It wasn’t great.

From nearly the moment I got to campus I hated it. The largest problem was that I did not fit with the school’s culture. Not at all.

Another problem was I hated how huge this school was. I came from a small high school. There were about 150 people in my graduating class. I hated how far it was from my dorm to some of my classes. I hated how some of my classes had hundreds of people. I hated how I felt basically anonymous in a huge crowd of students. I was miserable nearly the entire time that I was there. I was the most depressed I have ever been in my life. I was counting down the days until I got to leave.

I knew I had to transfer very quickly. There was no way I would last 4 years at this place. When I was trying to decide where I wanted to transfer to, I knew that I wanted the opposite experience of my first college. 

I decided to look at a liberal arts school that I had never really considered when I was still in high school. It was ranked too low and wasn’t prestigious. If you’re not from the state it’s located in, you’ve probably never heard of it. The acceptance rate for my school is 65%. The average ACT score is 20. But despite my reservations, I decided to transfer.

I don’t regret it at all.

I love going to school here. It has everything that I could want a college to offer me as a student. My school is really small – only about 1,200 students, which means you get to know everyone really well. At this point, basically everyone in my classes are people I have had numerous classes with before. I have taken multiple classes with fewer than ten students. The largest one I have ever taken had 30. Also, because it’s so small, everything on campus is close to everything else. You don’t need to take buses to get to classes. Heck, you don’t even need a bike. You can get to anywhere else on campus with plenty of time to spare just by walking.

Initially, when I saw how it was ranked, I was worried about the quality of the academics. As it turns out, that was not something I needed to worry about. I have learned so much here. My professors have all been really knowledgeable and passionate about helping students learn.

Going to a less-selective, obscure school has not stopped me from being successful. After graduation I was constantly getting hit up by recruiters from all sorts of companies, and I interviewed with quite a few places. None of them cared that I went to a less well-known school. It could not have made less of a difference to them. What they cared about was the skills I had and the things I had managed to do while in college.

I’ve had two different internships, one with a Fortune 500 company and another with one of the top firms in their field. Both of them wanted to hire me, but I turned them both down because I got another job offer I liked better.

I am here to tell you that you can be successful no matter where you go to college. What’s most important about your college is what you do while you are there, and it’s so much easier to accomplish a lot when you actually like where you go to school. Not only have I gotten stellar grades, but I have also made great connections both with my professors and my fellow students, gained professional experience through my internships, and I have gotten involved in organizations that I am passionate about and that help make my community better.

So what’s the point of this whole post?

My point is to not get too hung up on the rankings. Stop and think about where you would actually like to attend college. As you weigh your options, think about what it would be like to go to each school that accepted you. That’s something I never did when I was in high school. 

And keep an open mind. Four years ago I never would have expected myself to end up where I am. I had my whole college journey planned out, but then it got upended. That’s life. Don’t beat yourself up if everything doesn’t go according to your plans. You’re still going to do great things.

This post originally appeared in the subreddit ApplyingToCollege by the user w007dchuck. It has been lightly edited, confirmed, and used by permission and with gratitude by Challenge Success. 

The post Don’t Worry About The Rankings appeared first on Challenge Success.

When we take the time to collect data from students – whether its quantitative data from surveys or qualitative data from focus groups, fishbowls, and other listening-in protocols – the data can better inform change efforts. Likewise, inviting students into important conversations and soliciting their feedback can produce inspiring results. The themes that emerge allow schools to better understand where the pain points exist so they can take concrete steps such as piloting different interventions or implementing specific professional development.

CHALLENGE SUCCESS’S STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAC)

I spent over 20 years in the classroom, and now work as a School Program Director for Challenge Success. In the past year, I have taken on a new project working with two teens who chose to be part of our inaugural Student Advisory Committee. We established the SAC to fill a gap in our own organizational structure – we were promoting student voice but didn’t have any students directly guiding our work.  The founding team included two young women in their senior year of high school, one in California, another in Massachusetts. Both students are passionately engaged in their academics and extracurriculars, they share a concern for the physical and mental health of their peers, and they began with a strong understanding of Challenge Success’s mission.  

From speaking on panels to co-facilitating workshops, from interviewing fellow students to offering feedback on our workshop content, these two women have contributed to our organization in a myriad of ways.  As was the case with students in my own classroom, I was inspired  by how authentically these young women showed up when given the responsibility of being co-pilots in our journey. At a recent meeting, we reflected on the year and what this partnership meant to each of us. During that conversation, I was reminded again of this:

The practice of centering student voice and promoting opportunities for agency truly has a profound effect on young people. 

But, don’t take it from me. Here are some of their reflections – in their own words.

