Do Report Card Narratives Lead to Positive Change?

It's that wonderful (aka exhausting) time of year!

Trimester report card narratives were due to my administrator on Tuesday. My very quiet disclaimer: Self Science, the class I teach for all students in 5th -8th grade, does not have its own space on the report card, so I don't actually have to/get to write them.  In fact, I am very fortunate that I don't deal with grades in my classes. I spend a lot of time inviting students in reflective conversations on shared google docs where we share thoughts and observations.  How could I even begin to "grade" social and emotional skills anyway?

Asking questions about why and how we do it: 

Before I begin, let me emphasize that I am questioning the "system", not criticizing the work of hard working teachers.
My awesome, and exhausted after writing way too many narratives colleagues ask for input, so I  have the opportunity to edit, and sometimes reframe comments that need a bit of clarity.  Despite the fact that I work in a school where teachers are strengths-oriented and skilled at observation, I still wonder if narratives could be more productive and useful. Does the incredible investment of time pay off? Do parents actually find the paragraphs and paragraphs written about their middle schoolers helpful? Do the narratives lead to positive change?

Here's another main concern:  So much of what we write seems so subjective, more about "who" we think a kid is, instead of "what" they have done during the trimester.

What would happen if we made a more concerted attempt to avoid judgment oriented phrases such as:  Nicole is a conscientious and generous student..  and tried something more "action" specific: Nicole works diligently in class and often goes out of her way to help peers when they are struggling to understand.

Perhaps the key is in student voice: 

What if we ask students for their reflections on their performance before writing their narratives, so we can compare their view of their effort and improvement with our own perception? What if a student's reflection actually landed on the report card? Wouldn't it be a rich discussion for parents to compare and contrast the student's impression with the teacher's report? What if report cards included goals and action items co-created by students and teachers?

I'd love to hear from you..
How do you ensure that your narratives lead to positive change?

S.L.O.W.

S.L.O.W.

As I was running today, it occurred to me how changing my focus of attention, while doing something challenging (like running!), altered the difficulty and pleasurablilty of my experience. As I pondered the following actions, I found the time and distance whoosh away.

I am definitely going to use the S.L.O.W. acronym to help me remember to:

S: Savor the interesting moments; learn how to stay and steep in the tiny moments of pleasure that are often interspersed with moments of pain and difficulty.   

L: Linger.. linger in beauty and curiosity.  Turn your attention to that beautiful tree with the fiery red leaves and let your eyes linger there.  Wonder how long those colors will remain before winter comes along.

O: Observe openly and often: not just with your eyes, but with all of your senses. Today I will breathe in the aroma of the amazing food cooking in the kitchen. I may even go outside and come back in to exaggerate the incredible smell of deliciousness.

W: Witness and notice more often the growth in your life or yourself. Maybe, like me, you aren’t the fastest runner out there, but you are making progress toward your health. Take the time to give yourself the props you would give a beloved friend.

What acronyms help you stay present and find more meaning in your life?

What if? 8 reflective questions to get me writing again.

It's been way too long since I have written! It's actually quite embarrassing to visit this blog and see that it's been over a year. No more excuses!

What if I wrote after these beautiful moments of inspiration?

 I wonder if these questions will motivate others as they now re-ignite my desire to put myself out there in the vulnerable act of blogging.

What if I didn't need a moment of brilliance in order to write?
What if one idea I wanted to share was simply enough?
What if one powerful student comment that I shared helped an educator to reconsider his/her practice?
What if I something I shared helped someone make it through the day?
What if I took a dedicated 20-30 minutes and wrote every. single. day?
What if I actually found a writer's group and shared my passion for writing while receiving critical feedback?
What if I actually dared to ask for an interview from experts I value?
What if I asked a friend to check in periodically to support my courageous creating?


What questions will you ask yourself today? What's something you've been longing to do but just haven't managed to accomplish, yet?

Please share your inspiration!