There is a huge yet largely undiscussed problem in the first month of the year with TPRS. It is that we open up our hearts to the kids in the personalization process in the first two weeks of class, since everything we do is to guarantee that they understand us and trust us, and we give them easy quizzes because nothing motivates like success, and by the end of the first semester some of the kids, kids in Denver Public Schools anyway, some of the kids know exactly what percentage they need – like a 53.1%, to pass for the year and get into level 2, because they have that C from the first semester honeymoon. Then, in level 2, you start the year and on the first day of class you see that kid sitting there whom you barely saw second semester looking smugly at you, the smugness mixed almost with defiance. That is a low moment. What to do do prevent that?
Just quiz often and early NOW. In that way, because we don’t use books, we don’t give tests kids can prepare for outside of class, and because kids have to be in class to know what is going on, possibly more than in any of their other classes, we identify these kids, we call parents, we go through administration, etc. and we make sure that their grade reflects their being in class and making the effort, doing their 50%.
What we DON’T want is a kid who comes to class off and on in the first few months, and, because we are so clear in our teaching because in each and every one of our classes we go Linda Li slow, that kid has an A or B after the first six weeks and we find ourselves rapidly moving to the point where the kid, riding his B into the second semester, disappears completely from class, only to appear in our second level class as described above. I hope this is clear. It is relatively rare but when it happens it sucks.
I say this: give lots of quizzes early on. Again, in our way of teaching, a kid MUST be in in class every day to get the CI. You’ll be glad you did the early quizzing. So much of teaching in public secondary schools is pre-emptive and has nothing to do with actual teaching. But we are public school teachers, and so we must address these things that have nothing to do with teaching.