What does centering student voice look like at your school?  That is, where do you see adults at your school inviting and valuing student voices?

ANISHA: One of my teachers is very open about wanting student feedback on class structure and content. After every unit we complete in class, we have a 10-minute discussion where we are encouraged to offer feedback. These sessions fostered student-teacher relationships as well as got students to feel comfortable opening up about their true thoughts and opinions.  

In the larger school context, we have a Principal Advisory Committee, which includes a small group of students from each grade who meet regularly with the principal to offer feedback. 

I’ve also appreciated how responsive our student council has been to student requests for the school. We have a student board representative who takes our feedback to the school board so that they can hear what the students would like. 

ANNALISE: Everytime a student enters my psychology class, the teacher says “hello ___!” He calls me by my actual name, and he does it every time. This is such a small detail that can mean the world in terms of centering student voice by making a safe environment. Teenagers are sensitive. If they detect one thing that means a classroom is an unsafe place to speak up, they won’t speak up! That’s why it’s so important to take the first step as the adult in this process. 

Other ways I’ve seen teachers do this include letting students take lead on their own work (creative freedom on assignments), opening up about their own lives in an appropriate way, giving time for social interaction (group projects, pair share, etc.), and creating a safe environment for mistakes. I had a creative writing teacher who asked open-ended questions during class, and even if he did have an answer in mind before asking the question, he didn’t show it. Every time someone participated, he acted like it was a brand new idea he’d never heard of before. He acknowledged their bravery, which sent messages to others that they should speak out too. Once teachers make that safe environment and continue to support student autonomy and voice, it spills over outside of the classroom.

What are some highlights of your experience as a founding member of the Challenge Success SAC?

ANISHA:  I believe that we are really making a change and that the work we do is important. One of my favorite parts of being on the SAC is connecting with students from around the country and hearing their experiences that align with problems I face at my own school. It’s validating for me to know that I’m not the only person feeling this way and that there are other people who also want to make a difference. 

Another highlight was when I got to be the student panelist on the Challenge Success fundraiser last fall. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience – a seventeen year old girl sitting on a panel with PhDs from Stanford!  I was able to convey my thoughts and my experience to people who could take that information to heart and do something about it. 

Working on the committee has definitely established that I need to raise my voice and speak out when I feel there is something to be said. And it’s okay if others don’t feel the same way because we all are working towards that common goal of school welfare with all participants involved. 

ANNALISE: I gained confidence in myself and for my future. To be given the chance to lead, to talk, and have people listen, is proof that I have the strength to take charge of my life.

For example, I led a student workshop during the spring conference. I was nervous and tripped over my words every other sentence, but the students listened and eagerly participated. I got to lead. As a student, we don’t often get to do that. We are talked down to. The only time we get to stand up is once we grow up. But those are the walls that groups like the student advisory committee tear down. 

I was shown that I don’t just have to listen, I can speak. I can interview people, I can make videos to empower other students like me, I can lead workshops, I can speak alongside adults in meetings, and I can sit with new people from around the country and comfortably talk. I was given the opportunity to be a part of something, and now it’s taught me to go out and take chances I always thought I’d be too scared to take.

OUTCOMES OF CENTERING STUDENTS’ VOICES

As is clear from Anisha and Annalise’s reflections, when done intentionally, the action of soliciting student feedback and stories can actually promote well-being and engagement with learning.  When we ask students to share their experience, wisdom, and insights, when we listen with an open mind and heart, it can manifest an increased sense of belonging, engagement, and agency. 

If we truly want to transform the student experience, truly want our students to have more balance and less stress, we must listen to the wisdom of our youth.

“Once student voice is centered and flourishing, students feel like they have more control over their lives. They try harder and gain more confidence in themselves which improves their overall mental health.” -Annalise

Jennifer Coté, M.A., is a School Program Director for Challenge Success.  She facilitates professional development and parent education workshops and supports Challenge Success schools across the country.  Jen is a passionate educator with over 25 years of experience in schools – teaching, coaching, developing curriculum, and empowering both students and teachers alike. Most recently, she worked as a classroom teacher inspiring young minds with her love of mathematics at Marin Academy. Her graduate work in curriculum studies and teacher education fueled her desire to help teachers and schools look at ways they can marry curriculum and pedagogy to create more equitable, engaging, and effective classrooms.

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In addition to hearing over and over that camp is first and foremost joyful and fun, we know that camp is also a vital learning environment where kids have lots of opportunity to practice a wide range of social and emotional learning (SEL) skills like problem solving, relationship building, perspective taking, and the initiative to try new things.

At our camps, we see kids building these SEL skills all day, every day. 

