students – Page 2 – Pernille Ripp

When the Back-to-School Nightmares Start

July 15, 2025 Pernille Ripp

I had my first back-to-school nightmare yesterday.

Woke up feeling unprepared, heart in my throat, and all sorts of nervous. It was nothing special, the standard one where everything starts off smooth, and then all of a sudden everything falls apart. I am unprepared, lost, and being evaluated. I woke up in high alert, what do I need to do right now in order to not get there.

School starts August 11th in Denmark, and on that day I get to take on the role of homeroom teacher for two 3rd grades. I get to continue with the class that has made me a teacher in Denmark, and then I get to add their neighbor class to be mine as well. And the nervousness is real.

After all, how do you split yourself between two classes like that? How do you make sure that both classes know that they matter? How do you invent, create, reflect, and ponder without overworking yourself? How do you make each kid feel seen when you are split evenly between two communities that both need you in unique ways? How do you show up in the way that you know matters, when these new kids are wondering how much you will be their teacher and whether *you will be with us a lot, Pernille?*

It almost feels like I am welcoming my second child, hoping that my heart will stretch enough to love widely, knowing that it will.

But tell that to my nightmares.

In the past, I would have thrown my into prep wok, spending countless hours planning, conceiving, creating. I would have gone in for hours, trying to get it just so, trying to work my way through my nerves. Making copies until I could feel my anxiety ebb.

But not now. Not anymore. Instead, I garden. I bake. I go to cross fit. I read. And sure, I dream a little. I reflect on how I want that first day to be framed. I consider how I want to get to know them, and how we want to continue to build their community.

So I plan. But differently now, a plan where I don’t drown, and summer just feels like the checklist item to be done before another school year. I plan for presence. For slowness. For the moment when a child looks at me and wonders, Are you really here with us? and I can say yes—not just with my words, but with the way I show up. And to do that I need to not work. I need to not stay in that space where teaching takes up most of me. Because that doesn’t fill me in the ways I need to be filled, in order to go all in.

So I give myself permission to pull back. To trust that stepping away is also a kind of preparation—that rest is not a pause in the work, but part of it. Because when I give myself space to breathe, I make space for them too.

I think about how I want that first day to feel. Not just for them, but for me too. I want it to feel calm. Possible. Like a beginning, not a performance. I want them to know I see them, both classes, both groups of humans who deserve a teacher that isn’t running on empty.

And so, instead of drowning in to-do lists, I remind myself of what I already know: that the magic isn’t in the deeply detailed plans or the laminated name tags – although those will come. It’s in the way we build trust, one small moment at a time. It’s in the way I let my heart stretch and make room—just like it always has.

If you’re waking up from your own back-to-school nightmare, you’re not alone. This time of year is heavy with what-ifs and should-dos. But maybe the work isn’t to prepare more. Maybe it’s to believe more—in who you already are, and the teacher you’re still becoming.

We’ll be ready. Not because we’ve done it all, but because we’ll be there. And that matters more than anything else. We’ll be ready, because that’s what we do.

being a student, being a teacher, reflection, Student Engagement, Student-centered

Would I like being a student in my own classroom? A reflection tool

May 27, 2025May 27, 2025 Pernille Ripp

One of my driving questions for the past 15 years has been a simple one; at the end of the day, would I like being a student in my own classroom? And as I have one month left of school, I feel the question pressing in on me as I think of next year and both the joy of continuing with my current class, as well as becoming the classroom teacher for a different class.

Would what we do make me feel safe? Help me engage? Make me feel like my voice was heard and respected? Would the way we learn, grow, discuss, and assess make sense to me?

This question is a conversation starter, an invitation into meaningful reflection where you get to craft the path for what you may need to shift or tweak your day-to-day practice. Because ultimately it is about creating conditions for shared power as a way to show children just how much power they can have over their own bodies and minds, even within the confinements of a publicly mandated and government decided educational system.

In fact, this question is at the core of my newly published book, Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students, now in its 3rd edition! But it’s not the only question, I ask. In fact, the books has more than 100 reflection questions embedded throughout, some big, some small, all meant for you to carve your own path into a more sustainable, meaningful practice.

But as a way to get you started, I decided to pull together a reflection sheet for you, modeled after questions in chapter 2 of the book. It’s 3 pages with 12 questions, that can be used by itself, as part of a larger reflection, or a book study, individually or with others. You can do some of the questions or just a few. You can write, discuss, or simply think. It’s a tool, use it as such and make it work for you.

👉 Link to the tool right here

And if you are interested in diving deeper, I highly recommend my book. I poured my heart into it, making it a practical invitation into co-created spaces that are not exhausting to be in. And right now, it is on sale.

