Putting the Learning Back in the Students' Hands

This year has been interesting to say the least!  I have five classes of freshmen physical science and only one of A&P vs last year when I had an even split of the two classes.  This year OGHS has implemented the POI policy.  POI stands for Power of I Can Do This or Power of Incomplete.

#1:  Power of I Can Do This: For this POI policy, the kids have to score a 70% or higher on each test.  If they do not reach the 70% score, they have to retake the test until they do reach the benchmark.  When we enter the grades in the gradebook, we average their highest score with the initial score and record it. The goal of this policy is to encourage the kids to study for their tests and be more confident test takers.

#2: Power of Incomplete:  For this POI policy, the kids have to complete/turn in every assignment before they can take their test.  If they do not turn in an assignment when it is due - they then only receive 50% earned credit.  If they do not have all the assignments turned in by the test day; they then cannot take the test and they have to take the test either before/after school within the next few days.  The goal of this policy is to teach the kids how important it is to do all their homework.

Now, for this class of freshmen; we have tried both policies.  We started out this Fall Semester with the Power of Incomplete and ran into issues of the students holding back assignments to have more time to study for the test and they did not see the 50% reduction on the homework as a consequence.  So we switched to the Power of I Can Do This...again - I was seeing issues where it was not serving its intended purpose.  Some students were still using it as a crutch and would come in expecting to get a POI but it was 'okay' because they then got another chance to raise their grade.

Despite all these efforts, I decided they needed a change.  So I flipped the classroom set up on them.

At the beginning of the year we would follow this set up for instruction:  we would lecture over concepts, do practice worksheets, do an activity to reinforce, more lecture, worksheets, reinforcement activities and repeat until test day.  Homework/activities are roughly worth 40% of their grade and then the test is roughly 60%.   This wasn't working for this group of kids - so I changed it.

We started our Mastery Level Project and the points are broken down like this:

• Participation Points: 2 pts for everyday of productive work (they actually have to be working, not just visiting/wasting time)  If they are absent they have to make up the time they miss either in free time (we have time built into everyday),  before school or after school.  
• Mastery Level: explained below - 100 pts
• Test - same size test as normal but only worth 30 pts 

As you can see from the point values - the main focus is on the students Mastering concepts; not just memorizing facts but actually understanding the material.

So here is how the Mastery Levels work - I gave them the requirements for each grade level (D, C, B or A).  Everyone starts out striving for the D, when they finish it they can start the C, when they finish that they start the B and so on.  They are given workdays in class everyday to work up the mastery levels as far as they want to.  I have each of them set a grade level goal and they work to achieve their goals.  They have to complete the D level as a minimum but they are encouraged to work as far up the mastery level as possible. The key is that they have to complete the assignments within the mastery levels with 100% accuracy before they can move on.  If they get a question wrong; I mark it and they take it back and try again.  It is not counted against them, but the goal is for them to learn it and fix their mistakes.

The first time, we set up the assignments where they have 2 or 3 assignments per grade level.  They have to finish an entire grade level to get the grade (65/100, 75/100, 85/100, 100/100) and if they don't finish they fall back to the previously completed grade level.   The second time we did it (currently in this unit) I gave them choices.  They had to complete 2 of 5 possible assignments for each grade level.  They asked for the choices - so I gave it to them.  No matter what, the D level provides them with all the information and the higher mastery levels deepen their understanding/reinforce what they learned as a baseline in the D level. 

My kids like it because they are able to work at their own pace and actually comprehend instead of working at their classmates pace.  I love it because I feel like I have been able to give them more freedom, help them more one-on-one, watch them control their learning and success.  We have been able to do more exciting activities that involve technology and higher DOK.  Instead of just doing the demos in front of the class; they get to do them, instead of mentioning careers that utilize the information; they get to research them and interview people who live the careers.  I feel like  I have worked less at home (grading/planning) yet the new system has made me a more effective teacher.

I love that the teaching has been put back in the kids hands and they are in charge of how good/bad they do.  They know how they learn best - so why not let them do it?