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How do we determine success? Is it conquering a fear
or getting an A+ on a paper?
Traditionally success within the education system has been defined
through assessment with rubrics, criteria, standardized tests and formal and
informal feedback (Young, Levin & Wallin, 2014). Success has been a letter grade or a percentage on an
assignment, test or paper. I believe that success should not just depend on a
number or letter grade when it comes to learning.
Assessment as discussed by Drake, Reid & Kolohon
(2014) has the power to influence a learner’s identity and motivation. I think
this is absolutely true! If a student is continuously struggling to get an “A”
on standardized test but only seems to be receiving “B’s or C” their
determination and motivation will slowly start to dwindle if those marks aren’t
seen as being achievements. I believe that all students have different talents,
strengths and abilities. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence highlights
this notion and perhaps we should be celebrating a student’s success in wood
working or art class just as much as we would if they came home with a perfect
math test. Angela Duckworth (2013) in her Ted talk defines motivation as ‘grit’
and having a passion to learning. She too questions whether success should
solely depend on IQ scores and explains that passion is the key to success. I
agree with her, in order for students to succeed they must have a passion, an
interest and the motivation to learn.
This directly relates to learner identity. I myself am
still learning about my learner identity as I fully believe we are life long
learners we must be open to getting to know ourselves in order to fully
succeed. As educators must be able to celebrate
our students “ah hah moments” as these moments help them discover their talents
and abilities that go into developing their learner identity. Drake, Reid &
Kolohon (2014) (pg.21) also share this notion as they mention through Neil’s
(2010) writing that: “appreciative assessment, then, is all about helping
students find and build on their unique abilities and aptitudes but providing
positive, supportive feedback with a focus on capabilities and possibilities.”
The more we as, teachers celebrate every form of success that highlights a
student’s unique ability we are helping them define who they are; which is vital
for their development and their future successes.
Within today’s culture children and youth have many
outlets and influences from the media and technology that try to tell them who
they are (Andere, 2015). Education, assessment and curriculum also have major influencing
factors (Andrelchik, & Schmitt, 2014). I believe; however, that it is up to educators to help them discover
what they themselves, define to be success and then to support them to meet
their goals while guiding them to discover who they are! A child will be able
to succeed when they become confident in their identity and in their learning
abilities.
Though a critical lens the video below also questions what success truly means in regards to education. It calls us to evaluate who we are, what are goals are and links directly into my opinion that in order for children to truly be successful we must discover their learning identities; their strengths, talents and goals and teach towards that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_ZmM7zPLyI
I challenge all future and current educators to reexamine how they teach the curriculum and asses students' assignments and tests. I challenge teachers to teach in a way that allows students to discover their learning identity in order to succeed in all that they do!
References:
Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment: Engaging the 21st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Though a critical lens the video below also questions what success truly means in regards to education. It calls us to evaluate who we are, what are goals are and links directly into my opinion that in order for children to truly be successful we must discover their learning identities; their strengths, talents and goals and teach towards that!
I challenge all future and current educators to reexamine how they teach the curriculum and asses students' assignments and tests. I challenge teachers to teach in a way that allows students to discover their learning identity in order to succeed in all that they do!
References:
Andere,
E. (2015). Are Teachers Crucial for Academic Achievement? Finland Educational
Success in a Comparative Perspective. Education Policy Analysis Archives,
23(39),
Andrelchik,
H., & Schmitt, R. O. (2014). Students' Perception of Success in the Art
Classroom. International Journal Of Education & The Arts, 15(13),
Drake, S. M., Reid, J. L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving Curriculum and Classroom Assessment: Engaging the 21st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
Young, L., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2014). Understanding Canadian schools: An Introduction to Educational Administration (5th ed.). Available at http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~wallind/understandingcanadianschools5.html.
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ReplyDeleteHey Emma! I really enjoyed reading your blog as you beliefs on education seem to match mine. As I discussed in class this week, I have a young boy who a tutor and he is a perfect example of a student who struggle so hard to attain that “perfect” letter grade, but seems to only be getting C’s. Because of this, his determination to continue and succeed in school is slowly dwindling causing him to become very anxious and negative about school and anything to do with it. I help him with his reading/spelling, which is what he struggles with, however he seems to really excel in math! Which is why I totally agree with your point about Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence, the student I tutor quite clearly excels in math, but struggles in other subjects. I think that myself, as well as my students teacher and parents need to celebrate his learning in other areas, in order to further motivate him to succeed in school. My tutoring student is smart and talented in so many ways, but because his schooling depends so much on him getting good marks, its hard for him to get past that and see what I see. I think it would be interesting for me to discuss with him what he believes success is and how we can measure it together.
ReplyDeleteOverall, great input on success and how you view it! I’m curious though; what experiences with success have you had? How have you succeed in school and in what way were you assessed? I.e. letter/percentage grade? Or some other way?
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ReplyDeleteEmma, your blog was a pleasure to read. It really challenged me to think critically about what is success and if we can ever really standardize success and sum up success in as little as a percent or grade level. It got me thinking about the fact that we are constantly comparing students on a very narrow assessment criteria and how some of the most valuable skills in life and work are not being formally assessed. When was the last time you got an A+ in social interactions? There are a lot of skills like being a confident social person that are not being assessed - when it comes to social interactions sometimes they are actually punished in traditional classrooms, on the basis of being 'distracted'. I think that this really ties back to Gardner's theory of multiple intelligence and how we are failing to assess all types of knowledge and understanding. There are so many ways to be successful and sometimes it seems like school only recognizes one way of being successful. How can you actively celebrate different forms of intelligence in your future classroom while abiding by curriculum and school expectations? Great blog Emma! You really challenged me to critically reflect on how I define success to my future students!
ReplyDeleteEmma, I really enjoyed reading about your ideas on success and how it is different for every student. I agree that it is really hard to define success for each student especially when all we have to assess students is grades or percentages. When students, and especially parents, see a D or C they may consider it to be a failure even though this grade represents the best of the students ability and therefore a success for them. While you mention that we need reexamine how we teach and assess our students I think we also need to consider how we can do this within the constraints set upon us as educators to follow the curriculum and assessment guidelines we may have to follow. Is there really any way that we can include assessment of passion like you mentioned? Getting poor grades can definitely affect a students education and their learner identity so do you believe that maybe one of the keys is to teach students that getting an A versus a D does not define their success but how much effort they put into their work? I know that for me personally has been helpful with not getting discouraged about getting a grade that I consider poor. If I know that I put my best effort into an assignment and I receive I poor grade while it can discourage me it also gives me to motivation to ask for help and ask why I did not get as well I thought I would and try and receive a better grade on the next assignment. I really look forward to reading more of your ideas!
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