Eva Ren, in her TED talk, “What Your Grades Really Mean”, discusses the value of grades and the message they
send.
Quote 3 statements from the video that you agree with. Quote 2 statements from the video that you disagree with. Why do you disagree? Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video.
Quote 3 statements from the video that you agree with. Quote 2 statements from the video that you disagree with. Why do you disagree? Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video.
Three ideas I agree with are:
ReplyDeleteStudents don't take certain classes because they are worried that it could bring down their grades. I have seen this in myself, and my children. When getting into college and getting financial aid depends upon your grades, you make wise decisions about what classes you could take that you know you would do well in.
If something isn't on the test, students don't bother to learn it. This is definitely true. I also believe that we study and memorize information and forget it as soon as the test is over.
The problem with our education system is that it is one size fits all. I have been teaching for 30 years, and this is definitely true. We give them all the same information and expect them all to do well on standardized tests. We don't take into account that students have different strengths and weaknesses.
I disagree that students with lower grades are seen as less intelligent. In my own family, I have two children who got extremely good grades, and two children who got average grades. They are all intelligent and successful adults. Two cared more about their grades and two did not.
I disagree that grades determine future success. Again, in my own family, all my children are successful. They were able to find careers that played to their strengths. Grades in high school are just letters on papers.
An idea I had while listening to this, was how great it would be if we could go away from standardized testing and focus more on project based learning. Two of my sons attended tech schools, and I really think they got a much better education than the ones that went to a four year university. The tech school students don't have to take all the extra classes to make them well rounded. They take the hands on classes they need for their future jobs. University students have to take classes that have nothing to do with their future career. It seems a little like a waste of time and money.
There wasn't really anything I explicitly disagreed with, so I listed 5 comments I do agree with.
ReplyDelete1. "Shouldnt the point of school be about fostering our interest and becoming better at something?"
2. "It seems school's sole preoccupation is to determine who can follow the curriculum the best."
3. "Schools no longer inspires the minds of the next generation."
4. "In our society students with lower grades are considered less intelligent, and this lowers their self esteem but they just learn differently."
5. "If you want to realize the potential for our society, we need to shift the focus away from academic performance alone, instead encouraging the desire to learn."
A major theme of the Ted talk was how students are just chasing grades and marks, not learning. Chasing a result, not the process. This rings so true in education today. There certainly are some students who enjoy learning, but the vast majority see school as boring and pointless, and largely the subjects they are forced to endure have limited impact on their day-to-day life. As a math teacher, I am regularly asked "when will I use this" and the honest response many times is probably never (although the mental skills needed to do the work is useful). I wish our standards could include more life-based coursework, inspiring more curiosity that students could relate to. Unfortunately, I don't see an end to the epidemic of apathy and results-based motivation in students.
Coincidentally enough, I actually showed this video to my juniors and seniors this year. The first quote that resonated with me was when she asks the question: "Shouldn't the point of school be fostering our interests and becoming better at something?" I believe this is what is lacking in my students. The next quote, "You don't need to know that for the test" reminds me of what students often ask--"Is that on the test?" I want them to learn for the sake of learning, but they are so focused on the test, not the learning. The last quote about how "we kill our children's creativity, curiosity, and desire to learn" is EXACTLY how I feel. We have sucked the JOY out of learning. If we don't change our ways, the fate of this nation is at risk. I don't agree that we have a "one-size-fits all kind of deal" as much as in the past. I feel like we offer a more diverse education than ever before for students in high school. The last point she makes that I semi-disagree with is the idea that we can't just abolish the grading system." I think we CAN do what we want. People use colleges as the excuse of why we can't get rid of grades, but I am certain colleges would have to adapt of public education changed their grading practices. My ideas has always been that students should either be ranked as proficient or non-proficient in areas of study. And I think students should have to prove their learning. That's all. It is as simple as that.
ReplyDeleteThings that I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. The reality for many students is that they do not take certain classes for fear that it will bring down their academic average. High schoolers want scholarships, and colleges primarily look at grades for acceptance and academic scholarships. Students do not want to limit their choices by bringing down their GPA. Although I feel like they have been looking at other things like extracurricular involvement and volunteer opportunities, the reality is that if students need to work a part time job, there are only so many hours in the day and I feel it does affect greatly if they want to spend the time on something that will be difficult even though they may love to learn it.
2. An increased number of students merely learn the minimum just to get the desired grade. I hear all the time, "Is this going to be on the test?, When will I ever use this? I will just take the D-." I also hear, "Can I retake this assessment? It brought me from an A+ to an A." I have done both standards-based grading and traditional grading. There are benefits and downfalls to each. With traditional grading, the parents are used to it, and they respond better to it. With standards-based learning, it gives a better picture of what the student can do, but there is no urgency if a student has missing work, and then when they fall behind, it seems to take a lot more to get them caught up to where they need to be. When I put a missing grade in the gradebook with the traditional system, the response is almost immediate to "get their grade up." However, many of them will just do the required work to get the grade, and then quit again, so it does not foster learning for the sake of learning.
