1. Is failure a real and regularly option and experience for kids at your school?
Failure is definitely not an option at my school, but it is a real experience and unfortunate reality that many students face. Our site provides alternatives for those that are falling behind but several students do not take advantage of these lifelines. 2. If so, what impact do you believe that is creating? If not, what structures have been put into place to accomplish alternatives? The main alternative that students can do are credit recovery courses offered in the summer. These are not optional and failing students are required to attend these. If they fail the credit recovery course they have to retake it until they complete the credits. This allows them to not have to retake the course during the school year, hence not falling behind their classmates. Throughout the school year, all students are required to enroll in a period of advisory. Students use this time to ask for assistance on confusing concepts and finish homework/assignments. Unfortunately, not everyone uses this valuable period to their advantage. 3. What conditions exist that make it to late to learn and reach competency in your school? Can you give an example? Our school strives to never make it too late to learn any concepts, but unfortunately this is not always the case. Credit recovery, for example, divides the classes by subject and the teachers are capable of helping the students if they are struggling (since it is in their subject of study). However, I still think we can do a better job at providing additional alternatives. If anything, students withdrawing from school before graduation is the most common method of it being too late to learn. Our dropout rate is of major concern and more action to retain students is needed. 4. What would you do, if anything, to introduce/enhance “never too late to learn” structures in you school if you were the school leader? If I was the school leader I don’t think I would introduce anything new, but rather enhance the current credit recovery program by dividing the current summer schedule into multiple terms as opposed to just one. This will allow students who failed the first accelerated term to try again the next term before school starts. I hope this will also encourage students to finish early so that they can at least enjoy part of their summer vacation. 5. What can you do in your present position to create “never too late to learn” structures into your current practice and those of your peers? Are those things in your sphere of influence? As a substitute teacher, I try my best to teach whatever concepts the students are learning to those that are struggling the most and need the extra help. I do this so that nobody feels “left behind” or failures in the classroom. Also, if the teacher allows me to be flexible with the instructional time, I often let students return to the unfinished work or ask questions. All of the aforementioned is definitely within my sphere of influence. 6. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school a increase learning opportunities: 1. Make myself more readily available outside of classroom instruction (before school, break, lunch, after school, etc.). 2. Allow more classroom discussions, group talks, and pair shares to teach one another and feed off each other’s knowledge. 3. Ask them what they learned / understood in their homework assignments. 4. Have them write reflections about what they learned. 5. Have them make presentations about the concept(s) that they struggled with the most. 1. What role does school play in building students’ agency and identity?
Schools play an essential role in building a student's purpose and getting them to understand why school should be taken seriously. Students spend five out of seven days of their week at these educational institutions, so it is partly our job to get them motivated to focus and understand why their futures are dependent on performance and attitudes that they convey in their work. 2. How aware are you and your colleagues of the impact our choice of words have on developing students’ agency and identity? Can you give examples? I am very aware of how much my choice of words impact a student's mindset. We as educators should be promoting growth mindsets rather than fixed mindsets. For example, I frequently hear students say that they are not good at a specific subject because they do not understand or cannot figure out why they get wrong answers. Believing that only "gifted" students can acquire certain knowledge will hinder on the learning of students who consider themselves "dumb." Instead, I encourage practice, practice, and more practice. I emphasize that not everyone is at the same learning pace and that these "difficulties" will be overcome with dedicated time and effort. 3. What would you do, if anything, to make using choice words a more conscious and accountable school wide practice if you were the school leader? First, I would create a workshop for all staff members to attend so that everyone is onboard with being more conscious on using choice words. Then, I would make it mandatory for all teachers to teach their students the difference between growth and fixed mindsets. This will help build their identity as learners and prevent looking at ourselves as failures. Posters and banners around campus will be constant visible reminders to staff and students to make sure we are accountable for what we say and to promote more encouragement. 4. What could you do, if anything, to make the use of choice words a more conscious and accountable personal practice as well as one embraced by others on your site? Are those things within your sphere of influence? Within my sphere of influence, I can make the use of choice words a habit by directing conversations towards better supporting our students and using words of encouragement. Teachers have every right to vent their frustrations about their classes, but there definitely needs to be a healthy balance between the two. 5. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school choose words wisely? 1. Promote growth mindsets! Try to eliminate fixed mindsets in the classroom. 2. Encourage #1 in conversations with other educators. 3. Share choice words we have recently used in class talks. 4. Eliminate certain vocabulary / phrases that hint fixed mindsets in classroom conversations. 5. Focus on the positive growth that has occurred in the classroom rather than the obstacles during conversations with peers.
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AuthorRobert Marley Lerma is an online graduate student through San Diego State University. Weebly is being used to post blog posts for EDL 610 (Visionary Leadership). ArchivesCategories |