I started this year with a dream to build a fair, free, democratic classroom where students have agency over their own learning… and to be completely honest, it has been quite difficult. Most days I feel like I am trying to jam a round peg into a square hole. There are so many constraints and structures that run deep within the current system of school, that it has been difficult to circumvent them.
This year I have tried to change my practice to fit within the system, but I’m beginning to wonder if those goals are fully achievable without changing the system itself.
So I have begun to wonder…
What if curriculum, instead of being multiple pages with hundreds of bullets, was simply “find out where students are and help them move along”?
What if assessment, instead of being focused on achievement, measured and celebrated the amount of progress made by a student?
What if school goals, instead of being focused on an percentage increase of reading scores, focused on a percentage increase of love of reading?
What if reports, instead of being written solely by the teacher, were written collaboratively by the student, their family and the teacher?
What if timelines, instead of being based on pre-determined start and finish dates, were driven by students’ learning needs and interests?
What if grades, instead of ranking and labelling with letters, numbers and words, changed exclusively into feedback that advised students about how to improve and where to go next?
What if day plans, instead of being written by the teacher, were written by each student?
What if standardized tests, instead of measuring skills and knowledge, measured how much students enjoy school and find it beneficial to their life?
Sir Ken Robinson urges us that reform of the current system is not enough – it’s a complete learning revolution that is needed. Based on my experience this year I would have to agree. I think that making small shifts within the system is not enough, we as educators need to continue (or for some of us begin) critically looking at and discussing what parts of the school system are harmful to or a hindrance of student learning. It’s time to stop talking about how best to jam a round peg in a square hole, and time to start talking about how to change the whole itself.
What revolutionary, systemic “what ifs” would you add to the list?
Making Good Humans 
Love this article! Plz continue to report on your journey. It can be so exhausting to be a pioneer and to go against the grain, but it is so important. It is also exhausting to try to run on a hamster wheel of status quo, so at least you are spending your energy well. BLESSINGS!!!
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Reblogged this on Our Book of Days and commented:
Love this. So good to find tribe members, helps me know that there is a deep intuition toward respectful, reverent learning.
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This is really interesting! As a student myself, I agree with these points – there need to be some bold steps taken in order to change the claustrophobic nature of classrooms, so that students feel engaged and learn actively, rather than being forced to.
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