3. No two brains are the same. We know that students develop on different timelines, and brain development is affected by so many different factors. Every student has different abilities, strengths, and values.
Things that I disagree with:
1. School no longer inspires the minds of the next generation. I have seen so many students inspired by teachers, coaches, and other staff at the school to try new things, to have a growth mindset, and to look at the whole person and not just academic grades. There are so many extracurricular things to get involved in, and the arts are very strong in the district that I teach in. There are also so many programs at the high school for kids to look at so many different career paths, and go job shadowing or work for part of the day. We also have an alternative school set up for students that whom the traditional school setting does not work. Many students find success in these places, and it is valued.
2. We have one system, and we just expect everybody to follow it. While I believe that this is partly true. I also disagree with this in part. There is so much that teachers try to do to differentiate in their classrooms. We know that students are far more than their academic marks. We also have many programs in place to help students be successful by helping provide where there may be gaps at home or other areas in their lives. We even have therapy appointments throughout the day so that students do not have to leave the school, a food pantry that students can access any time, a place for them to wash their clothes, shower, get basic clothing and basic needs met, and food to go home with them over the weekend if needed.
An idea that came to mind while I was watching this:
I don't know that I had a specific idea come to mind while I was watching this, but maybe just some reinforcement of previously held beliefs. I think it is so important to get to know my students and look at them as a whole instead of just their academics in my own class. I also believe that if we make things relative to their lives, the best we can, and differentiate or give them choices, it will foster both creativity and a growth mindset, where it is ok to not get something the first time, and that they hopefully will enjoy the learning along the way.
Quote 3 statements from the video that you agree with.
ReplyDelete1."Shouldn't school be about fostering our interest and becoming better at something?"
2. "People tell us that marks don't define us and that we are more than just a grade, but it never feels that way."
3. "The problem with our current school system is that we have a one-size-fits all kind of deal, but we know that students have different strengths, needs, passions - no two brains are the same."
Quote 2 statements from the video that you disagree with. Why do you disagree?
1. "Schools sole preoccupation is to determine who can follow the curriculum the best." The reason I disagree with this is because I don't think it is the school's preoccupation, I think it is the government that dictates this causing the teachers and the schools to focus on this. As teachers, we know better to focus on students' growth, it's just unfortunate that that is not what is prioritized by the people in charge.
2. I personally disagree with the idea that teachers view their students as less capable just based on their performance at school or subject area but I have unfortunately witnessed coworkers who do fit this stigma and it is very difficult to help that adult look at that student differently.
Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video.
Not so much an idea but more a personal connection, when she discussed memorizing things for a test and then forgetting it the next week, I definitely did that growing up. Or when a teacher responds to a question and unfortunately has to pass on that question because it is not in the curriculum rather than facilitate a discussion - I struggle with that as a teacher often. I want to fuel my students curiosity but unfortunately also have to turn it off; it'sitsvery discouraging.
Quote 3 statements from the video that you agree with.
ReplyDelete1. “Shouldn’t school be about fostering our interest and becoming better at something?”
2. “ Those who have trouble falling one way of learning, have to face a stigma. In our society, those who score lower are seen as less intelligent. This lowers self-esteem. This just means that they learn a differently and they are smart in their own way.”
Quote 2 statements from the video that you disagree with. Why do you disagree?
1. “Schools sole preoccupation is to determine who can follow the curriculum the best.” I disagree with this. As a teacher, we don’t get to say in what we teach, we only get a say in how we teach it.. We have to follow the curriculum that is given to us even if we disagree.
2. I disagree that teachers would view students based on their mark and would treat them differently. I’m sure there are teachers that do that, but I wouldn’t say teachers do that.
Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video
An idea that I had while watching the video was about making sure that I’m teaching to all different kinds of learners. Not all students learn the same way and it’s important for myself as their teacher, is to make sure that I’m tailoring to my students needs. I want to figure out how my students learn best - it might be hard to do that with first graders, but I want to try. Are my students visual learners? Auditory learners? Kinesthetic learners?
Agree:
ReplyDelete1. "Students won't take certain classes they are interested in because it might bring down their grade average."
2. "We value getting a good mark as more important than the learning itself."
3. "Teacher are stuck in the same system that was imposed on them."
Disagree:
1. "Children with lower grades are considered less intelligent." While I do see that many people have this mindset, I think and hope that many teachers see that learners are more than their grades. In elementary schools, kids don't have much control over their home life and I think teachers are more understanding of why some kids are struggling at school even though they see their positional. This thought of lower grades mean less intelligence is probably more prevalent in middle and high school students because by then we are expecting them to be more independent and capable of figuring things out on their own, regardless of what's going on at home. I still hope teachers can find other ways for kids to show what they know beyond a traditional test if that's what the student needs.
2. "We have a 'one size fits all' kind of deal." In our district we have a few different learning pathways, and while I see the thought behind this statement and I understand the frustration behind it, I do think some teachers are doing things differently even within the constraints of public school.
