The proof is in the pudding. What did they learn this year?

I’ll be honest, I’m still mulling over how to truly assess all aspects of student learning. I’m not satisfied with the standards-based report cards I’ve developed because they don’t begin to take into account or express all the significant progress I’ve witnessed day-to-day.

For now, here’s what I know: All students are heading into summer at or above grade level in both Math and Language Arts (MAP tested). They all regularly beg to go to the library and check out as many books as they can carry. We can go to a local restaurant or coffee shop, politely order, pay/tip and behave better than some adults. We can check ourselves out at the grocery store. We can travel safely, manage our money, and pack our own bags for overnights. We’re confident in asking questions. We can respectfully disagree. Our resiliency and flexibility has greatly increased; we can transition to online learning if needed. We view our devices as tools rather than toys and can almost always make responsible choices online. We can communicate and navigate tricky social situations with our peers, despite 4 year age differences. We know how to stay safe while camping and hiking.

All this, and so much more. In a year when most students stalled or regressed entirely, we grew…happily. Some of us will be back together next year, some of us are moving on / returning to other learning environments. When we look back at our year together in the future, I know we’ll all regard this experience as a bright spot in one of the toughest years yet.

I’m so grateful to the 7 families that took a chance and chose to Opt Out!