My take-away from “Art of Changing the Brain”:
I learned that the shift, or realization from a student that something is worth learning and remembering actually occurs inside of the brain. There is a biological change that occurs and students can then see the “why” that makes learning so impactful. When I’m on a basketball court, for example, I want to see how that certain play or offense will lead to more points. If we’re not scoring, then the players can become discouraged at attempting to run the same offense without seeing results. The classroom is no different. People need to see how this new learning will matter to them in the future, and if we show that “why” then true learning can take place. I also learned how the two readings (Fair isn’t always equal) shared a similar message about success being defined as progress toward a goal, and how the brain reacts to anticipating movement, both physically and mentally.
I learned that the shift, or realization from a student that something is worth learning and remembering actually occurs inside of the brain. There is a biological change that occurs and students can then see the “why” that makes learning so impactful. When I’m on a basketball court, for example, I want to see how that certain play or offense will lead to more points. If we’re not scoring, then the players can become discouraged at attempting to run the same offense without seeing results. The classroom is no different. People need to see how this new learning will matter to them in the future, and if we show that “why” then true learning can take place. I also learned how the two readings (Fair isn’t always equal) shared a similar message about success being defined as progress toward a goal, and how the brain reacts to anticipating movement, both physically and mentally.
My take-away from “Fair Isn’t Always Equal”:
I learned a lot from Wormeli about how I’ve been grading in the past, and how I learned to grade through initial practitioners may not be the most beneficial to students’ progress. When I was a student, I would do my work (sometimes last minute) and hand it in. I would receive a grade and be happy if my effort got a certain grade between a B and A. To me, this was a relief. I was done with that concept and I got what I needed for honor roll. This mentality needs to change for true understanding to take place. The student needs to take ownership and become the producer of the work. This means man revision periods where work is revisited and improved upon. This can change that mentality of “just get it done” and a student will actually risk being outside the box on an assignment, because they know they will have other efforts to improve.
It’s a big shift in what has been done in the past, but we must not necessarily be done with material after a unit or test. We must allow for teachers to change course mid-journey, and keep students informed of progress. The learning must continue and our learning targets can be universal for the whole year. Students can now use feedback to see what they are doing right and how they can move a box on the targets and scales, instead of seeing what they did wrong and receiving a penalty. Assessment informs practice, and these assessments must be varied, and done over time. If we provide frequent checkpoints too as teachers, this is where the students learn the most. Students can’t use the summative feedback to grow, they need to see pattern of achievement. Much like in “Art of Changing the Brain”, students need to see the end of the road and how their progress will benefit them in the future.
I learned a lot from Wormeli about how I’ve been grading in the past, and how I learned to grade through initial practitioners may not be the most beneficial to students’ progress. When I was a student, I would do my work (sometimes last minute) and hand it in. I would receive a grade and be happy if my effort got a certain grade between a B and A. To me, this was a relief. I was done with that concept and I got what I needed for honor roll. This mentality needs to change for true understanding to take place. The student needs to take ownership and become the producer of the work. This means man revision periods where work is revisited and improved upon. This can change that mentality of “just get it done” and a student will actually risk being outside the box on an assignment, because they know they will have other efforts to improve.
It’s a big shift in what has been done in the past, but we must not necessarily be done with material after a unit or test. We must allow for teachers to change course mid-journey, and keep students informed of progress. The learning must continue and our learning targets can be universal for the whole year. Students can now use feedback to see what they are doing right and how they can move a box on the targets and scales, instead of seeing what they did wrong and receiving a penalty. Assessment informs practice, and these assessments must be varied, and done over time. If we provide frequent checkpoints too as teachers, this is where the students learn the most. Students can’t use the summative feedback to grow, they need to see pattern of achievement. Much like in “Art of Changing the Brain”, students need to see the end of the road and how their progress will benefit them in the future.