https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z This Padlet is a snapshot of my reflections and takeaways from our grading reform course. en-us 2021-10-21 01:11:12 UTC 2021-10-21 02:08:11 UTC hello@padlet.com polkadotgirl96 https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832082111 At the beginning of this course, I thought that homework was something that every teacher should give so that students can practice the skills taught at home too. In my mind, every student is given a weekly homework packet and all of the packets are the same. 
Now, I don't think that homework is a necessity anymore. First, some students may not have assistance available at home or may not be able to complete the homework for one reason or another. Also though, if homework is extra practice, then this practice can happen at school instead. If homework is given, then this course also made me realize that it should be differentiated so that all students are challenged at their level. We shouldn't have a standardized homework packet that is a breeze for some students and a nightmare for others. ]]> 2021-10-21 01:18:01 UTC https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832082111 polkadotgirl96 https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832092654 When starting this course, I was iffy about punitive grading practices and thought that most, if not all of them, should be used on a case-by-case basis. For example, if a student has something going on at home and bombs a test, then yes, he should be able to make it up. But if a student chose to not study and bombed a test, then I was previously inclined to automatically say no retakes. After this course, I agree that all students should have the opportunity to retake or redo assignments, so long as they can show that they've put forth effort to relearn the material or have sought out additional practice opportunities. First, it communicates that we care more about the mastery of standards rather than when it happens. Also though, it gives students a second chance to achieve success, which then in turn helps students build their self-esteem and a positive attitude towards school and learning. At the end of the day, isn't that our biggest goal as educators?]]> 2021-10-21 01:22:25 UTC https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832092654 polkadotgirl96 https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832124956 As a special education teacher, this topic hit home with me and resonated with me well. Though we sometimes forget it, our students are learning the material we are teaching while also learning how to be independent as a child. This is asking a lot of our students, but as educators, one of the most helpful things we can do is to give them immediate and effective feedback. This can involve prompting, cueing, redirecting, or teaching, but in all cases, it needs to be immediate and it needs to be directed to the individual student. 
Giving effective feedback not only ensures that students are understanding and following your expectations, but it also helps students learn material accurately from the beginning rather than trying to reteach them three weeks later. If student learning is compared to a locked door, then effective feedback is the key to open it. ]]> 2021-10-21 01:35:09 UTC https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832124956 polkadotgirl96 https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832149638 This is a concept I had learned about in one of my teaching courses, but I never really thought much about it until these past few weeks. I started the year off teaching resource, but now in week 11, I am unexpectedly teaching a Life Skills class. If you had told me in week 1 that I would be teaching Life Skills this year, I would've looked at you as if you were from a different planet. I would've said that I can't teach Life Skills because I don't know what I'm doing and I have no experience doing so. I would've said that I can't teach Life Skills because I don't know how to handle their medical needs. I would've said that I can't teach Life Skills because I had a fixed mindset.

I subbed in Life Skills for the first three weeks of the year due to us not having a teacher for the program. I ended up falling in love with the kids, but fear was still holding me back from taking the position. I went back to resource and we had a behavioral interventionist from CCSD cover Life Skills in the meantime. The week before positions were due to be posted for surplus, my principal approached me one more time and asked if I wanted to permanently take Life Skills. The program had no structure or routines and it needed to be fixed desperately. In week 10 of my second year teaching, I found myself suddenly thinking back to the concept of a growth mindset and I learned real quick how to develop one. Today was my fifth day as a Life Skills teacher. Our classroom is far from having perfect order, but we are better than we were five days ago- we are getting somewhere and we will continue to.
My biggest hope is that I can encourage my students to develop a growth mindset much earlier than I learned to. ]]> 2021-10-21 01:45:07 UTC https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832149638 polkadotgirl96 https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832176736 As a special education teacher, I do not assign grades to my students. However, I will be sharing the ideas from this course with our teachers, which I am excited about. I think it will lay the foundation for a collaborative and fruitful discussion about grading policies and standards that we should establish school-wide.

As for the topics from this course that resonated with me most, I'd say the punitive grading, effective feedback, and the discussion of growth mindset. Prior to this course, I was iffy about many of the punitive grading practices, but this course helped me to establish firmer opinions about each and to have evidence to support my reasoning. As noted above, I initially thought that many of these decisions should be made solely on a case-by-case basis. After this course, I realize that these flimsy rules aren't going to be effective in a class because it prevents a sense of objectivity and fairness from being established. 
As a special education teacher, feedback is at the heart of my job and is what I spend most of my day doing. I wholeheartedly agree with the importance of giving effective and timely feedback and will always encourage teachers to adapt this best practice.
Finally, the concept of growth mindset stuck with me most because I found myself trying to develop one these past couple of weeks. I agree that having a growth mindset and remaining positive it what lies at the core of learning; if students are sure that they won't be able to learn something, this attitude is going to carry and will become the truth. Instead, our students need to be encouraged to have flexibility, an open mind, and the belief that they can learn anything. It might take persistence, determination, and lots of effort, but it is possible. If I can learn to teach a Life Skills class, then my students can learn how to communicate, be social with others, and learn to be more independent than most people give them credit for.

]]> 2021-10-21 01:55:51 UTC https://padlet.com/polkadotgirl96/43o7ej5puaq8ms8z/wish/1832176736