A "no zeroes" policy makes perfect sense. A zero will skew your gradebook significantly. Zeroes are punishment of behavior, not assessment of learning. Grades are not intended to be the motivator, again they are to describe learning. So I will not make a case of why to do a no zeroes policy. Instead, how do we implement a policy like this in the real world.
Practical matter of no zeroes
1. Think of homework as practice. Our goal is learning, not completion for the sake of completion. Assessments should be given regularly, be meaningful, be connected to homework, and should give feedback to students. Practice should not be graded. Homework is not the assessment.
2. Put programs in place for those students who need extra help.
Changing Homeworks Purpose
Change the way you think about grading, homework, practice, motivation, etc. and everything changes. Yes, this can be scary. You may have to look at what classroom activities are really just time fillers and get rid of those activities and practices.
No zeroes policies-common and practical questions:
1. Why will students do the homework if I'm not grading it? (motivation)
2. All students have to do homework. How could I manage a class if some students did homework and others didn't do the homework? (management)
When homework is used as practice, it helps students learn concepts already taught in class. Keep the answer book open in the back of the room. The practice isn't graded anyways. This sends a message that the homework is for learning, not grading. Then you can have conversations with students and give better, more natural feedback to students. Have them turn in work and comment on it. Walk around the room as they are working on it. Answer questions, interact with students, check for understanding, and get a feel for who needs to do the homework
But why would a student do the work if it isn't graded? Because your homework is directly aligned to what will be on your assessments. You can have many small assessments, authentic assessments, quizzes, and tests in class. You will be grading that student's work. You will know that the work was not done by sitting in the hallway looking off the smart kids homework. When homework is a grading game, count on the fact that many students (even your best) are cheating to get the work done. This isn't a negative view of "these darn kids today," it's just reality. If they see the homework as checking something off of a list, then that is the quality of work you will get.
What if one of my students gets it, but the rest of the students needs practice? If the student completely "gets it" before others do the practice, will doing the same level problem that they already understand over and over going to help that student? No, but it will kill their motivation to learn. If you differentiate and give them problems that challenge them, then fine but differentiation is a whole topic on it's own so no point in going there in this post. So yes, all students have to practice and prepare, but that may not look exactly the same for each kid.
Programs
We went to a no zeroes policy at the Middle School 6 years ago. At the Middle School, we created the Eagle Success Program known as ESP. The basics of ESP: if students don't complete homework, they are assigned an ESP. At the high school level, we use the Grade Recovery Intervention Program. We do not have a no zeroes policy in the high school but have put GRIP into place so that if teachers have a no zero policy, they have support from the school and school administration. Students are required to stay after school to complete homework. GRIP lasts from 3:35-4:15 and take priority over after school sports. We use common sense and we do not make unreasonable punishments for students. Our goal with both programs is to get completed work, not punish kids. For instance, if a kid has a meeting with their TeamMates (School based mentoring program) mentor, they will meet with their mentor and get the homework done later. We want to be flexible enough that the purpose is clear, turning in essential homework (homework that for this student must be done so they will be prepared for the assessment) is required. We have found that time is a bigger motivator than grades could ever be for many students. By the way, the students that are actually motivated by grades are not the students we are talking about with these homework programs anyways.
Results
High School-One student failed one class in the first semester and two students failed three classes in the second semester.
Middle School-One student failed one class in the first semester and no students failed any class in the second semester.
Our failing rates went down by 90% or more. Of course it is possible that because we are focusing on failing grades, our teachers may feel pressure to pass kids. However, our 8th grade students scored highest of all our conference schools on our state's writing assessment. We also scored very high (well above the state average) on all of our state testing. It appears that the programs we have put into place do in fact support learning and do not lower our high standards.
Showing posts with label Eagle Success Program. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eagle Success Program. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Valuing the Middle Level Student
The first characteristic of a successful school for young adolescents as described by "This We Believe" is: Educators value young adolescents and are prepared to teach them. The Association of Middle Level Educators places this in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment part of the characteristics of successful schools.