The book is written as a companion to the practice you already have. It is not meant as a long list of abbreviations or new systems, but instead a way to help you reflect, while also offering up a major array of practical strategies and tools that you can use the very next day. It is meant as an affirmation, while also giving you access points to grow your practice so that you may feel better about the time you spend teaching, the students feel like what you do together matters, and that everyone is given tools to continue being critical questioners and thinkers outside of your learning space.

Is it worth it? You can see the reviews from other educators here

Whether you buy the book, or simply follow my work on Instagram or Facebook, just know that I am here to help.

👉 Access the PDF right here

assessment, feedback, grades

Rethinking Feedback: Shifting the Power to Students

March 29, 2025 Pernille Ripp

We know feedback matters. I think of all the ways I have grown because my students, my husband, my editor, and so many others have bothered to share their wisdom with me. Sometimes it stings. Sometimes it sits in the back of my mind, waiting for the right moment. And sometimes, it changes everything.

And yet, when it comes to students, we often act as if feedback is something we do to them rather than with them. We spend hours writing comments, circling errors, suggesting revisions. But how often do students actually use it? How often does our feedback feel more like judgment than guidance?

Maybe it’s time to rethink who gives feedback, how it’s given, and why it even matters. And maybe we can shift our feedback practices in ways that actually work for kids—without adding more to our plates. Here are four shifts that put students in charge of their own growth.

1. Ditch the Teacher-Only Feedback Model

We shouldn’t be the only ones giving feedback. In fact, we might be the worst at it—too rushed, too generic, too focused on what we think matters instead of what they care about.

💡 New idea: What if students got more feedback from peers, younger students, real-world audiences, and even AI tools—and less from us?

👉 Try this:

Have students share their writing with a younger class. It’s wild how quickly they’ll simplify, clarify, and revise when they realize a first grader is their audience. I have done this for years with speeches and even our nonfiction picture book unit, it alters the entire process.
Use AI to generate feedback alongside human feedback—then have students compare. What’s useful? What’s missing?
Create a “feedback portfolio” where students collect and analyze all feedback received (not just yours) and decide what’s worth acting on.

2. Scrap the Grade—But Not for the Reason You Think

We talk about “going gradeless” to reduce stress, and to make learning more meaningful, but removing grades doesn’t matter if students still see feedback as punishment.

💡 New idea: It’s not about eliminating grades—it’s about making assessments feel like coaching instead of judgment.

👉 Try this: Instead of “no grades,” try collaborative grading. Sit down with a student and decide their grade together based on evidence of growth. Let them argue their case. Shift the power.

I have done this for many years, not just with student self-assessments but also their report cards. The conversations you end up having as a way to figure out where to land offer immeasurable insight into how kids see themselves as learners.

3. Let Students Give YOU Feedback First

What if every piece of feedback we gave students had to start with them giving us feedback first?

💡 New idea: Before turning in a project, students answer:

“What’s the best part of this work?”
“Where did I struggle?”
“What specific feedback do I want from you?”

👉 Try this: Make a rule: no teacher feedback without student reflection first. If they can’t identify a strength and a challenge, they’re not ready for feedback yet.

4. The One-Word Feedback Challenge

Ever spend time crafting detailed feedback, only to have students glance at the grade and move on?

💡 New idea: What if our feedback had to fit in one word? Instead of writing long paragraphs that students ignore, we give a single word that sparks curiosity: Tension. Clarity. Depth. Risk. Precision.

👉 Try this: Give students one-word feedback and make them consider what it means. Have them write a short reflection: Why did my teacher choose this word? How does it apply to my work? This forces them to engage with feedback before receiving explanations.

Feedback shouldn’t feel like a dead-end—it should be a conversation. When we shift the balance, when students take ownership, feedback stops being something they receive and starts being something they use. And isn’t that the whole point?

assessment, discussion, feedback, grades, Student Engagement

Let Kids Reject Feedback (Yes, Really!)

March 24, 2025 Pernille Ripp

A quote block where it says: Good feedback isn't about control, it's about conversation.

What if kids had the right to ignore our feedback? Not because they’re stubborn or disengaged, but because they understand it—and decide to make a different choice.

Too often, feedback feels like a demand: Fix this. Change that. Do it this way. But writers? They get feedback, weigh it, and sometimes say, “No, I’m keeping this.” That’s not disengagement—it’s ownership.

Let’s Build Feedback Negotiation into the Process

Instead of expecting students to accept every suggestion, teach them to think critically about feedback—to question, challenge, and ultimately make their own choices.

1️⃣ Shift the Conversation – Before giving feedback, set the tone:
🗣️ “You don’t have to take every suggestion. Your job is to think about it.”
Ask them: What do you want my feedback on? Where are you stuck? Make it a dialogue, not a directive. I’ve written about this before in the context of only looking at one thing in writing conferences.

