Pernille Ripp

alfie kohn, being a teacher, grades, questions

Is the Report Card Obsolete?

November 23, 2011 Pernille Ripp

Today I was asked what I have against report cards and as I stood there explaining my stance on grades something dawned on me; if we keep parents informed throughout the semester or trimester, do we really need report cards? After all, I continuously meet with my students and offer them feedback and we set and work on their goals. I send home more detailed feedback for parents to peruse so then doesn’t the purpose of the report card become obsolete? In fact, the report card may work against our philosophy of students as developing learners since we chunk their development and their learning into artificial calendar dates as determined by the district. Something unnecessary and just a tad bit redundant.

So I leave with this thought; could we abolish report cards altogether? Or are they a necessary component of our reporting to students and parents? Are they simply an overview or a snapshot rather than the entry ticket into college and free pizza?

Awards, being a teacher, students

Awards for All Means Students Still Lose – No Matter How Well Meaning They Are

November 22, 2011 Pernille Ripp

I recently read Matt Ray’s post titled “Awards for All” (and I encourage you to read it as well) and although I know that his intent is pure, after all, he loves those children like no one else, I question the idea of providing an award for all. Awards can be a sticky mess for me. I know I don’t want them to be a part of my classroom, particularly from an academic standpoint, but I am also starting to believe that really we shouldn’t be concocting “fake” ones either However, I got the impression that Matt created these rewards because otherwise his students may never actually receive any form of reward. So then that makes it ok, right?

This society with its emphasis on making someone the best means someone is always the loser. This competition for adoration starts young, when students are subjected to enforced spelling bees and honor rolls in elementary school. It is not that I am opposed to celebrating students, I just don’t understand the need to always give them something. To hand them a diploma stating that they are indeed number 1 at whatever we decide. While personality awards like the ones Matt discussed may seem harmless, I wonder, how does the child feel that really wanted to most improved in math and didn’t get it? Or the child that has been working hard to be kind toward all but is not recognized for it? We are also making losers out of them.

Awards are a slippery slope and while we as teachers think that it boosts students self-esteem, how often does it hurt it? How often does the innocent title that we give a child in order to raise their self-esteem end up boxing them in instead? When we choose to focus on one trait of a child’s personality, no matter how kind our intentions were, we in essence tell the child that this is the one thing I have noticed and all of these other things, you did not quite excel enough in. Why the need for recognition? Can we not through our own words and actions give these children enough recognition without having to do it in awards form? Is this society so entrenched in awards and making losers out of someone that we have to make up awards just to reach all children? If that is the case, then I guess I am not doing my part.

classroom management, classroom setup

10 Ways to Make it "Their" Room

November 20, 2011 Pernille Ripp

Visualize a flow – do you see students moving around a lot, or will they be more sequestered? Either way, make sure people can get by each other without any issues arising.
Create different spots – I learn best sitting in a comfy chair or sprawled out, as do many of my students. Some though prefer the rigidity of a desk. Offer options within your classroom to fit all of their movement needs, which leads me to the next point.
Let them use your classroom in whichever manner they see fit, as long as it is within safe reason. My students don’t ask whether they can move, they know that they can, as long as it is not disruptive or unsafe. I love that they feel like it is their room.
Talk about it as our room not your room. Language matters and how you label the classroom is huge. Do you have a sign that says welcome to “my” room? That sends a message. I still catch myself saying “my” even though I know it is ours.
Have them set the expectations. We all work better when we decide our working conditions. I have the students discuss routines and expectations for the year and then we adjust them as necessary. Again, this is their room, not my room.
Un-clutter. At the elementary level there seems to be a need to cram as much stuff on our walls as possible to help the kids or inspire them. I chose instead to give them room to create and to only put up things that are vital for our learning at that time. Our room is by no means bare but it does reflect what we are working on and then provides calm.
Get rid of your desk. I cannot tell you how the energy of my room changed when I did. I still have a table for my computer and planner but it is against a wall. The students use when I don’t and they also use the computer. I was worried I wouldn’t have a place to put all of my stuff and it turns out I have had to get a lot more organized because of this.
Give them space. Make sure the students feel they have enough room for their things, we just have bins and cubbies but it works for us. The kids spread out more when they need to but they also clean up after themselves. I had to let go a bit of how clean the classroom is but have noticed that the kids now take more pride in the room.
Stop managing and controlling them. You control animals and manage tasks, not children. How about guiding or leading them instead? Language matters because it changes your own mindset. I don’t do classroom management, we instead have classroom routines and expectations. The power of words is immense.
Believe in it and prove it. You cannot talk about their room but then act like you are the queen bee. It just doesn’t work. So if you truly want students to take ownership of their learning and their room, get out of the way. Let them experiment with how the tables are set up or where they gather for a lesson. Let them figure out how it works best for them. You can direct obviously but have them discuss and try.