What can be done to create a school where educators value young adolescents? How can we know that teachers are prepared to teach young adolescents?
1. School Culture-Create a school culture in which talking about students is done in a positive way. This starts at the top but doesn't end there. Every person in the school should be an advocate for students. When a teacher makes a joke about a kid-do you laugh? If negative people don't have an audience, it becomes very uncomfortable for the comedian/teacher. Take a stand for what you believe and when you do you will realize that most of the people who got into education got into it because they love kids. You will find yourself in the majority once you take the stand that negativity about young adolescents has no place in a school. Come with a solution to help a student, not a one liner to demean the student.
2. Have fun with students. Create times in the week to do something just to show that you value students. We have an activity day during homeroom on Friday. It probably doesn't have much academic value, but it can have a great deal of value of showing kids that you like them and want to be around them. Last Friday our middle school completed a rock, paper, scissors contest. I am pretty sure that this rock, paper, scissors knowledge they gained will not be on the Nebraska State Accountability tests. However, I am also sure that the 15-20 minutes spent laughing and cheering with their classmates and teachers was not wasted time.
3. Practices and Programs-Create programs and practices that show you appreciate students' effort. Every student gets recognized at some point during the year with a "Soaring Eagle." A Soaring Eagle is a note written by the principal to a student that shows appreciation for their attitude, behavior, and/or character. The teacher submits a student's name and accomplishment using a google doc form. The principal then gets this submission in a google spreadsheet and writes the letter to the student. At lunch time, the student is given the Soaring Eagle along with a sucker. Teachers also have postcards that they send home when students do something above and beyond in their classroom.
In addition to recognition, your student discipline system should show value in the individual student. We created our own system called "Living Above the Line" that values students rather that creating a one size fits all discipline system. Rather than having a discipline system that is punitive, natural consequences (and logical consequences when natural consequences aren't possible) should shape student behavior.
4. Hire Teachers with passion for the middle level-Teaching candidates with a 4-9 grade endorsement should be given some priority. The reason I say some priority rather than "only hire teachers with MS endorsements" is that I don't want to lose great teachers because they have a 7-12 endorsement or a K-6 endorsement (or any other type of endorsement). What is great about a 4-9 endorsement is that it shows the passion for education is with middle level students. Passion is the key, not endorsement area.
5. Teacher Training-If a teacher comes with little practical knowledge of what it is to teach at this level, then it is crucial to get that teacher the training necessary to work with middle level students. Encourage teachers to join the state association for middle level educators. Encourage teacher to participate in professional development focusing on young adolescents.
Those are my 5 ideas, what else should be added to create a school that values middle level students?
What can be done to create a school where educators value young adolescents? How can we know that teachers are prepared to teach young adolescents?
1. School Culture-Create a school culture in which talking about students is done in a positive way. This starts at the top but doesn't end there. Every person in the school should be an advocate for students. When a teacher makes a joke about a kid-do you laugh? If negative people don't have an audience, it becomes very uncomfortable for the comedian/teacher. Take a stand for what you believe and when you do you will realize that most of the people who got into education got into it because they love kids. You will find yourself in the majority once you take the stand that negativity about young adolescents has no place in a school. Come with a solution to help a student, not a one liner to demean the student.
 |
| Rock, Paper, Scissors Contest |
3. Practices and Programs-Create programs and practices that show you appreciate students' effort. Every student gets recognized at some point during the year with a "Soaring Eagle." A Soaring Eagle is a note written by the principal to a student that shows appreciation for their attitude, behavior, and/or character. The teacher submits a student's name and accomplishment using a google doc form. The principal then gets this submission in a google spreadsheet and writes the letter to the student. At lunch time, the student is given the Soaring Eagle along with a sucker. Teachers also have postcards that they send home when students do something above and beyond in their classroom.
In addition to recognition, your student discipline system should show value in the individual student. We created our own system called "Living Above the Line" that values students rather that creating a one size fits all discipline system. Rather than having a discipline system that is punitive, natural consequences (and logical consequences when natural consequences aren't possible) should shape student behavior.
