Guiding others to achieve Greatness!
In chapter 3 in the book entitled, "The Art of Possibility," the authors express their point of view on grades. They feel that when grades are administered, that they are given based on that student's performance in comparison to the other students in the class, and that it does not represent mastery. However, I disagree. I am a teacher myself, and I am going to speak for others when I say that I do not give out grades to a student based on his performance in comparison to others in the class. My grades are given out based on tests, quizzes, classwork, and participation, and most of these assignments are graded via a rubric or an answer key.
It is kind of like taking a puppy for a walk. You give them room to walk, but (in order to guide them properly and keep them safe from harm) you need to keep them on a short leash.
Because they started out their chapter with this belief, I found it harder to buy into what they were saying. However, upon further investigation, I began to understand what they were trying to get at. Ben and Roz want us to see the inner beauty within each person, and respect each other's individuality. If we can do that, then we can enable that person to blossom and grow into their full potential. Instead of sizing up people according to our own preconceived standards, view them with mutual respect and understanding. Ultimately allowing them to find themselves, rather than trying to get them to conform to our ideas of what should be.
I do agree with this in some manner. Letting children and people be themselves, and follow their dreams is of upmost importance. However, keeping with tradition by teaching basic family values and morals are also of the upmost importance. It is great to let a child find themselves, but we also have to remember that they are still that..."children." We as adults need to guide children while they explore the world.
It is kind of like taking a puppy for a walk. You give them room to walk, but (in order to guide them properly and keep them safe from harm) you need to keep them on a short leash.
As a classroom teacher I tended to feel like my graduate instructors were from another planet with their ideas about every lesson requiring a seven stage delineation process for proper lesson development and such the like. Who has the time for all of this? A lot of students find the "giving an A" concept impractical or not likely to work with their group. I certainly sympathize. I think that part of the problem is not with the concept but with the use of the word "Giving" in the chapter title. A careful reading of the chapter reveals that the Zanders are getting the students to commit to what they think they need to do to get an "A," this changes the dynamic between the teacher and student from enforcer to coach. I usually also suggest that year-long or semester-long commitments are great for college students, but much too long for elementary students. Having a weekly focus would be much more age-appropriate. Also, I don't know that they are advocating no structure or no standards as much as not limiting them to a certain performance level.
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