discussion, homework, no homework, Student-centered

From the Mouths of Babes – My Students Discuss Homework

November 19, 2011 Pernille Ripp

Thanks to a wonderful Time For Kids article this week, my students engaged in a 30 minute discussion on whether or not teachers should assign homework (we ran out of time or it could have gone longer). I started out taping the discussion, hoping to share it, but the camera stifled them, so I turned it off and instead just listened and asked a couple of questions. And the result? Well, it was mixed.

Many students believed that homework was a necessary evil at first, and by that I mean, they think they should be assigned it so they can learn responsibility. However, when I asked them whether they could be taught responsibility in a different manner they all agreed they already were responsible in school. After that they started changing their mind. Some highlights for me were:

We already work our hardest at school and deserve to be done with school when the bell rings.
We are tired when we get home so homework does not represent our best work.
Some times our parents cannot help us and we end up more confused.
Teachers do not own our time outside of school, but why do they think they do? They can’t for example order us to go to Target.
I want to have a life outside of school and pursue my activities.
It is ok to have homework during the week but never during the weekend or during holidays.
If a student works hard during the day and is responsible, they should be able to not have homework after school.
It is ok to assign reading and special projects but they have to be super fun and have student choice.
Homework does not teach us responsibility but instead teaches us to get it done fast.
Homework should not be graded since it is just practice.
Homework should be assigned because school has to come first and that is our job.

I love the level of thinking I am seeing in these students as they develop their discussion habits. They are figuring out when to speak and reacting to each other’s comments. I also love how they are evaluating the world and learning to speak their minds. I believe the camera stifled them because some were nervous in stating their opinion, after all, they are only 5th graders, what do they know?

being a teacher, conferences, global, global read aloud

The Global Read Aloud – My Session From The Global Education Conference 2011

November 19, 2011 Pernille Ripp

This week I had the thrill of presenting at The Global Education Conference on my passion; The Global Read Aloud. This 30 minute or so presentation was recorded, so if you would like to hear it “live” here is the link.

You can also see my slides below, I am not sure they will make much sense though without the audio. I tend to not do a lot of text.

being a teacher, education reform, Student-centered

Want to Shut Educators Up? Tell Them "It Is For the Children…"

November 18, 2011 Pernille Ripp

The oldest excuse in the book for change in education is, “We do it for the children.” And it works! Throw that baby on the discussion table and people just go silent. After all, if it is for the children then it must be good. If it is for the children then if we decide against it we are deciding against children. If it is for the children then it must be researched and proven to benefit them. And yet, we have all been fooled by this statement. Purchasing a Smartboard – it is for the children. Creating more tests – it is for the children. Slashing school budgets – it is for the children. Proposing merit pay – it is for the children. Common Core standards – it is for the children. Asking teachers to take pay cuts and freezes – it is for the children. Bigger report cards with more homework and tests to report – oh yes, it is for the children.

Except most of the time it is not. Because when were the children ever asked? We say it is for the children and yet they never enter the actual decision-making or even discussion. If you asked a child if they wanted more “rigor” in their education, I can almost guarantee that most of them would look at you like you were crazy. If you ask them if they needed more grades or more tests, their answer might surprise you. When teachers are asked to take pay cuts because otherwise our children will get hurt, most children would be sad to hear it.

So let’s cut the crap, sorry. Most decisions in education is not for the children, but for the test company, for the district to look good, or for someone’s life to be easier. It is not for the benefit of the children. And yes, of course, we know more than the children but the fact that their voices are left out of the education debate and reform should be frightening to us all. So start small; ask the children in your room and then tell me it is for the children.