What class would you choose?

I need to write more about the fantastic work our teachers do on a daily basis.  They rock!  Their work is dedicated, their hearts are genuine, and they come to school everyday giving their best.

But what do they do when the kids aren't in school?

And why do teachers need professional development anyway?

Take a look at this picture.  It shows two classes.  Class A and Class B.  In orange are two columns of descriptors of those classes.  In black, are questions I posed to the teachers.

• What class would you want to attend?
• What class would you want your own child to have?
• Which class do you think students at Solon High School would choose?

These questions sparked our learning for the day.  Teachers worked collaboratively in departments to analyze their curriculum in grades 9-12.  After alignment, we then focused on creating assessments that matched those essential concepts.  

However, at the end of the day, I asked them to think again about these two classrooms.  If we have great content and great assessments but students have a lack of ownership, then where does that leave our students?  Our discussion will continue next time as we begin to look at standards based grading and informing our students more along a continuum of the learning process.  

What class would you choose?