Grading

Grading

Please know that "learning" is my focus, not collecting a bunch of grades. Your child will be graded based on the critical work in class. I will not be adding grades each day or every week. Grades mean very little to me. Growth and learning are the center of what I do every day. You don't need to worry about grades this year. This is their first year in the program, and it will build a solid foundation for their journey in high ability.  I want growth and confidence built this year.


A   90-100

B   80-89   

C   70-79    

D   60-69   

F   0-59      


How is instruction happening in the Diner without sending home a stack of papers at the end of the week?

My teaching style in the Diner would be best described as authentic and integrated. I would not describe myself as the "Sage on the Stage" but rather the "Guide on the Side" throughout the day. I do not aspire to the lecture format of instruction. I prefer hands-on and authentic. What we are learning truly has to connect to something they are doing.

Is a mini-lesson taught about a skill/strategy in reading, writing, and language?  Yes.  I have created hundreds of anchor charts to teach each skill in all subject areas.  After a mini-lesson, I found an authentic way of taking that skill to the next level. For example, if we learn about the main idea, I might pull that skill/strategy into the class novel we are reading and the book we are studying for our author study.  Students might then be asked to find the main idea in a chapter book they are reading and another mentor text.  The goal is to integrate that skill/strategy into their work seamlessly. 

In writing, we write.  Their Muddy Boots writer's notebooks are their practice field.  We write daily in the Diner.  We also do a mini-lesson about the genre we are learning with anchor charts.  I am an avid writer, so I usually use writing samples and examples from my life.  The kids write throughout the day in ALL subjects.  There are journals for social studies, writing, literacy,  math, and science, which all require writing.  None of them are pretty and finished pieces. But that is not their purpose.  Their purpose is to provide authentic places to write. 

How is this different in math?  In math, I try to open their independence even wider.  For example, I kick off a math lesson with an anchor chart if I teach Geometry.  Then, I meet with them to practice what they just learned.  This is a great way to foster more independence.  I also created a Padlet for each unit of study.  Padlet is an online tool that allows me to hold resources that reinforce what we do in each unit.  This provides students with tools and a foundation to work ahead and support what we are learning.  I do not want students to think Mrs. Pinto is the only portal of knowledge in class.  I want them to have an opportunity to work ahead, teach other students, and soar.  We cover a new topic each week.  How can you see those Padlets? Could you look at your child's Google Classroom? They are all there. 

Social studies is that time of day that offers a playground for all of the language arts we have learned.  Yes, math comes into play sometimes, but that is only partially integrated into each unit.  Does that mean I teach the main idea during social studies?  No, I don't do a formal lesson; that happens during reading. However, I do refer to that when they are crafting paragraphs and creating final products.  Learning skills in isolation is a start, but applying them is the goal.   Social studies is where I want to see deeper thinking—again, learning more deeply and taking basic skills to a much higher level.

Is this the only way I teach and students learn in the Diner?  Not.  This is just a quick overview of the process.  The great thing is that I am continually growing and learning.  I try it if I find a tool and lesson that would enhance what they are doing.  I go ALL in!  The goal is to make learning fun and authentic.  Teaching everything in isolation is never the goal.  My goal is to push the edges.  I want students to find what we are teaching in the world they live in.  I want them to apply what they are learning to their current work. Finally, I want them to be able to create based on this understanding and application. 

In a nutshell, I am not a proponent of parceling out skills/strategies, assigning vocabulary and written responses for each chapter of a class novel and book club book or assigning homework sheets or online pieces.  I aim to integrate as much as possible and do all the essential work at school.  My students are young and work hard each day in the Diner. Home is for relaxing, playing, and enjoying family. 

This helps provide a glimpse into how we learn in the Diner.


Why don't the Journals/Notebooks my child is working on come home each night?

Simply put, those are their practice books. That is where they are learning and trying things. They are messy and a work in progress. They are sacred ground for them. When they come home in the past, parents criticize them, have their children correct them, and worry about pieces we aren't working on yet. I know you get the picture. Also, when they have gone home in the past, sometimes they don't always return, and some even get lost. That can't happen. I even hesitate to get them out for conferences for the same reason. My goal is to push them forward. When adults weigh in on the practice portion, sometimes students feel defeated. 


I am reminded of what the Purdue Basketball Coach once said. Practices are closed. That is where they are learning. The game is where you will see what they can do. Final work can be seen in many different ways in The Diner. Your child's most current writing final product is hanging in the classroom. Other pieces are in their Google Drive/Docs. I try to be as transparent as possible, but the learning is all about the kids. They are my constant focus.




How do I know what is going on in the Diner?

There are several ways to know what is happening in the Diner.