Idea:
My idea is more of a question... how can teachers offer more and different ways for kids to learn new things and to show their intelligence? From elementary school to high school we have diverse learners who need different ways to learn and different ways to show what they know. We have creative kids who think in ways that standardized tests don't honor, learners who are navigating two cultures and languages, and kids who've been through or are currently experiencing trauma that might need more time or just a safe space to grow and learn. Teachers will need to really know their learners to be able to offer more ways to learn and to demonstrate learning.
First, grades are so hard. I mean, we have a universal system for the students to use as guidelines on what would be passing or failing. I may not agree with it, but it is what we as educators follow.
ReplyDeleteQuote 3 statements from the video that you agree with.
1. I totally agree with students sometimes not taking a course that could damage their GPA, which is unfortunate. I have even heard of students dropping courses that could damage their grades as well.
2. Another statement was geared around one size fits all system. I love the comparison to a doctor prescribing the same medication for all patients is similar to our education system. Everyone is different; therefore, we may need to think about how we can reach every student to fairly assess them. I really think that proximal development should come into play here.
Quote 2 statements from the video that you disagree with.
1. Teachers view their students as less than because of the students' performance. I truly believe that so many of our teachers are rockstars and know the capabilities of their students. Most teachers see the potential in student long before the student sees it in themselves.
2. Schools no longer inspire the minds of the next generation. I have to say, that statement just makes me sad. So many teachers put in countless hours perfecting their craft and I would bet you could talk to any random person, and they could remember a teacher that inspired them along the way.
Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video
We have the concept of differentiated instruction so how have we not be able to come up with a different form of leveled grading? I am at a loss; I understand that our k-12 system is set by state standards but is it the best way? This book study has been extremely interesting. It is giving me new perspectives on issues, and it hits home a little more because I now have children that are in high school. It just hits differently.
“Students compromise their own learning for the sake of grades.” I took an AP statistics class in high school that was heavily textbook-based. At that point in time, all of the answers and work to support the answers were available on the internet, for daily work and tests. I know several of my classmates would use those online resources to complete their homework and would memorize the work and answers for the tests. They had an A in the class, but did rather poorly on the AP exam. They compromised their learning for the sake of grades. This isn’t the case for all students, but I think many in modern classrooms fall into this camp.
ReplyDelete“Many institutions and learning programs solely look at the marks on a transcript.” I’ve heard this before, but I think it's an oversimplification. I think that colleges, and other higher ed do take a hard look at transcripts and GPA, but I think many of them also consider extra-curriculars and other factors when determining admission and scholarships. Can a higher GPA get you a scholarship? Likely yes, but also writing a killer essay can do the same. I do believe that high school students may feel like grades are the end-all be-all, but in reality, I think as long as you are reaching a certain threshold, your grades beyond that matter less than you may think.
"Students with higher grades think they are better than others." “Numbers don’t tell you everything.”
There is so much to each individual and their educational journey. There can be two students who both received an A, and one studied hard and worked for that A and the other it was easy for them, and they didn’t have to work for it. The student who worked hard and learned study skills in high school may end up being a much higher performer in post-secondary education because they learned those skills for studying and hard work early.
I think that the grading is a tricky system. It is helpful to have a common language and standardized system for grading, but there can be so many inconsistencies from teacher to teacher within a school, and from state to state. What warranted an A in a class in one area, may be vastly different from another area. I liked her idea of reframing it to mainly be a source of individual feedback. To focus on grades as feedback has been helpful in my own classroom, and as I'm grading.
Statements I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. Students avoid taking a course that could damage their GPA. I completely agree that with scholarships on the line looking at GPA instead of exactly which classes you took, it is a downside to take a harder, higher level class.
2. Valuing a good grade over the learning itself. This is very apparent with the kids I teach. There is a mindset that was is being learned in school is not important and will not be useful after school and the only thing that matters (to some kids) is getting a good grade. I think it is important to relate what is being learned to the real world, whether that is the adolescent world for the kids or the adult world they will find themselves in post-graduation.
3. School do not inspire minds anymore. I definitely find that kids are not filled with inspiration in school as they grow older. We as teachers need to do a better job conveying the importance of our class and give our students a way to take control of their learning.
Statements I disagree with:
1. Teachers view students with lower grades as lesser. I definitely disagree with this one. The vast majority of teachers I am around are passionate not only in their subject, but in helping ALL of their students.
2. We have a "one size fits all" system in education. I disagree with this as most of the schools I have been in have several different levels of classes and have people to help those students who may need the extra help.
1 idea:
The idea I had while watching this wasn't a new idea, but was reinforced while watching. It is important to me for my students to receive a full education from me and that the learning sticks with them. Repetition is important, but so is the kids placing value in the education they are receiving from me.
Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video.
ReplyDeleteStatements I agree with-
1. Students don't take classes that will affect their GPA.
2. We are all in a broken system, it should not be a one size fits all for everyone.
3. We value grades more than anything.
I believe that we need to change our system and not make it all about the grades. Some students do not perform the best at school but when they graduate and get out in the world they excel at what they do. Schools do not support those students that want to go in to the trades. We need to start having more electives for students that want to learn about their interests. We need to remember that not all students need to have great grades to succeed in life. We need to think about who are students are and what they are capable of. All students are capable of succeeding no matter what their grades are in school.
