Out For Summer!~~Not Quite Yet......

Some tips & tricks to help parents & students make it through the final weeks of the school year on a positive note:

• Stick to your normal routine as much as possible.  Even though kids want to stay up later---they've all got a little "spring fever," it is important to be consistent.
• Allow students more "outside" time.  Getting outdoors and enjoying all the sunshine is certain to give them opportunities to "appropriately" exert all that energy!
• Have conversations with your child about the importance of behavior these last few weeks of school.  There is always a tendency for students to feel that school is "out" once standardized testing is done; however, we all know there is so much more to be accomplished before May 23rd!
• Stay in communication with your child's teacher and be sure to emphasize this connection with him or her.  If kids know that parents & teachers are on the same page, it is often less tempting for them to "test the waters."
• Be encouraging and talk about all the exciting things ahead---summer plans, perhaps a vacation, visiting family, etc.... while letting your child know how important it is that they end their school year on a positive note!
• Last, but not least, provide incentives if needed!  You know your child best. Offer them extra computer time, a special play date over the weekend, a trip to Brusters, or perhaps, one-on-one time with you if they have a great week at school---whatever it is that makes them tick!

When it's all said and done, I'm sure everyone would agree that the last few weeks of school can be quite demanding on students and teachers alike.  With the arrival of the beautiful weather outside and students who have worked tirelessly to do well on all the "end of the year" tests, it is important to help them maintain focus and stay the course until the very end. As my beloved grandmother used to say, "Summer is a coming--but it's not here yet!"

Grades--A commodity or evidence of real learning?

As someone who works primarily with curriculum and the instructional program in an elementary setting, I often address parent concerns that stem from grades their child has earned on an assessment.  More often than not, the perspective of "grades" is generated from the notion that they are a commodity to be earned and the better a child performs, the higher the grade.

While this is not necessarily untrue, I feel that focusing solely on this aspect can diminish the real purpose and intent behind grades.  In the most authentic sense, grades are intended to assess and promote student learning and academic progress. 

That being said, I believe it is critical for parents to reflect on these questions when reviewing their child's work samples and examining grades:

1) Is my child meeting the expectation of the standards?
2) Does he/she have a deeper understanding of the concepts being presented? (More than rote memorization--but true application of knowledge)
3) How can this learning be applied to real world situations and ideas?
4) If my child performed poorly, what are the specific learning gaps?  Likewise, if my child exceeded the standards, how can he/she be appropriately challenged with other learning opportunities? 

Finally, I want to emphasize that "grades" alone carry little meaning without consideration of the learning behind them.  I encourage all parents to look closely and more deeply at student work samples that come home on a regular basis to ascertain the true meaning of the letter grade inscribed on the paper. When we focus on "authentic learning" versus learning to simply pass the test, we can ensure that our children are truly prepared for their next steps in the real world of an ever-changing and increasingly complex society.