Competency-Based Education and Equity
After one quarter of using a modified data wall as part of an overall competency-based approach with my Spanish 1 classes, not only has it made learning visible for the students and allowed them to assume responsibility for their own learning, but it has also helped to close opportunity gaps that lead to disparities in achievement in my own classroom. In addition to increasing the achievement of all students in the classroom by implementing best-practice instructional strategies, I also strive to provide high levels of support to ensure equitable access to a standards-based curriculum.
I received an email from a textbook publisher last week that began with the text below.
Beyond advocating a more active approach to learning, the analogy made me think about three important aspects of equity in my Spanish 1 classroom: homework, grading, and (classroom-based) assessment. In Disrupting Poverty: Five Powerful Classroom Practices, Kathleen Budge and William Parrett identify these three practices as a good litmus test to gauge an educator's orientation to equity.
Starting with homework and considering the learning to ride a bike analogy, guided and independent practice (i.e., homework) are essential for successful learning whether it is riding a bike or achieving a learning target in the classroom; however, if students are punished or lose points for not completing homework because they lack the resources and support they need, this seems unfair to me. Additionally, if my goal is that all students will learn, and if some students need more time and support to complete the necessary practice to be successful, I believe that it is my responsibility to provide that additional time and support. That is why my Spanish 1 students who are unable or who choose not to complete the practice (homework) outside of class do so with me (the support) either during class or during our intervention period (the time), depending on the situation and assignment.
This is also why homework and other guided- and independent-practice (formative) activities do not factor into Spanish 1 students' report-card grades. I firmly believe that students' report-card grades should only be based on each student's achievement relative to predetermined standards. Just like riding a bike, all the formative measures (practice, falls, etc.) are irrelevant as long as the summative goal (riding a bike independently) is successfully achieved. In Spanish 1, students' report-card grades are comprised only of their scores on summative assessments for each learning target or competency. Factors such as turning in a signed syllabus, participating in class, or anything related to behavior are not included in students' report-card grades. That is not to say that these factors are not important to me or that I do not require them of students; they simply are not part of students' report-card grade for Spanish 1.
At the beginning of the year, I tell my Spanish 1 students that they will all be successful and that it is my job to ensure that this happens. Just as with riding a bike, some students will achieve the goal very quickly whereas other students will require additional time and support to do so. Because some students require multiple attempts to be successful, it does not mean that they are dumb or below-average; it means they need more time and support to achieve a particular learning target. In Spanish 1, I require that all students achieve 80% mastery of each learning target as measured by the summative assessment associated with that target. If they do not reach that level of mastery, I may do some reteaching, and students will continue practicing and retaking the assessment until they earn at least 80%. Once they achieve 80% mastery, they move their flag on the modified data wall in my classroom and begin working on the next learning target. A current photo of the modified data wall in my classroom is below.
I have come to believe that equity is the fundamental educational issue of our time. Although it has taken me several years to figure out how to adjust my pedagogy to make sure that I am promoting academic excellence with equity in my classroom, I have started to see promising results in terms of student achievement and the closing of opportunity gaps that lead to disparities in achievement between subgroups of students. It has not been easy, but by taking a hard look at my classroom practices related to homework, grading, and (classroom-based) assessment and by modifying them when necessary to promote excellence and equity, I have started to see the opportunity and achievement gaps close in my Spanish 1 classes.
I received an email from a textbook publisher last week that began with the text below.
How did you learn to ride a bike? Did you sit in a chair while someone explained the fundamentals of bike riding, or did you go outside and give it a try? Did you get better by memorizing a set of expert techniques, or did you get a few skinned knees until you improved? Whether it’s riding a bike or learning a language, people learn best by doing! (emphasis orginal)
Starting with homework and considering the learning to ride a bike analogy, guided and independent practice (i.e., homework) are essential for successful learning whether it is riding a bike or achieving a learning target in the classroom; however, if students are punished or lose points for not completing homework because they lack the resources and support they need, this seems unfair to me. Additionally, if my goal is that all students will learn, and if some students need more time and support to complete the necessary practice to be successful, I believe that it is my responsibility to provide that additional time and support. That is why my Spanish 1 students who are unable or who choose not to complete the practice (homework) outside of class do so with me (the support) either during class or during our intervention period (the time), depending on the situation and assignment.
This is also why homework and other guided- and independent-practice (formative) activities do not factor into Spanish 1 students' report-card grades. I firmly believe that students' report-card grades should only be based on each student's achievement relative to predetermined standards. Just like riding a bike, all the formative measures (practice, falls, etc.) are irrelevant as long as the summative goal (riding a bike independently) is successfully achieved. In Spanish 1, students' report-card grades are comprised only of their scores on summative assessments for each learning target or competency. Factors such as turning in a signed syllabus, participating in class, or anything related to behavior are not included in students' report-card grades. That is not to say that these factors are not important to me or that I do not require them of students; they simply are not part of students' report-card grade for Spanish 1.
At the beginning of the year, I tell my Spanish 1 students that they will all be successful and that it is my job to ensure that this happens. Just as with riding a bike, some students will achieve the goal very quickly whereas other students will require additional time and support to do so. Because some students require multiple attempts to be successful, it does not mean that they are dumb or below-average; it means they need more time and support to achieve a particular learning target. In Spanish 1, I require that all students achieve 80% mastery of each learning target as measured by the summative assessment associated with that target. If they do not reach that level of mastery, I may do some reteaching, and students will continue practicing and retaking the assessment until they earn at least 80%. Once they achieve 80% mastery, they move their flag on the modified data wall in my classroom and begin working on the next learning target. A current photo of the modified data wall in my classroom is below.
I have come to believe that equity is the fundamental educational issue of our time. Although it has taken me several years to figure out how to adjust my pedagogy to make sure that I am promoting academic excellence with equity in my classroom, I have started to see promising results in terms of student achievement and the closing of opportunity gaps that lead to disparities in achievement between subgroups of students. It has not been easy, but by taking a hard look at my classroom practices related to homework, grading, and (classroom-based) assessment and by modifying them when necessary to promote excellence and equity, I have started to see the opportunity and achievement gaps close in my Spanish 1 classes.
Comments
Post a Comment