“Planning” has taken on a completely new meaning for me. No longer does it revolve around collecting a checklist of worksheets with facts that kids are responsible for completing. A broader goal needs to be set, and teachers need to remember why they are really in their profession. Am I a teacher solely because I want Johnny to recite the alphabet perfectly? No. I want Johnny to understand the meaning of each letter, to be able to put the letters together to form meanings, to grow into the author he longs to be. I try my best to picture my students twenty years from now, and I continue to ask myself the question, “Did I do/share something today that might impact the person this child grows into?”

I really enjoyed reading about the example that discussed a particular program that did not have the traditional grades. It made me think---the grading scale may have begun with good intentions, but it has become the defining factor of school success. This makes me very sad L. We should constantly rack our brains for new ways to assess students. I’m not saying that assessment always has to be fun and pleasing to the student, but I’m getting tired of this bubble in the answer thing!