During just one day, campers might learn collaboration skills by working as a group to create a skit for campfire, build teamwork skills as they figure out what they need to do to win the cleanest cabin award, gain courage and learn perseverance by working through their fear of heights at the ropes course, or practice resilience by falling off and getting back up while learning to paddle board.   

The research is clear that developing SEL skills is essential to healthy child development and supports academic achievement.

In fact, a Challenge Success camp research project showed that not only did over 95% of kids describe their time at camp as fun, but campers experienced high levels of engagement in learning transferrable SEL skills while they were there.  The beauty of developing these critical skills at camp is that all of this is happening away from parents (and school) in a safe and encouraging environment, growing campers’ sense of self and independence. 

With the rollercoaster ride our kids have been on since the beginning of the pandemic, it is no surprise that anxiety, depression, and isolation have increased in our youth.  As a camp professional and parent of two teenage boys, I have seen the negative impacts of COVID on children’s social and emotional development first hand and believe that having an opportunity to experience summer camp is more important for our kids now than ever.

In our own experience, we observed that many youth who attended our camp in 2021 were better prepared heading back into the school year last fall. 

These campers were able to practice being in community, re-engaging with peers face-to-face, and having fun. In fact, Challenge Success co-founder Dr. Denise Pope said in a recent interview with the American Camp Association that camp is a “powerful place for kids to have transformative experiences and for them to learn many of the skills that we know are going to be useful to them and helpful in promoting their mental health and well-being throughout the year.”

Camps are noticing a new trend this year with sessions filling faster than ever before. Parents are recognizing the value of the camp experience after two years of COVID, and they want their kids outside, unplugged from screens, developing SEL skills, creating friendships in person, and belonging in a community.  And perhaps, most importantly, simply having fun.

Sally Whipple has been involved in youth development through the summer camp experience for over 25 years. She and her husband own and direct three traditional camp programs in Northern California that intentionally integrate social-emotional learning into their programs. Sally believes in the power of community and volunteering. She has served as president of the Moraga Education Foundation (MEF) and PTA, and has been on the board of directors at Challenge Success since the fall of 2020.

The post The Power of Camp appeared first on Challenge Success.

CONTEXT
Morris County School of Technology joined the School Program primarily because of student stress and perfectionism. A focus on achievement and getting into the “right” college were pervasive. Their goal was to change the school atmosphere from competitive to collaborative to benefit student well-being.

Surveyed students, caregivers/parents, and faculty
revealing some disconnects in student vs. adult perceptions of stress and homework. 

Hosted Well-Balanced Student workshops
as a result of their survey work. They hosted one for caregivers and one for students to share their data from the surveys and open important discussions about homework, stress, sleep, engagement, and more.

Asked students for input
at the close of the workshop. Student responses inspired and informed their Challenge Success team’s next steps.

Attended Challenge Success Conferences
for inspiration and planning

Planned a pilot after the conference
The team was excited about an idea they heard from another school, called W.E.D. Day – a Wellness and Enrichment Day every other Wednesday – that included academic supports, advisory, and agency/choice time for catching up on classroom and homework. They planned a pilot to test out their idea and then make adjustments based on student and faculty feedback.

Shared survey data with faculty
during back to school week, released the W.E.D. Day idea and sought input

Gathered faculty input
for what school changes faculty would like to see

Launched W.E.D. Day Pilot
did more stakeholder data gathering and made two rounds of adjustments as part of the School Program. Thus far, they’ve been impressed with the widespread support from students, faculty, and parents!

Hosted the College Workshop in December
to begin to reframe views around college admissions

WHAT’S NEXT?
They are planning to continue adjusting W.E.D. Day to ensure it serves their needs and have already scheduled a student fishbowl in April to inform their next moves. Placing student voices at the center of the change process and using data to make informed decisions has driven their efforts. We are so excited to see their progress!

The post School Story: Morris County School of Technology appeared first on Challenge Success.

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Explore data from the Challenge Success-Stanford Survey of Student Experiences about gender-diverse students’ mental health struggles and supports schools can use to improve their school experience.

This article appears in ASCD. Read the article here.

The post How Can Schools Support Gender-Diverse Students’ Well-Being? appeared first on Challenge Success.

Bringing joy to the job is an act of resilience. Read more for some practical tips educators can use to bring more joy into their own lives and the classroom.

This article appears in ASCD. Read the article here.

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When teachers promote learning and mastery over grades and test scores, student engagement and motivation increases, research shows.

This article appears in the February 2024 issue of Kappan, Vol. 105, No. 5, p. 13-18. Read the article here.

The post Helping Students to Learn and Grow appeared first on Challenge Success.

Originally published in a three part series in conjunction with What School Could Be. Learn more about their organization here.

