assess by asking questions, allowing them to talk, asking for direct feedback in relationship to their understanding, watch their body language and facial expressions. There are many, many ways to informally assess, but the most important things is to know what is you are assessing, assess, then make the necessary adjustments.
Examples of practical learning targets from a quick Google search
How do we know when they have learned it?
Continuing with the parachute example, what is the final outcome we want them to produce?
Correctly packing a parachute...every time!
So how do we go about making this happen?
We break it down, step by step, making sure they master each level before adding to the next.
Do they know the proper device names, do they know why this rope goes here and what it does, etc.?
How are you going to know they KNOW it, not just think they know it because they have a great personality, brought in extra credit, copied from a friend, or just got lucky that one time?
How will you KNOW?
Correctly packing a parachute...every time!
So how do we go about making this happen?
We break it down, step by step, making sure they master each level before adding to the next.
Do they know the proper device names, do they know why this rope goes here and what it does, etc.?
How are you going to know they KNOW it, not just think they know it because they have a great personality, brought in extra credit, copied from a friend, or just got lucky that one time?
How will you KNOW?
Examples of Formative Assessments
Proficiency Scale
Examples to provide clarification only
Proficiency Scales vs. Rubrics
Performance Tasks Samples
Assessing Student Work
What do we do when students aren't learning or mastering the targets?
Once again returning to our parachute analogy, if a student was having difficulty with a certain step, fold, alignment, cord, etc. would we just pass over it and say, "it will be fine, they will get it the next time," and then let them jump? Of course not! We would reteach, back up, re-explain, re-demonstrate, guide their hands, help them notice the small details they were missing. We would give them direct and specific feedback and help them until they got it correct, by themselves. It is a matter of life and death!
So how do we intervene when they are not getting it?
It depends...
It depends...
If they are missing essential skills from prior expected learning...
*They may need more intensive support from an educational specialist, such as a Reading, Math, or Special Education teacher
*They may need more intensive support from an educational specialist, such as a Reading, Math, or Special Education teacher
If they are missing on grade or near grade level skills necessary to meet the Standard...
*They may need more small group or one on one within the classroom to relearn or catch up
*They may need more small group or one on one within the classroom to relearn or catch up
If they are missing or having trouble grasping the skills within the current learning to meet the Standard...
*Is it only a few students who need some small group support or is it that the skill, lesson, or activity needs to be retaught to the entire group.
*Is it only a few students who need some small group support or is it that the skill, lesson, or activity needs to be retaught to the entire group.
But I am not sure exactly where the problem is...so what do doctors do? They screen and test...so do we.
Reading
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Quick Phonics Screener
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Math
