![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/learninglab18\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/tenacious-d-.gif\")
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/learninglab18\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/breaking-bad-five.gif\")
\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/learninglab18\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brady-five-fail.gif\")
\r\nBright spots:<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n- I tend to be pretty ambitious when it comes to matters of education and student success, so I knew that systemic change would not be overnight. With that understanding, I let my advisory take the lead.\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n
- They helped brainstorm and design where and how transferable skills may be identified.\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n
- Each worked on classroom visuals and provided feedback on the application process.\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n
- We had 100 percent advisory participation for at least two badges incorporated into Personalized Learning Plans for the Fall Student Led Conferences.\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n
- Two students have earned Summit Badges for earning every badge in a category. (Ex. Collaboration has four sub badges. Once each has been applied for and granted, a summit badge is earned.) Two of my students can also now review applications and hand out badges to students in their Summit Category.\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n
- We still continue, as an advisory, to take at least one day a week to apply for badges, talk about progress, and identify ways in which they show transferable skills. Often, recognition is the difficult part.\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
Now for the flops.<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Lack of team buy-in has been the most frustrating part of this project. Each meeting includes a lot of “Good idea.” and “Oh cool.” followed by a retreat to their rooms to continue business as usual. I understand that this is not their idea, not their project. As my Dad would say “Not my circus. Not my monkey.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Understandably, educators have plenty to do on a daily basis, but we are required to assess transferable skills for lessons and unit of study anyway. So, I did not feel that asking team members to speak the same language was going to be met with such resistance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Possible solution! I emailed a link to the transferable skills badge categories<\/a>, and the Scholar Application,\u00a0asking\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0link\u00a0be\u00a0incorporated\u00a0a<\/a>t the end of their assignments. Everyone agreed to give it a try (yay!) but it was never added. (bleah!) The difficulty is that students only apply for these badges in science, so MUCH too myopic for a true student buy in.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMeetings with administrators, student groups, and other coordinators have happened. Change can not be forced, so a change in focus seemed necessary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
My new tactic is to request a meeting with the fifth and sixth grade team. Possibly finding inroads earlier on will help students gain a greater understanding of transferable skills and their importance. Badging in younger grades will require different procedures, but may gain some traction as a practice for the future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Pity party over….time to put my game face back on and keep working for my kids.<\/h2>\r\nAfter all, it IS about student growth.<\/h3>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
To be honest, there has been an even split of successes and failures to date. Let’s take a look shall we? So, reflection time. Trying to avoid the TLDR (too long, didn’t read) moment, sooooo, to change it up a little, I’ll let the images set the stage. Bright spots: I tend to be pretty … <\/p>\n
Now for the flops.<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Lack of team buy-in has been the most frustrating part of this project. Each meeting includes a lot of “Good idea.” and “Oh cool.” followed by a retreat to their rooms to continue business as usual. I understand that this is not their idea, not their project. As my Dad would say “Not my circus. Not my monkey.”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Understandably, educators have plenty to do on a daily basis, but we are required to assess transferable skills for lessons and unit of study anyway. So, I did not feel that asking team members to speak the same language was going to be met with such resistance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Possible solution! I emailed a link to the transferable skills badge categories<\/a>, and the Scholar Application,\u00a0asking\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0link\u00a0be\u00a0incorporated\u00a0a<\/a>t the end of their assignments. Everyone agreed to give it a try (yay!) but it was never added. (bleah!) The difficulty is that students only apply for these badges in science, so MUCH too myopic for a true student buy in.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Meetings with administrators, student groups, and other coordinators have happened. Change can not be forced, so a change in focus seemed necessary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n My new tactic is to request a meeting with the fifth and sixth grade team. Possibly finding inroads earlier on will help students gain a greater understanding of transferable skills and their importance. Badging in younger grades will require different procedures, but may gain some traction as a practice for the future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To be honest, there has been an even split of successes and failures to date. Let’s take a look shall we? So, reflection time. Trying to avoid the TLDR (too long, didn’t read) moment, sooooo, to change it up a little, I’ll let the images set the stage. Bright spots: I tend to be pretty … <\/p>\nPity party over….time to put my game face back on and keep working for my kids.<\/h2>\r\n
After all, it IS about student growth.<\/h3>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"