How We Talk About Learning – SBG and PLCs

There is something exciting going on right now in our DPS109 middle schools in regard to how we talk about learning.

We have always had incredible educators that embrace a student-centered mentality. Our current efforts to implement standards-based grading and reporting and professional learning communities have upped the stakes to a whole new level.  As is often human nature, we get so mired in the details that it is crucial to take a step back and celebrate our progress.  Our conversations and practices related to how we talk about learning have risen to a whole new level and the journey has been an impressive one.

Our SBG Journey

I cannot even tell you one time this year when I have heard the word percentage used in regard to learning and grading. The same is true of incorporating late work or behavior into the academic grades.  Those indefensible practices have been expunged from our vernacular.  They have been replaced with intelligent and focused conversations about what we want students to learn and where each individual student is related to specific learning outcomes. This is what is best for students. This brings clarity to our teaching in the student learning. This is inspiring work that is taking place.

Our staff has collectively done so much to embrace the philosophy behind SBG. Our newest challenges are to have systems in place to support the shift and also to convey the necessary communications in order to make sure that students and parents understand why this is best practice. It is taking us time to learn the nuances of inputting our grades effectively and likewise it is taking time to get those we serve to fully understand the reasons we are moving away from the traditional system that has been used for several decades. Perseverance is the name of the game and as we continue to hold steadfast. Progress will continue to be made in these areas and we will be able to further clear the plate to focus on student learning

Our PLC Journey

Our efforts to become PLCs, in the true sense of the term, have prompted us to shift from excellent conversations about what we are teaching and how we are teaching it to what students are learning, how will we know it, what will we do about it, and how will it better inform our teaching.  These foundational PLC principles already existed to varying degree in our practices, but now our conversations, goal setting, and data analysis have a greater focus on what students have learned and achieved versus what we have taught.

PLCs are forcing us to have frank conversations about the consistency and integrity of our curriculum and instruction. Looking at data from common assessments creates an instant environment of vulnerability. It takes courage to stack up our students’ performance data alongside those of our peers. If one outperforms their peers they are now in the spotlight, hopefully for all the right reasons, and they will be asked to identify what they did to produce the results. If an individual’s scores fall below their peers they are compelled to have difficult internal and external conversations and about why this reality exists. Do we make excuses or do we tap into our learning community to identify ways to grow?  The best educators gravitate to the latter.

PLCs have also forced us to shift our conversations from how we teach to how students learn. It is much easier to set a goal around what we will teach, what units we will create, and how we will skillfully assess students. It is much harder, but far more important, to set explicit goals around what students will learn and hold the team accountable to pursuing, analyzing, and acting upon the results of student achievement.

The Journeys Continue

Our middle school staff should be proud of the shifts we are making to the betterment of all of our students.  

Has it been easy? No.

Will there be more challenges as we continue on these trajectories? Absolutely!

Have we mastered PLCs? No

Have we mastered SBG? No

Are we making incredible gains towards mastering these two concepts? Yes!  I am proud and honored to be part of this journey with so many insightful, innovative, reflective, driven, and visionary educators who continue to evolve and forge ahead doing what is best for our students.