Validation and Learning: the #IMMOOC Paradigm

By Anonymous -
Two weeks into this #IMMOOC challenge I prescribed myself, and not only am I surviving, I am fully engaged and ideas are pouring out of my ears. I can hardly contain my excitement, but I think my principal will help me with that, as I am sure she is really over my emails. :) I have rarely read a book DURING the school year. I found my spreadsheet soulmate in @alicekeeler. This is going on my must read list of books for sure.


Validation. It is a bridge builder. It lowers the affective filter. It primes your heart and brain to take in new information and make the connection to ways you can use that information. 


I have had countless conversations with my colleagues at various levels about our grading system. What does an 86 in math mean? I stopped taking points off for no name. That doesn't have anything to do with how well a student understands rounding. I've stopped averaging first and second attempts. The goal is mastery, right? Don't we have the whole year to try and master these skills? The limitations are the deadlines for each grading period. But I've done what I could think of within the box. And I've started conversations about skill based report cards. The same problems that Alice mentioned still exist with that, but again, a small step in the right direction of accurately explaining a student's mastery of a given concept.

I have been the odd man out 3 out of the last 4 years with math homework. I have a gut feeling, along with a desire to not spend any class time on homework, that lead me away from traditional homework that had to be checked. This year, however, I decided to join the team. Why? I do not have a good answer for that. Now I am rethinking my commitment again. For so many reasons. All of which Alice called out in the video chat. 

To the naysayers to new ideas, or old ideas they've never tried, I have made the argument that the kids will not only perform well on the state test, but they will learn SO MUCH MORE. I take a Field of Dreams stance: Innovate and They Will Learn.


Change is inevitable. Growth is optional. -John Maxwell


I appreciate the positive presupposition that Couros takes in regards to teachers who are not inclined to innovate. He gives them the benefit of the doubt of not having a road map or guidelines for new things, as well as a lack of administrative and staff support. Pairing this with Simon Sinek's Golden Circle I now have a plan for approaching those staff members. I'm not an administrator, I'm a teacher. Our district has recruited us, in a way, to innovate, and share, and step into the role of peer coaches. I'm not super comfortable, or maybe don't know exactly how to offer that coaching support correctly, but I feel like this perspective will help me approach the more reticent teachers on my campus. 


After watching the video chat and reading the chapters this week, I felt this urge pulling me in a new direction. I've considered it before, but had kind of put it off my life plan. I enjoy working with students. I would miss them dearly if I was not in a classroom. I like seeing learning take place, at whatever place I'm at as the facilitator, guide, or teacher. As I mentioned last week, I jump into the pool. I like trying new things as a teacher, and then telling my team and getting them on board to try these new things, too. These actions allowed not only my set of students to be affected, but an entire grade level. I started thinking about being a college professor in an educator certification track. How fun would it be plan these engaging, life changing events for a classroom full of teachers-who would then have a classroom full of students?! I have been very interested in our district's instructional coach roles, but I don't know when I would be qualified for that.

My Innovator's Mindset super power is Reflecting. What's yours?


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