Sunday, May 13, 2012

Week Two Reading: Human Potential, not Music Notes


Week Two Reading:  Human Potential, not Music Notes

The Ted video had me hooked from the start; I do not feel that I would have absorbed as much from the readings had I not seen, heard, and felt Zander’s energy in the video first.  The video and “The Art of Possibility” are inspiring words of wisdom for all walks of life, not just for musicians.  He talks more of human potential than musical notes.


Having a son who has now played violin for 5 years and a son who is learning to play the saxophone for the first time this year, I truly “laughed out loud” when he modeled how an early student of music plays a Chopin prelude.  It was as if he had been in my living room over the course of the last few years watching my boys learn to play!  Zander has not only an understanding of music, but of children’s growth as well. Many of the things he (and Rosamund) said in this week’s reading hold true from a teacher’s perspective.  Zander says, “My job is to awaken possibility in other people”.  I took what he was saying to mean that his goal is to take his students on a journey where they find their worth and look for the best in themselves.

BEN ZANDER IN A TEACHING MOMENT
USED WITH PERMISSION FROM DEBRA FEINMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
I contemplated for a long time on what is meant by “The Easy A”.  At first reading, I thought that it doesn’t make sense to just pretend that all students are the same and they all get an A.  Pretending that my students will all rise to the challenge and do things they can’t do.  After sleeping on it and being back in school with my 8th graders after thinking about it, I read that section again.  Maybe what he meant is that giving out The Easy A brings out what is unique in students, rather than how they fall when “standardizing” kids against each other.   Grades (and of course the high-stakes testing I just administered) are all about how my students measure up against all other 8th graders in Ohio.  Grades and OAA scores do not take into consideration the environment and unique talents of my kids. The Easy A however, allows students to face their own unique challenges and tell why and how they deserve their A.  This would give a teacher richer information:  not how they stack up against others, but how they stack up against their own hopes and dreams.  This concept aligns with the Social and Emotional Learning program my school has instituted, and I can see how it can have great benefits.  However, my district says I have to assign grade cards and administer OAAs.  To find how The Easy A can be used in my classroom is a challenge I will have to think more about.
“THE JOB OF THE C IS TO MAKE THE B SAD”
USED WITH PERMISSION FROM DEBRA FEINMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

6 comments:

  1. Amanda RhymerMay 9, 2012 6:58 PM
    I know exactly what you mean, Cindi! I have to give grades with categories and weights decided on by my district. I have to give district assessments and prepare my kids for a state test. I'm really not sure how the idea of giving A's to students fits in with those district policies. I do have some flexibility on the more creative projects though, you might think about giving A's there and seeing how your students respond when they can express their ideas anyway they want to express them!

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    1. Amanda,
      I agree that some creative projects would be a perfect opportunity to give "The Easy A". I will try it with the next project based learning assignment!

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  2. Golda Lawson-CohenMay 10, 2012 9:24 AM
    Cindi, I could not agree with you more about being baffled by giving out the easy A. It is a thought I grapple with even at the college level where students are there allegedly because they want to be rather than having to be there in your situation. I don't know how to overcome this dilemma except it should be based upon the topic you are teaching. Maybe if we consider the topic would be more fun if we weren't worried about grades. The down side is some students would take advantage of the situation and say you promised me an A and I got a C. They are not thinking that they would have to do some type of work to keep the grade. I am sure these are things you thought about.

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    1. Golda,
      I hadn't really thought about how the assignment would feel different at the college level where students are there by choice and an urban 8th grade where students have to be forced to attend. That certainly does change my perspective! Amanda had a great idea to try to use "The Easy A" on a creative project, I think I will give it a try.

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  3. dsm757May 10, 2012 8:15 PM
    Cindi,
    The world we live in and the laws/expectations we must meet make it difficult to allow our students perform to their potential when they have to worry about grades all the time. Considering the emotional disorders of many of your students it would seem to me that using the easy "A" could be a great tool from time to time. It would be fun to let then be creative with sort of "No Holds Barred " expectation.

    David

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  4. Great reflection on the reading and insight into how kids learn. Your reflection on the "giving an A" is so honest and on the mark. One thing that might be missed isn't so much giving everyone the same grade but bringing the student into the process about why they got (past tense) the A. It's not that they get a grade they don't deserve, but first break their own possible self-limitations and let them imagine getting an A and then why they deserved the A.

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