Chapter 4: Charting Progress

Imagine next year is completed. Using the system described in Chapter 4, you've faithfully charted your own behavior, as an instructor and your students’ progress. Looking back, what did you learn?
 

Over the last year, I have sought to chart growth, in terms of not only assessments and academic growth but also the growth of behaviors. This year, my goal was to chart my students’ behaviors in four key areas and then chart my growth as well.

My first goal was to control my own emotions, including my vocal tone, as well as, following through with my WBT management plan. We know that a classroom where the teacher is not in control of their own behaviors fosters a classroom where the students are not in control of their behaviors. I worked to minimize the sarcasm to which I may have at times, as well as how I engage conversation with challenging students. I took the audience away from my challenges and praised those who are exemplary students. I measured our progress with weekly check-ins on my own behaviors. I have also used these check-ins to compare how my students behaved each week. Not to my surprise, there was a strong correlation to my students’ behaviors, the lower my score the lower the students’ score were. This was disappointing to me but it shows how important it is to reflect on what I am modeling for my students. They will mirror my actions.

As for how I assessed student behaviors, I utilized the categories suggested by Biffle’s book:  Leaders, Alphas, Go-Alongs, Fence Sitters, and Challenging Students. My goal for these groupings of students was to support their growth by measuring the following categories: Following directions quickly, raised hands for permission to speak, staying on task, and turning in completed/neat work. Each week, with the help of a rubric, I looked at these categories and rated my students. I focused on the categories of Fence Sitters and Challenging students. I had hoped to move each student up to the next level, and was successful. Not all of my Challenges will make it to Alphas but to make it to a Fence Sitter was a great feat for them. I am so proud.