Wanna know what I think we should do about education right now? Let me tell you!

I had a bit of a startling realization this morning. I have been talking about my plan on how to resolve education for the 20-21 school year for students of all ages for months now. I've been talking to my family, to colleagues, parents, clients, pre-service and resident cadres of teachers that I teach, and anybody else willing to listen.

What I haven't done, is post my thinking anywhere, like right here on my own blog. Nor has anybody offered me a national microphone with which to broadcast my thoughts on an epic platform. Which is what I think we need right now.

So here's what I think.

I have been saying since last spring that we should not worry about in-person classes, standard curricula, and certainly not grading for this school year.

Stay with me here, cuz I do have a plan.

And my plan is not complex.

One of the most effective teaching tools I used in public school, at the University level as a professor, and as a mentor and coach, has been to submerge students in project-based learning. I really feel like this would solve all of our problems right now while we're in the thick of this pandemic.

If teachers would be allowed to simply assign high interest, student-driven, project-based learning formats, students would most likely become more engaged and have buy-in within their learning.

As I have done in past years, I would have all students, from Pre-K through 12, choose a topic they really want to learn about. They could spend the whole semester learning everything they can about their chosen subject.

Then they could show what they've learned in a manner that supports their learning styles through authentic assessment. Some might do research papers. Some might do technology presentations. Some might build things, create studies or websites, write songs or interpretive dances, the list is endless.

The point is, academically, students would use research, reading, math, science, technology, and so many other skills, as they learn about their chosen topics. Standards and objectives would be met intrinsically, depending on the style of presentation and the depth of learning.

Students would be more likely to be engaged at all levels through each semester spent doing project-based learning, and all associated skills would inherently improve.

Proficiency would be judged using well-designed rubrics, separate and apart from basic letter grades, although standards and core curricula could still be referenced.

For many years I have taught a university course on the effectiveness of grading. If you look at the data, you will see that the only grades that are really motivating for students are either A's, or grades higher than what the student expected to get. Other than that, grades can be an incredibly demotivating thing.

All anyone has to do is open a news feed, pick up a paper, or look at current studies to see that student achievement is sliding at an epic and devastating rate. In addition, well more than a third of those receiving grades at all are receiving failing grades. In what world can this be motivating? In fact, how can students be given failing grades during unparalleled times like these, and then want to put forth the effort to stay in school, or continue their education as they get older?

My plan continues.

At the end of next summer, when students will hopefully be returning to school, they all should be tested for specific and composite skill levels.

Resulting from the assessments of their progress and standings, grade levels and delineations could then be assigned in the fall. This could innately mean that not everybody would be in the same peer classes that they may have been a year ago, or would be had the playing field of education not changed.

But that's okay.

I have worked with multi-age classrooms for decades. Multi-age grouping, in the past, has allowed for more streamlined instruction. Differentiated instruction has still been needed, but the scope has been narrowed.

I really think this would be a perfect solution during circumstances that are anything but perfect. I have detailed ideas on how small groups of kids could work together, especially those with limited access to internet, or who struggle in a variety of ways. The bottom line is that all students would be learning, and manners that are beneficial to their goals, and their learning styles, and education, would indeed continue, thus fighting back at the achievement slide.

What about the whole social, interaction, and experiences-of-school piece? That's the groundwork for my follow-up article, look for that next week! Or if your anticipation gets the best of you, you can always feel free to schedule a consultation with me by clicking here!