What I disagree with-
1. Teachers view their students as less because of their grades.
2. Grades determine a students future success.
Teachers don not view students as less because of their grades. All teachers are in this profession to help students be the best that they can. We want all students to succeed in what they do. When I look at grades I think what can I change or do to help the student learn better. Grades are not what determines how a student will perform after school. I have seen students with good grades struggle with finding jobs and I have seen students that did not get good grades exceed when they were out of school.
The idea I had when watching the video-
I believe that we need to look at grades as a basis of how we can change what we do as educators to support our students. We need to look at what is happening with students when they are out of school and support them in any way that we can. We need to ask questions as to what we can do as educators to help our students. When students don't feel like they are valued or cared about by their teachers they will not perform to their best abilities. All students need to be cared for and supported in all areas of their lives (in and out of school).
Three statements I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. I was also a student who didn't take certain classes because I was worried it would hurt my grades or GPA.
2. A number means so much to us. We value a good grade more than the actual learning itself.
3. ... this lowers their self-esteem, but often times it just means they might learn differently and they are smart in their own way.
Two statements I disagree with and why:
1. Education and good grades are the key to a successful life. I disagree with this because there are many successful people who don't finish high school or get a college degree. There are also people who maybe don't get good grades in school who are still able to find what they are good at and succeed at that.
2. Those who get good grades must be better and smarter than those who do not. I disagree with this because all students learn differently and all teachers teach differently. I was very good at math in high school and got good grades in the class, but once I got to college and had a professor with a different teaching style, I struggled.
One idea I have:
1. We should use grades as feedback for us as educators. If students are consistently failing assignments or projects, then they clearly aren't understanding the concept. We should take that feedback and use it as constructive criticism to help teach our students better.
ReplyDeleteStatements I agree with:
1. Students are afraid to take classes they want to because of their GPA.
2. Some teachers view grades as the totality of a student's potential or their value.
3. Many institutions merely look at the marks or scores on paper.
Quotes that I disagree with:
1. A student's grades determine a students future success. Many famous artists actually failed school or were kicked out! Even Van Gogh never saw sucess (as an artist) in his lifetime, but his legacy continues. American schools teach for certain types of learning and those who learn differently are left behind.
2. Creativity with students are in a decline - they are programmed more to achieve scores rather than create. I do think that creativity is always there but also the current school systems are leaning more towards test scores and less time to be creative or individual thinkers. As an art teacher, creativity is one of the objectives we try to nurture. Creativity needs opportunity and time to develop.
The idea I had when watching the video is to shift away from scores and numbers alone and focus on more than grades. Those with lower grades are NOT inferior, they are independant thinkers and they will bloom in the right environment, which may not be a school system.
One statement I agreed with was when she said, “Grades often measure compliance more than learning.” I see this a lot, especially in creative classes like art, where effort, risk-taking, and growth don’t always fit neatly into a letter grade. Grading my art students was challenging until I decided to grade based on time spent, thought put into, and signs of improvement with each individual piece of art created.
ReplyDeleteAnother statement that stood out to me was “A single grade can’t capture curiosity, creativity, or persistence.” This really resonates with me as an art teacher, because some of the strongest learning happens through experimentation and even failure.
I also agreed with her point that “Grades can shift students’ focus from learning to performance.” When students are only worried about the score, they often stop taking creative risks and just try to do what they think will earn the grade. I didn’t want my students to rely on the internet for all of their inspiration. I encouraged them to try things that may or may not result in a piece of art that just what they imagined.
One statement I disagreed with was “Grades are mostly meaningless in the long run.” While I understand her point, I do think grades still serve a purpose, especially for communication with parents, schools, and future opportunities. Unfortunately, we are not getting away from this type of accountability anytime soon. When you are basing scholarships on high ACT scores and perfect grades, this type of accountability is here to stay until we change a variety of things in our education system. It is a bummer for those students who are not good test takers, but have so much to offer to our society and the grade/test barrier keeps them out of colleges and ultimately out of jobs that they would be amazing at.
Another statement I questioned was “Removing grades would automatically improve motivation.” In my experience, motivation comes from strong relationships, engaging lessons, and clear expectations—not just the absence of grades. Some students are still very motivated by good grades. It is either they, the students, are pushing for good grades or their parents are demanding it.
While watching the talk, I started thinking about how feedback might matter more than the actual grade. In art, written comments, conversations, and reflection often help students grow far more than a number or letter ever could. Overall, the talk reinforced my belief that grades should be a tool—not the goal—and that learning, creativity, and growth deserve just as much attention as the final score. I hope I am around to see change in the way my grandchildren are evaluated in their classrooms.
Three statements I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. “Whether you suck at a subject or not, shouldn’t the point of school be about fostering our interests and becoming better at something?”