4. Hire Teachers with passion for the middle level-Teaching candidates with a 4-9 grade endorsement should be given some priority. The reason I say some priority rather than "only hire teachers with MS endorsements" is that I don't want to lose great teachers because they have a 7-12 endorsement or a K-6 endorsement (or any other type of endorsement). What is great about a 4-9 endorsement is that it shows the passion for education is with middle level students. Passion is the key, not endorsement area.
5. Teacher Training-If a teacher comes with little practical knowledge of what it is to teach at this level, then it is crucial to get that teacher the training necessary to work with middle level students. Encourage teachers to join the state association for middle level educators. Encourage teacher to participate in professional development focusing on young adolescents.
Those are my 5 ideas, what else should be added to create a school that values middle level students?
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Time of Change: Transition to a Middle School
Two years ago, Arlington Jr/Sr High School embraced the "middle school" philosophy. We are still a 7-12 building but grades 7-8 are treated in what we feel is a more developmentally responsive way. We wanted to makes some changes that would benefit our students. We have now completed 3 semesters in this new system. During this time, we have only had one student fail one course. Prior to this system, we would regularly have students fail courses. The data is beginning to prove that this system has increased academic achievement.
Challenges of a small 7-12 school
1. Shared staff-We share music, art, PE, K-12. Of all of the teachers who teach 7th and 8th grade, one teaches only Middle School. The rest teach at least one high school section.
2. Scheduling-Our staff was completely shared prior to the change to a middle school. Many classes are offered only once. This makes a schedule difficult to create. All of the juniors and seniors that want to take sociology, as an example, have to take it 5th period during the first semester. This really limits what classes can be taken and offered for all students in grades 7-12. As we changed to a middle school, our concern was that by blocking off the morning for middle school core classes, this might negatively impact our high school students abilities to get into their chosen classes.
3. Difference in needs of 7th graders and 12th graders-12 year olds are nervous about using lockers for the first time. The 18 year olds are worried about their cars, varsity sports, and graduation.
4. High School mentality-We hired most of our teachers to teach "high school." The administration were also called High School Principal and High School Assistant Principal. The focus can easily be on the upper grades. Sometimes teachers can get "stuck" teaching middle schoolers and once they get seniority in their department they move "up" to teach high school classes. For us, the problem was more structural than attitude. In our structure,we had few opportunities to discuss 7th and 8th grade student needs.
Changes
1. Creation of an Interdisciplinary Team-Our Middle School team meets every day. Our Middle School core teachers teach both 7th and 8th grade. We only have 40 students per grade. Team allows teachers to discuss middle school specific issues. Here is our schedule of topics: M-Lesson Plans-find out what days others are giving tests/quizzes homework, T-Student issues, W-Interdisciplinary Unit discussion, Th-Professional Development, F-Homeroom Activities and Misc.
2. Creation of the Eagle Success Program-Whenever I present at a conference, this is what always gets the most interest. I will do a separate blog about this on a different day. ESP is a system that doesn't allow student to not do their homework.
3. Creation of Academic Labs-Students either go to a guided study hall, Math Lab, or English Lab for 30 minutes. This is based on academic need assigned by the teachers. However, we have several students who go to labs on their own.
4. Flexible Scheduling-we block out periods 2-6 for core academic time. If we need to make a change an have a long period for science to meet, we can simply shorten other classes. Math-Science meet at the same time and Eng-Soc St meet at the same time so we can make simple changes. We also can drop homeroom or lab. We can lengthen either homeroom for a day.
5. Interdisciplinary Units-We have amazing, creative teachers who have done some really neat things. They create an interest in school by having fun with these units. We begin these units with videos that the teachers make. I will write an entire blog on these at a later date.
6. No Zero Policy-zeroes kill a students grade. The hardest part for some teachers was how will we motivate students to complete work? After doing this now for 5 years, I can tell you we have less missing work now than before. Students who struggle in school are not motivated by zeroes. They tend to be more motivated by social time. Therefore we created the Eagle Success Program to help students complete their homework.
7. Structure of Administration/Focus on Middle School students-We created a Middle School Coordinator that acts as the administrator in charge of the Middle School.
