scribblechic

I am a nervous speaker, an impossible blush and a wavering voice betray false confidence while racing heartbeats chase my words into self-doubt. Conscious of this personal Achilles’ heel I shy away from commitments that push me into the forefront of a conversation among strangers. This year I joined a committee lead by an administrator and composed of parents across our school district eager to learn more about a change stretching from elementary to middle school classrooms. I imagined gathering notes, pencil to paper, only to find myself raising a hand to lend questions and comments to a new discussion; stretching my comfort zone in an effort to give voice to my hopes, uncertainties, and experiences as a parent in our district.

Our first meeting I created a place of quiet comfort, intrigued by differing perspectives I spent most of that first hour gathering information. It was only at the last moment when another’s comment prompted me to lend a voice of experience which contradicted expectations that I spoke up, my words fragmented among my nerves held together by conviction. We were discussing the application of Standards Based Grading in theory, but my son was a student during a testing phase and our experience was riddled with errors in application that bred doubt in a system I would otherwise embrace. Here, with the weight of experience, I tip toed closer to the discussion hoping my voice would lend awareness to potential challenges. In a system designed to make certain students are meeting academic standards, the standards for measuring student knowledge must be consistent among teachers.

This past week, as we reconvened in a circle of strangers each vested in the education of our children, our company expanded to include familiar faces. Grateful for the reassurance of friends I borrowed strength from their kindness and waded further into the conversation. As we contrasted the traditional letter grades against a system expected to lend a more honest snapshot of individual student performance I was struck by a greater personal concern: how we nurture learning.

The statistics that were intended to demonstrate the inflated measure of traditional grades by highlighting the failure of A students in college raised greater concerns for me as a parent: how students face challenges, learn independently, and take accountability for their education as young learners in preparation for future experiences.

I am still learning how this new grading system will enhance my children’s experiences as learners, balancing our school’s decisions with my values as a parent. I will continue to raise my children with an expectation that they greet each experience with a willingness to learn that embraces failure as an opportunity to grow and education as something that extends beyond structured lessons to encompass individual curiosity. I want my children to be accountable for knowledge above grades and effort beyond measurement. Still I am immeasurably grateful for my place in this new conversation as I challenge my own limits to give voice to a subject close to my heart.

Tagged: Children, Education, Musings