2. “A number means so much to us nowadays because we feel like those numbers determine our futures so we value getting a good mark as more important than learning itself.”
3. “We shouldn’t be so quick to judge them.”
Two statements I disagree with and why:
1. “Their future is determined by that simple piece of paper.” I disagree with this statement because there are many successful people in our world that did not even finish college and are billionaires. A simple piece of paper such as “you passed” or “you failed” or “your ACT score is low” should not stop someone from reaching the goal(s) they have for themselves, but rather motivate them to try again or figure out how to get to the next step.
2. “Those that have good marks must be better and smarter than those who do not.” This brings me back to school and how I had to try much harder than my peers to achieve the grades I did and it’s not because I was dumb, but rather had different learning styles than my peers that I had to figure out what worked for me. This is why I went into special education because it’s okay to learn differently as we all get to the end goal by the end.
One idea I have:
1. Something educators should reflect on more is feedback rather than grades. Feedback from students can help alternate what and how something is being taught to effectively teach it again in the future for a better outcome for both the student and the teacher.
1. “Shouldn’t the point of school be about fostering our interest and becoming better at something?”
ReplyDeleteI agree with this statement. I think students should be challenged more and should focus on becoming better at something. While this is true, I also feel like it can be difficult for students in high school to know what they want to do in the future. By taking classes that they maybe don’t want to take, students can gain interest in something they didn’t realize they had interest in.
2. “We are told day after day that education is the key to a successful life and that we need good marks in order to have a respectable job or good income.”
I feel like this statement is very true when I think about it when I was in high school. I remember being in high school and feeling that this “pressure” was put on us often. While good grades are important to get into college, they are not as important as we once thought they were. I think what should have been instilled in us is having a strong motivation and good work ethic. It is sad that things like these are not qualities that you can see on a standardized test or on applications for college.
3.“There is something you can do to help re-instill students’ desires to go to school and that is to change our perspective on what grades really mean and to realize that the numbers do not define their intelligence or potential.”
I do agree with this statement. I think that we do need to re-instill students’ desires to go to school and the importance of what school is for. Students need to know that grades do not define them, but that putting forth effort is important.
Disagree
1.“So why does getting a bad mark limit our learning?”
Grades do show some importance. I think that by having things graded and by taking assessments, you can see where students learning is at. If a student is having a difficulty in one area, then you know what you need to focus on to help that student. While grades do not mean everything, it is important to be able to know how students are doing and where they might need more help.
2. “Students merely learned a minimum just to get the desired grade we asked. Hey, what’s on the quiz so we can study just that?”
While this statement can be true for some, I think this also has a lot to do with student’s perception on learning. If they are “learning” only to do well and get the good grades, then this will be the case. But if students actually care about the content and also have a strong motivation to care about school, then this is not always true. It is sad to think that students only care about getting good grades and not actually about learning and the process of learning.
One idea that I have would be to praise more of my students efforts in their ability to work hard, show determination and grit, rather than just their ability to answer something correctly.
Agree:
ReplyDelete1. "Students wont take certain classes they are interested in because it might bring down their GPA."
2. "Shouldn't school be about fostering our interest and becoming better at something?"
3. "People tell us that marks don't define us and that we are more than just a grade, but it never feels that way."
Disagree:
1. “Schools sole preoccupation is to determine who can follow the curriculum the best.” I disagree because teachers don't get a say in what they teach. We have a little choice in how we teach it, but the curriculum is set forth by the state standards.
2. "Students with lower grades are seen as less intelligent." I disagree with this because some kids just don't care about school or even some subjects in particular. They are extremely smart, but just don't always put in the effort.
One idea I had was how to get away from just memorizing facts and dates for tests and looking at the big picture. Teaching social studies, I am a big one on imagine if you were there and explain to me what life would be like. The kids then can share all the knowledge that they gained from the unit and not just specific things I choose for them to memorize.
ReplyDeleteAgree statements.
1. Students compromise learning for grades.
2. Creativity is on decline and schools are the cause.
3. The Point of school is about fostering our interest and getting better at something.
Disagree.
1. Education is the key to a successful life.
2. Better marks are the smarter people.
I believe today too much emphasis is placed on getting straight "A's" because that is the only way to be successful. I know many students who don't really gain the knowledge in a class but fulfilled the teachers requirements to get the A. Other students learned more but did not fulfill all that was required. Students no longer know how to be creative because they are only focused on doing the things that will get them the grade. Education is the key to life but comes in many different formats. We have forgotten the point of school is getting better at something. That should be the grade.
Three statements I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. Students compromise their learning for a letter grade. I agree because many students focus more on the outcome than the learning process.
2. Schools are focusing on the wrong thing. Too often the emphasis is on scores rather than growth and understanding.
3. Schools no longer inspire children. In some cases, strict systems and pressure can reduce curiosity and excitement for learning.
Two statements I disagree with:
1. Schools are killing student creativity. While this can sometimes be true, I believe many educators are working very hard to create engaging and creative learning environments for students.
2.Teachers are stuck in the same system as students. While systems can limit teachers, I believe educators still have opportunities to give meaningful feedback and advocate for change within their schools.