8. Middle School Lunch-Grades K-4 eat first, then 9-12, then 5-8. In the old system, we simply had Lower Elementary Lunch and then 2 high school lunches. We would have 5th graders and Seniors in the same lunch and this was less than ideal.
9. Development of Living Above the Line-this is our discipline system designed for middle school students.
These are some of the changes we have made that have shifted focus to the 7th and 8th graders. The structure of the buildings don't matter. With some creativity, positive changes can be made and a middle school philosophy can be implemented anywhere that you have students grades 4-9.
Challenges of a small 7-12 school
1. Shared staff-We share music, art, PE, K-12. Of all of the teachers who teach 7th and 8th grade, one teaches only Middle School. The rest teach at least one high school section.
2. Scheduling-Our staff was completely shared prior to the change to a middle school. Many classes are offered only once. This makes a schedule difficult to create. All of the juniors and seniors that want to take sociology, as an example, have to take it 5th period during the first semester. This really limits what classes can be taken and offered for all students in grades 7-12. As we changed to a middle school, our concern was that by blocking off the morning for middle school core classes, this might negatively impact our high school students abilities to get into their chosen classes.
3. Difference in needs of 7th graders and 12th graders-12 year olds are nervous about using lockers for the first time. The 18 year olds are worried about their cars, varsity sports, and graduation.
4. High School mentality-We hired most of our teachers to teach "high school." The administration were also called High School Principal and High School Assistant Principal. The focus can easily be on the upper grades. Sometimes teachers can get "stuck" teaching middle schoolers and once they get seniority in their department they move "up" to teach high school classes. For us, the problem was more structural than attitude. In our structure,we had few opportunities to discuss 7th and 8th grade student needs.
Changes
1. Creation of an Interdisciplinary Team-Our Middle School team meets every day. Our Middle School core teachers teach both 7th and 8th grade. We only have 40 students per grade. Team allows teachers to discuss middle school specific issues. Here is our schedule of topics: M-Lesson Plans-find out what days others are giving tests/quizzes homework, T-Student issues, W-Interdisciplinary Unit discussion, Th-Professional Development, F-Homeroom Activities and Misc.
2. Creation of the Eagle Success Program-Whenever I present at a conference, this is what always gets the most interest. I will do a separate blog about this on a different day. ESP is a system that doesn't allow student to not do their homework.
3. Creation of Academic Labs-Students either go to a guided study hall, Math Lab, or English Lab for 30 minutes. This is based on academic need assigned by the teachers. However, we have several students who go to labs on their own.
4. Flexible Scheduling-we block out periods 2-6 for core academic time. If we need to make a change an have a long period for science to meet, we can simply shorten other classes. Math-Science meet at the same time and Eng-Soc St meet at the same time so we can make simple changes. We also can drop homeroom or lab. We can lengthen either homeroom for a day.
5. Interdisciplinary Units-We have amazing, creative teachers who have done some really neat things. They create an interest in school by having fun with these units. We begin these units with videos that the teachers make. I will write an entire blog on these at a later date.
6. No Zero Policy-zeroes kill a students grade. The hardest part for some teachers was how will we motivate students to complete work? After doing this now for 5 years, I can tell you we have less missing work now than before. Students who struggle in school are not motivated by zeroes. They tend to be more motivated by social time. Therefore we created the Eagle Success Program to help students complete their homework.
7. Structure of Administration/Focus on Middle School students-We created a Middle School Coordinator that acts as the administrator in charge of the Middle School.
8. Middle School Lunch-Grades K-4 eat first, then 9-12, then 5-8. In the old system, we simply had Lower Elementary Lunch and then 2 high school lunches. We would have 5th graders and Seniors in the same lunch and this was less than ideal.
9. Development of Living Above the Line-this is our discipline system designed for middle school students.
These are some of the changes we have made that have shifted focus to the 7th and 8th graders. The structure of the buildings don't matter. With some creativity, positive changes can be made and a middle school philosophy can be implemented anywhere that you have students grades 4-9.
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