A math teacher started their first week of school with a 50 question pre-test of a chapter not yet introduced, gave it in a 40 minute class period, and they then put it in the grade book. This scenario has many flaws, but one main concern is that students were given material to “try,” and when they accepted that challenge, they were punished for what they could not get right on the first opportunity. In order for students to feel safe taking chances in education, we can provide opportunities for learning that provide feedback, but do not require grading. This approach requires a change in vocabulary when speaking with students. “Feedback” is a term that communicates coaching toward the final objective. “Grade” communicates something more terminal and almost threatening. Creating a safe environment for learning also requires opportunities to make mistakes and time to learn through informal formative assessments.
There are two things that stress me out as an adult: taxes and insurance. They stress me out for two reasons. The first reason this causes me anxiety is because I do not fully understand or know very much about either topic. The second is because there is a pressure to make a decision that will be the “final destination,” so to speak. I believe our content is like this for students. They become anxious and do not think as clearly when they feel pressure to learn the material quickly. Realistically, a majority of schools function on semester grades. (Some might average quarter grades together, but high school transcripts reflect the semester grade most of the time). A student can find confidence in their learning if they recognize that they have a full semester to learn everything.
Students filter in and out of classes hourly. Many of them think they must absorb and master what is taught that day by the time the bell rings. It is the teacher’s responsibility to remind students often that learning is a process. We can demonstrate the process through frequent formative assessments (feedback, not grading). It takes students time to draw connections, understand the function, and process what was explained every hour. The greatest gift we, as teachers, can give students is time to process the content. We give messages to our students through our presentation of new knowledge. How we treat student mistakes is crucial to their success in our classes. Our classrooms must present an environment in which students can discover that their mistakes lead them to full understanding. The first exposure to the classroom is the start of a journey in their learning, not the last day to memorize things. Students thrive on our verbal feedback and coaching along the way. They build confidence and mastery through the process of learning. It is partially our responsibility to teach them how to love learning again, and this can be done through how we communicate during the learning process and moments of mistakes.
Lindsay Stephenson is an Instructional Facilitator in Kansas City, Kansas. You can follow her on Twitter @MrsStephenson3.