“What Your Grades Really Mean”, discusses the value of grades and the message they send.
ReplyDeleteQuote 3 statements from the video that you agree with.
1. Student are not going to take certain classes because it may lower their GPA
2. Shouldn't school be about fostering our interest and become better at it.
3. Teachers are stuck in the same system that was imposed on them.
Quote 2 statements from the video that you disagree with. Why do you disagree?
1.Student with lower grades are seen as less intelligent. I disagree with this statement because if a student does not see the interest in a certain subject, they probably are not going to care as much while completing assignments or taking tests. Also many small schools are not able to offer as much in Vo-tech type course, where many of the "unintelligent students" are going to thrive.
2. Education is the key to a successful life. Although education in itself can lead to more high end paying jobs, too much of our society is focused on the concept of Education = High paying Job=Successful life. Many people who have limit education have a much more successful life because they focus on others and not themselves.
Describe 1 idea you had while watching the video.
Recently we gave the ACT test to students at our alternative high school. The State of SD has now selected the ACT test as a test each student needs to take before graduation. The interesting thing is, from what I was informed, is that less colleges are using the ACT test for students entering into colleges. Is this a step in the right direction, not putting as much emphasis on grades and using other factors for college entrance. I'm not sure exactly what is used, but maybe looking more at what students have accomplished outside the classroom instead of just looking at grades.
Posted by Lori Keleher and/or Lindsey Brewer @ Transform Your Classroom!! at 8:44 AM
Three things I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. Students compromise their learning to get certain numbers on their report card.
I thought of my youngest son a lot while listening to this TED talk. He always struggled a little bit more than my other two boys. My other two boys would take harder, more challenging classes in high school. My youngest would take the minimum to look good for college transcripts, but still be able to get an A because the work was easy enough.
2. Numbers mean so much because we feel they determine our futures. Again, I think of my youngest son. If he didn't do well on a quiz or a test, he always retook the quiz to bring his grade up. He was stressing over the fact he thought he needed straight A's to get into college.
3. Many institutions solely look at those marks on a transcript. Unfortunately, I do agree with this. My middle son was given a full academic ride to Iowa State because of his marks in high school and his ACT score. My youngest son qualified for a small scholarship because of his high school grades. My niece didn't qualify for any scholarships because her grade point average wasn't high enough.
Two things I didn't agree with:
1. Teachers view their students as less capable because of their marks.
I don't agree with this at all. I know some of my students have learning disabilities such as dyslexia. I don't view them as any less smart. I have a cousin that had a learning disability. He never got good grades and yet he's very successful in life. In fact he's so successful, he retired at the age of 40.
2. We have a one size fits all kind of deal.
Again, I don't agree with this. I think all of our students are different and we do what we can to accommodate them with services that we offer whether it be ELL, TAG, Resource Room, behavior, etc...
3 Quotes that I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. Students won't take certain classes because it might bring down their grade average.
2. We value getting good grades (As and Bs) as more important than the actual learning.
3. The point of school should be about fostering our interests and becoming better at something.
2 Quotes that I disagree with:
1. Students with lower marks are seen as less intelligent. This might be the case with some schools and some staff, but not with mine. We totally understand what makes a students and an assessment score is just one piece of that puzzle.
2. If a doctor prescribed all the same medicine to all of his patients. The problem with comparing this to education is you are assuming that each student in every school is treated that way. In some ways doctors do prescribe medicine that way. If a doctor handled each patient as a unique person, then they would vary the dosage of medicine per person based on their past and along with the medicine, perhaps they would have serious talks about lifestyle and diet and how that impacts our health. I look at it this way and have to argue this point with lots of people in my area. Factories put out a piece or equipment, a cattle trailer for example. People say that those factory workers get paid based upon the quality of trailer they put out and that is why they make so much per hour. They produce high quality trailers, and I agree with them. From the aluminum that they use, to the wiring, hydraulic hoses, the lights, the welds to the type of tires the put on the trailers. Those trailers are amazing. This is where I try to make my point to those who are discussing with me about paying teachers based upon performance; I ask them what type of trailer they would produce if the aluminum they used was bent or damaged, much like a student who comes to school with trauma, or perhaps hungry, or perhaps one who has to work to help make ends meet, or whose parents are going through a divorce or maybe because they lost a friend or maybe because they are more worried about circumstances outside of school. I could go on and on so I better get off my soap box.
The idea that I took away from this might not align with the message of the video, but if she is talking about how all students are different and they all learn differently, then why does it feel like she is lumping all school together. Much like her point of what is the point of grades for students, I would also argue what is the point of grading schools as we all have different students with different needs and although we did not maybe get Jhonny to score a proficiently on his math and science tests, we did teach and model better ways for him to be a better human being that cares about people, values society and fosters deep and meaningful conversations that leave the world a better place. We all have different students with different backgrounds and challenges with their own unique perspective on life, so then why are we all judge the same in regards putting out the same students. Judge schools 10 years after graduation on what type of people they are developing for the real world…not based on some test they take as juniors in high school that most could not care less about.