Now that you’re familiar with why we might question grading and how you could approach tinkering with it, we want to share a handful of simple(ish) ways to start to de-emphasize grades and even grade less in your class.

1. Delay the Grade: Many teachers are familiar with the frustration of providing feedback and having their students not read or consider it. When students receive feedback with no score, however, they are much more likely to engage with the feedback and improve because of it. As Dylan William puts it, “if teachers are providing careful diagnostic comments and then putting a score or grade on the work, they are wasting their time, they might as well just give a student a score or a grade — the students won’t learn anything as a result, but the teacher will save a great deal of time.” (William 2011).
2. Self-Assess First: Another way to shift the impact of grading is to change the power dynamic. If teachers are the only ones who assess, then assessment becomes something someone does to you as a learner, rather than being a part of any learning process. Having students self-assess their work prior to your assessment increases self-regulation and metacognition, increases understanding, and it even gives you, the teacher, extra time.
3. Quiz for Learning: Quizzes are a common form of quick assessment in classrooms, but most teachers and students fail to recognize that quizzes can be most effective as a tool for learning, rather than a measure of learning.  The effort it takes to try to remember something in a quiz-like setting is very effective for cementing it in our memory. Rather than using quizzes in the traditional carrot-or-stick kind of way, offer a quiz worth 0 points to emphasize that the goal is to get retrieval practice and also determine what we know well and what we need to study more. Since it isn’t going in the gradebook, you can have students grade themselves in class or you can use an online quiz tool that does the marking for you.
4. Invite Students to Choose What You Grade: If you have a class where students do lots of practice on similar kinds of activities – think a daily bell-ringer, homework problem sets, reading reflection questions, etc. – you can dramatically reduce your grading by having them choose which assignment you grade. For example, let’s say students do a daily problem set with a word problem for homework each night. At the end of the week, have them submit all 5 sets, with the one they want you to grade on the top. This holds the expectation that they do all of them, but cuts your grading by 80%. Giving them the chance to choose activates some of the same metacognitive benefits of the self-assessment strategy above, while collecting all of their work gives you the security of peeking at all of it to ensure they aren’t making important errors. 
5. Don’t Grade Everything: Rather than starting with the assumption that if students are going to do it, then you need to grade it, start by asking if you think grading will improve student learning.  If the only answer we can come up with is motivation – that they won’t do it if it isn’t graded – then we need to think about how we can make the purpose of the assignment clearer to students. For example, if we want students to answer questions at the end of a reading to check their understanding and synthesize what they have learned, we need to ask how we can make that goal clearer and more meaningful. Framing that reading as preparation for a group discussion, debate, or larger project or assignment, can help create a clearer purpose for students and help them move away from the work-for-points default. 

You may have picked up on a theme with these five strategies. They all rely on a fair amount of trust between the student and teacher. A strong teacher-student relationship has been shown to be highly impactful for supporting student learning. Teachers earn students’ trust in many ways, one of which is demonstrating care by supporting the student in growing their understanding in the class. Trust is also reciprocal, teachers need to trust that students are giving an earnest effort and that their work reflects the best of their current ability at any given moment in time. 

Grading, and especially grading used as a primary means of motivation, can create a dimension of antagonism in the teacher-student relationship and undermine trust. When we rely on grading to motivate our students, we feel the need to grade everything they do. (How often do students ask, “How many points is this worth?” when determining how much effort to put into an assignment?) When your teacher grades everything you do, it can create a barrier to that trusting relationship because the signal is you are constantly being judged and your mistakes have consequences. 

However, when students know that their teacher believes in them, treats them fairly, listens and responds to their needs, and respects them, they are more willing to work hard, to persevere through challenges, to be open to new ideas, and to believe in their own potential. (Wentzel 1997) 

We hope you will join us for our Virtual Roundtable for Educators Who Are Rethinking Grading to Improve Student Well-being, Engagement, and Belonging on April 4, 2023 at 4pm PT / 7pm ET. Following the event we look forward to sharing some final thoughts and resources with you.

Don’t miss the other posts in the series:
– Part 1: Changing Grading Is About Learning, Not Implementation
– Part 3: Using Improvement Science To Build Know-How And Self-Confidence

The post Five Simple Ways To Start Grading Less appeared first on Challenge Success.

Educators have known for years that social, emotional, and cognitive processing are all neurologically intertwined and that school connectedness has long-lasting protective effects for adolescents. We know from the research (and from our day-to-day experiences in learning environments) that students don’t learn as much when they feel uncertain about their belonging. We know that when kids of all ages and stages feel like a part of their community, they are more likely to thrive.

This article was published in HTH Unboxed on April 16th, 2024.

Read more here

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