Entry #13 - Nov. 30, 1998

"The kind of skills' transfer that reflects real learning just isn't happening. . . .They show little evidence of the teaching that I know is going on in other areas, which leads me to the "learning" question. If we're all teaching and they're not learning, defined as using the skills and information, are we teaching?"

This was a short week for us because of Thanksgiving. Why is it that shorter weeks always feel longer? Is it because the break in the schedule sets everything off or is it just the pulls of my "other" life as Mom, wife, cook etc.?

My classes are consumed with the production of their science projects. We will start presentations next Wednesday. The more we focus on these projects the greater my concern for their educational value. This week because we're revising and editing, I'm feeling bogged down with language arts concerns.

I check my students' work before they print it. I do this as an editor and to avoid having them print everything only to need a second printing. I'm concerned about the waste of paper, ink and printer time...BUT...I'm also concerned that the writing be their work and not mine.

When we're getting down to the wire, like now, and the work is still seriously flawed, it's hard to let it go. It's the one time that I actually get to conference with every single project team, and I'd like to make the most of it. Times were built in all along the way, but procrastinators made little to no use of earlier sessions, so here we are with deadlines closing in on all sides and panic replacing the "who cares" attitude of even the staunchest underachievers.

So where does this leave me? I've taught them how to use spell-check, and I feel I should ask them questions when their meaning is unclear, but I don't want to rewrite their work for them. I'm willing to assist non-native speakers with grammar problems vs. science problems, but I'm not going to rewrite their work either.

I used to teach writing and have read Atwell et. al., but somehow when the kids get into another class, like science or social studies, they forget all about self- and peer-editing. When they clamor for my attention and the first paragraph has whole words missing, I'm feeling like I need help from my colleagues in the writing classes. ( In fact, when I hear everyone calling for me at the same time, I feel like I want to change my name.)

The kind of skills' transfer that reflects real learning just isn't happening. It would seem that if you learn measurement, graphing, calculating averages etc. in math, then you should be using that knowledge in science and elsewhere. Along the same lines, if you have reading/writing workshop down the hall, it should improve your written work in science too. What I'm experiencing, and I think others are finding the same thing, is that most kids come in as if the page is blank. They show little evidence of the teaching that I know is going on in other areas, which leads me to the "learning" question. If we're all teaching and they're not learning, defined as using the skills and information, are we teaching? Maybe we're presenting like crazy, but if kids aren't learning....

I just reached for the dictionary and looked up *learn* and *learning.* According to Random House's Collegiate version, when you "learn" you acquire knowledge or skill and when you're "learning" there's a modification of behavior through practice. Based on these definitions, we've got a problem.

This year, one colleague checked the first draft of two sections' research papers and then returned them to the students and to me. Other colleagues agreed to use the same bibliographic format for all research assignments. The math department teaches metrics and basic graphing etc, BUT the kids revert to standard measurements, cite references sloppily and copy straight out of texts instead of writing their understanding of the material. All of our teaming isn't paying off as we'd hoped.

I'm frustrated, but I don't think blaming the kids is the answer. Something's wrong here and its implications are far greater than the science fair and how we can change it. All of the symptoms I've outlined point to a lack of ownership on the students' part. We're selling, but they're not buying our product. At best, they're renting some answers for this or that test and then it's history, like an apartment they've outgrown. I guess I'm talking about student-centered learning, but on a higher level than we've achieved.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: School reform expert Phil Schlechty has written that "perhaps the most important understanding . . . is that students are volunteers, whether we want them to be or not. Their attendance can be commanded, but their attention must be earned. Their compliance can be
insisted on, but their commitment is under their own control." (Read Deb's comments)


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THIS WEEK'S COMMENTS

From: CG91@aol.com

I have been reading your entries for the past two weeks. I commend you for
your candidness and commitment. Today, I couldn't wait to read your entry and
respond. What a wonderful way to share much needed information and insight
on middle school education.

This school year I am teaching middle school and completing science fair
projects, both for the first time. Your entries have prompted me to revisit
an issue that I thought I had resolved within myself. "What do I want the
students to learn from this project ?". For a few years, I taught on a team
with another science teacher that refused to do science fair projects (SFP).
She thought that it was unnecessarily competitive. This year my principal was
concerned about the SFP and gave me an article about validity of projects and
learning goals.

My hopes are that the students walk away from this project as better problem-
solvers and communicators. I don't know what the outcome of this project will
be but I remain optimistic.

Why are you rethinking the Science Fair Projects at this point ? Have you
ever asked the students what they want to learn from this project ? What they
learned ? How long have you been working on SFP this school year ?

Deb replies:

Annie,
You are so right. If most of the kids weren't working so hard and really moving forward, I would drop the whole thing. I would like to see your packet. My address is: Central East Middle School Annex, 210 E. Courtland St.. Philadelphia, PA 19120 Thanks for your feedback and willingness to share the material. Have a nice weekend!
Debbie Bambino