Three quotes I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. "Students learn differently and they are smart in their own way."
2. "No two brains are the same."
3. "Numbers don't tell you everything."
Two quotes I disagree with:
1. "School no longer inspires the next generation." I do not agree that school no longer inspires student learning. Yes, we have a curriculum to follow and standards to meet, but I do feel teachers still use their own creativity throughout the lessons to help students learning because we know and understand that each of our students have different ways of learning. My goal as an educator is to foster an understanding of the material being learned, but I also trying to make it fun, therefore they continue to remember and use the material being learned.
2. "We kill our children's creativity, curiosity, and desire to learn." While I do feel we teach to the curriculum and state tests, I also work hard at finding multiple ways and supplemental materials that share in my student's interest levels, therefore it pushes them to use their creativity and ignites their curiosity in their learning.
One idea I had while watching the video was what more can I do within my classroom to help students be creative in their thinking and be a part of their learning in my classroom. I want to continue to improve on helping students use their strengths in learning to continue to build their higher order of thinking skills in all subject areas.
Three quotes I agree with:
ReplyDelete1- "School should be about fostering our interests and becoming better at something."
2-"who can follow the curriculum best, as young people we memorize information to regurgitate it for a test."
3- "We value getting a good mark is more important than learning itself"
Two questions I disagree with:
1- "By high school, we stop asking questions" - There are many high schoolers at my school that always ask questions, almost too many. They are curious, inquisitive and always figuring out new ways, different ways to solve problems
2 - "We have one system, and we expect everyone to follow it" - More and more you see home school, charter school and other private school that help debunk this statement, and as parents, educators we also need to be aware of the offerings around us so we can help guide and encourage others if a certain school setting / model doesn't fit for them.
Idea: To make sure my students don't get 100% of their value / self-worth from a grade.
3 statements from the video that I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. “The reality is some students don’t take certain classes because it would bring down their academic average. This is a big deal when students compromise their own learning just to get certain numbers on their report cards.”
2. “We as young people are taught to memorize information found in a textbook only to regurgitate it onto next week’s test paper before forgetting all about it.”
3. “In our society, students with lower grades are considered as less intelligent. And this lowers the self-esteem but often times this just means they might learn differently and they are smart in their own way.”
2 statements from the video that I disagree with and why:
1. “I feel like school no longer inspires the mind of the next generation.” I think that school can be a place that inspires the mind but it depends on the teachers and the way they guide the class.
2. “We are told day after day that education is the key to a successful life and that we need good marks to have a respectable job or a good income.” I think that there are more and more putting an emphasis on the trade schools and jobs that teach you as you go through internships, especially in our world today.
One thing it made me ponder is how many times did I focus on teaching to the test and not focus on the students learning? How often did I just push the topic quickly through so we could mark it as done instead of investigating deeper in areas that the students were actually interested in? Did I place more emphasis on the grades then on the learning?
I am going to start out with the last part of this blog prompt first. One idea I had while watching this video is that I really feel that strict letter grades or percentages can be extremely misleading related to a students actual intelligence. This concept can definitely be a negative for a smart student, especially if teachers or students, consciously or unconsciously treat them differently after seeing those particular marks.
ReplyDeleteThings that I agree with:
1. "Students learn differently and they are smart in their own way."
This should be totally obvious and needs no elaboration.
2. Schools are focusing on the wrong thing. Too often the emphasis is on scores rather than growth and understanding.
3. "Numbers don't tell you everything."
Things that I disagree with:
1. School no longer inspires the minds of the next generation.
There will always be teachers that do their job and connect and inspire students. Public Education is plagued with flaws and may indeed be broken, but as long as caring adults are trying to nurture young minds and personalities, good things are happening.
2 - "We have one system, and we expect everyone to follow it"
This was true to a certain point. Now, thank goodness we have postive "alternative education such as Academies, Charter Schools, and an every growing and ever improving on-line option.
Eva Ren's "What Your Grades Really Mean" Ted Talk was very interesting and thought provoking.
ReplyDelete3 statements I agree with:
1. The point of school is about fostering interests and becoming better at something.
2. Many factors can limit a student's ability to do well at school.
3. Numbers do not define intelligence or potential.
2 statements I disagree with:
1. School no longer inspires the mind of the next generation.
I disagree with this statement, because even though many students don't have free choice about most of the classes they take, the classes they are taking expose them to many fields of interest. The education system provides for learning in the core subjects, but also offers many electives that give students the opportunity to learn specific skills they may consider a career in. Most of these are CTE courses or are related to fine arts. Many schools are also now offering more courses related to STEM fields. These courses most definitely inspire the minds of the next generation because they are the types of courses where creativity is encouraged.
2. Getting a bad mark limits learning.
I disagree with this statement because I have witnessed a bad mark as a motivator of learning. Just as Thomas Edison stated, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.", a low score can be just the fuel certain students need to determine what changes need to be made so they can learn the material.
