Three years ago, I switched to a "gradeless" classroom. Instead of grading individual assignments, I provide narrative feedback on students' work, and at the end of each quarter, they write me a letter arguing what grade they've earned in the course, in line with how well they've worked towards our classroom goals.
As part of that letter, students have to reflect on their work over the last nine weeks: what's gone well and where they still need to improve. Pedagogically speaking, I think it's an important that students be able to articulate what they know and what they don't. Equally importantly, they need to have some sense of what needs to change to achieve mastery.
Today my AP students had to turn in their quarter letters. As with every year, not all students are as sincere in the process as others. Occasionally I find myself rolling my eyes as a student gushes about how much his writing has improved--while ignoring obvious weaknesses. Others describe real progress, but in generic terms that don't reflect much understanding of the skills they're using. Some admit they're struggling but don't really know why. However, a lot of the letters impress me. They reflect a level of metacognition about the work the students are doing that gives me hope. Not just hope for their work in my class or their chance on the AP exam, but hope that their ability to self-reflect can create meaningful change in themselves and in their worlds.
In the letters, the students also often say some nice things about my class. Again, I know it's not all sincere--who's going to bad-mouth a class and then say he deserves an A?--but even when I'm feeling most cynical, I don't think it's all empty flattery. Plus, hearing what's worked helps me reflect too. And hope that I'm creating some kind of meaningful change, even if it's just in my little classroom.
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