Student Improvement vs. Academic Excellence

"I can't! I don't know this! I am going to give up! I'm going to drop out!"........"This is just too much!" These are just some of the expressions we hear from our more  mature, demotivated, and challenging students. The younger students tend to "zone out" or disrupt our lessons. How many Calvins do you teach? In desperation we may respond like Ms. Wormwood but is there a different way?

I was recently reading the book WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING for Challenging Kids by Chris Biffle. He introduces several ideas on how we can engage challenging students and maintain both an effective and positive classroom management style as well as environment. The ideas proposed are relevant especially today when we are striving to develop independent learners. Additionally, the methods presented may be particularly useful if we find ourselves in situations where there are not strict measures in place to address student discipline. The activities introduced are fun packed while simultaneously teaching discipline among other things.

According to Biffle

"......if a student's whole brain is involved in learning, there isn't any mental area left over for challenging behavior." 

More interestingly, I became more engrossed in reading when he  mentioned that "our best students do just enough to get by and our weakest students, because they know they can't win bail out." We see this in Calvin's final response and probably in our own classrooms. Biffle suggests that an environment that supports students in trying to beat their personal best is more advantageous than focusing on academic excellence. This is rather motivating! He further defends this by stating:

"If we focus on student improvement in academic activities and social growth, then scores on state tests will take care of themselves. Nothing will produce higher tests results than a class of students who are continuously striving to break their own personal records. In WBT, we want to set up a system in which every kid has an equal chance for success."

Does this seem too good to be true?

Academic excellence is predicated on testing. We live in an era that relies on testing. As a result, I strongly believe that the effect they should have is being lost on our students. They simply view taking a test synonymous to eating and drinking. There is no time for second thoughts or preparation. 

Is this what we want? What are your thoughts? 

Have a thought-provoking week!

Petreno