2️⃣ Teach Kids to Push Back (The Great Way) –
When students disagree with feedback, they need language to explain why. Try modeling this:

“I see what you’re saying, but I’m keeping this word because it’s my character’s voice.”
“I understand your point, but I want this to feel unfinished on purpose.”
“I’ll change this part, but I’m going to keep this sentence because it’s important to me.”

If we want students to engage with feedback, we have to let them practice rejecting it thoughtfully—just like writers do.

3️⃣ Make Choice Part of the Process – Instead of requiring students to change everything, try this:
🔹 Pick one piece of feedback to apply and one to challenge. Explain why.
This simple step forces them to consider feedback instead of just following orders.

4️⃣ Celebrate Thoughtful Resistance –
When students defend their choices, it means they care. That’s the goal. Instead of marking something as “wrong,” ask:

Why did you make this choice?
What effect are you going for?
How can you make this even stronger while keeping your vision?

Good feedback isn’t about control. It’s about conversation. And if we want kids to become confident writers, we have to teach them that their voices matter—even if that means telling us no.

Be the change, being a teacher, Student-centered

I Am the Quiet

November 9, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I never used to be quiet. My classroom was filled with noise from the moment the students arrived until they left. Whether it was me lecturing, me giving out directions, me keeping them on track, or even a soundtrack of music to keep them motivated, we just didn’t do quiet. We were loud, we were active, and there was always chatter.

One night, as I yelled at my husband to turn off his music so that I could concentrate on writing, it finally dawned on me. Perhaps my students didn’t need more noise, perhaps they needed more quiet. Perhaps I needed to stop talking, perhaps I needed to stop playing the music. Perhaps I needed to embrace the quiet and let it speak for itself. Perhaps I needed to be quiet so my students could start speaking.

Now, we are quiet when we need to be. During reading, you will hear hushed conversations, during writing it is almost silent. I keep my discussions short. I try to pull my voice out of the conversation so that my students can figure it out among themselves. When a child faces me with a problem I sit quietly and think with them, trying to come up with a solution. When a child is the most unruly and angry, my lower voice and quiet words often diffuse the situation better than any punishment ever could.

Sure there are words, but the quiet now emphasizes them. No longer do I feel the need to constantly yell over the noise (unless we are doing science!). No longer do I feel the need to bark out orders. Sure there are instructions being given, but there is also quiet so they can figure it out. Quiet so they can think. Quiet so they can just be.

I am a passionate (female) 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

building community, classroom setup, new teacher, new year

Some Ways To Show My Students They Matter

July 29, 2013 Pernille Ripp

This year we start the first day of school with a first day of school. And while there will be no orientation day, no meet and greet, I still want them to feel that excitement of a new year, a new room, a new group of kids, and definitely a new teacher. I want them to know that I am so happy to teach them, because I am! So I have been thinking of little ways I can show them how much they matter, feel free to add more in the comments.

The welcome letter – I spend a lot of time crafting this letter because I want them to get to know me a little bit, get excited about the great things we will explore, and for them to feel welcomed. I change it every year, but here is last year’s letter as an example. (Don’t mind the atrocious picture quality, I had to compress the file).
The book bins – Every student will have a book bin waiting for them with books carefully selected from last year’s students. On each book is a post-it note explaining why the book was chosen and how much they loved it. I hope this makes my new students excited about reading.
Student created book bins with selected books
The letters from former students – each student also has a handwritten letter from my old students giving them tips on 5th grade, insider information about “surviving” their new teacher, and things they can look forward to. I love the care my old students take to welcome the new students even though they are not at the school anymore. (And I keep these letters every year after the new students have read them).
Pencils with messages – these don’t show up for a few weeks as I get to know them but I love leaving small messages on number 2 pencils. Why buy them pre-printed when you can write exactly what you want with a sharpie?
messages on pencils from last year
Purchasing their favorite picture books – I have been on a picture book binge this summer – they are just so absolutely fantastic. So what better way than to expand my library then by asking my students what their favorite picture book is and then surprise reading it aloud for them at some point? I cannot wait to make this a reality, even if it means spending more of my own money on books.
The precepts – we finished last year sharing “Wonder” and I asked my students to write precepts for how to love 5th grade. They did and these will be welcoming my new students in the hallway leading to our room.
The family picture – Someone smart (and if it was you please let me know so I can give you credit) wrote about how they would have students bring in a family picture to leave in the classroom all year. I love this idea! So I will ask every child to bring in a special picture (or photocopy of one) and then we will make a display out of all of them for the whole year. I want the students to feel this is is their room as much as mine right from the beginning.