An idea I had while watching the video is to gather information from students about what they think their grades mean. I would be curious to know the thoughts of my students about their percentages and if they feel a number appropriately "describes" them as a learner or accurately portrays the learning that takes place in a particular class. To follow up, I would ask the students what ideas they might have for a better grading system.
3 Statements I Agree With:
ReplyDelete1. "Shouldn't the point of school be about fostering our interest and becoming better at something?"
2. "We value getting a good mark as more important than the learning itself."
3."In our society students with lower grades are considered less intelligent, and this lowers their self esteem but they just learn differently."
2 Statements That I Disagree With:
1. "We have a 'one size fits all' kind of deal." I disagree because I think that many classes do well in offering a variety of learning methods, and even different options in how students go about completing assignments. When I was teaching in the junior high, many teachers tried to provide options to students whenever they could.
2. “Their future is determined by that simple piece of paper.” This is not true and I think that students know this. Just because good grades in school don't come easily to you, it doesn't mean you won't go on to have a very successful career and life. If a person is motivated, hard-working, and knows how to persevere when faced with obstacles, they will find a way to succeed in some way. It's just a matter of time.
One Idea:
With all of that in mind, I think it's important to just have those conversations more often with students. We need to encourage them to do their best, but also remember that the goal of school is to actually learn and retain what we learn. A lot of times the pressure to get perfect grades is something we put on ourselves. I think we also need to talk more about life after high school and how there are many paths that one can take to a successful career and life. Grades are not everything.
Here are three statements I agree with:
ReplyDelete1. When Eva asks, "shouldn't the point of school be about fostering interests and becoming better at something?"
2. There are many factors that can limit a student's ability to do well at school.
3. Numbers do not define intelligence or potential.
Here are two statements I disagree with:
1. Getting a bad mark limits learning. In my second grade classroom I emphasize the point that we are all learning no matter what age. I foster a classroom culture of not focusing on what's wrong, but learning from it...we have ongoing correcting and learning from mistakes as being "normal". We also have a growth mindset that you may not know how...yet! Keep positive and learning! Also, the focus is on growth. Depending on how different teachers approach this and at what level, I do see what Eva was talking about though.
2. Schools no longer inspire the minds of the next generation. School can be a place that inspires the mind but a large part of that depends on the teachers and the inspiration they give as well as the culture of the school and the whole school team working together. Hopefully every student will have at least one person throughout their school experience that they remember as a positive or as an inspiration.
*One idea I had while watching the video is how important those teachable moments that arise are.. when a student has a question or an idea or a connection. Go with it or follow up with it. Don't get so stuck in the curriculum or routine that those moments are lost. I make sure to remember this. It engages students and gives them value and excitement in what they are learning.
I agree with the following statements:
ReplyDelete- “Shouldn’t the point of school be about fostering our interests and becoming better at something, why does getting a bad mark limit our learning?”
- “A number means so much to us these days because we feel like those numbers determine our futures so we value getting a good mark as more important than learning.” The speaker goes on to say that “in our society students with lower grades are considered as less intelligent, lowering their self-esteem”.
- “Changing our perspective on what grades really mean, numbers do not define their intelligence or potential.”
I disagree with:
- The notion that “education is the key to a successful life, we need good marks in order to have a respectable job or good income.” While education is certainly important, there are many roles in our society that need to be filled and we each have our own strengths and weaknesses.
- The statement, “I feel like school no longer inspires the minds of the next generation - students learn the minimum just to get the desired grade.” I think that teachers are still working to inspire the minds of the next generation but overcoming the hurdle of students focusing on their grades rather than their learning is difficult.
While watching this video, I thought about how it will take time to undo what many years of the perception on grading exists - if a change is to happen, we will not feel those effects until our current students are parents themselves.
Attempting to remember the exact quotes but general ideas I agree with:
ReplyDelete-Students don't take certain classes because it can bring down average and often are just taught for the test and study just what need to pass the test. *this was me in school. I wanted all A's and did what I could to have the high GPA to get the scholarships for college.
- So many things impact a students ability to do well in school. Kids have some hard home lives and trauma that impacts how they do in school.
- Current system is more of a one size fits all model.
Disagree:
-Student no longer feel inspired to be creative and stop asking questions. I think teachers are still inspiring students every day.
- The idea that education is the key to being successful and grades equates to more success. I have many students that tell me they want to be "you tubers" when they grow up and with the success so many of those folks have on the internet I cannot tell them not to reach for those stars. I hope that they take away as much as they can from school so if that path does not work they have skills to transfer to something else. But many successful people, as she mentioned, did not do well in school.
Idea: From reading the chapter in the book, I think a lot could be accomplished by conferencing with students about their grades. Having conversations teacher to student about them and what students could do to get higher grades for instance. Maybe a student that is not achieving high grades simply doesn't believe the teacher cares but if the teacher were to have those discussions it could maybe open a door. I feel like this grading conversation is more geared to high school. I never had to assign grades as a special educator and simply had to report growth or not with data to support. However, I do know that many of my students already felt defeated when it came to report cards and that broke my heart.