Buy a Quality Purse
About 4 summers ago, I bought a really expensive purse. This was something that felt very indulgent. I was never one of those name-brand people who needed the latest and greatest. I just needed a purse that wouldn’t show dirt, would match most of my clothes, and wasn’t so deep that I had to keep digging for my keys. Pretty basic stuff, in my opinion.
Prior to buying this purse, I used to buy a purse about once or twice a year, maybe more depending on how many Target visits I had. I am not super trendy so I trust the stores to tell me what I need. This has resulted in some regretful shoes, pants, and one particularly bad pair of earrings. Because I was buying one (or more) purses a year, I didn’t want to spend a lot on them because I know they would come and go.
When I bought the really expensive purse, I decided I would need to keep it a while to get my money’s worth. I couldn’t just toss it out with the season since this one was different. It was made of higher quality materials because it was designed for the long haul. I needed to be invested in this purse and strategically commit to sticking with this purse.
I am happy to tell you I am still using that purse. I love it. It’s stood up to time, kids, dogs, and few mad dash runs in the rain. I am coming up on my 4-year purse anniversary and know it was well worth the money I spent.
What does this have to do with anything, you may be wondering…
Well, simply put, you need a metaphorical Expensive Purse going into this school year.
If there is anything virtual learning in the spring taught us, it is that quality beats quantity. You knew this, but you most likely got a smack in the face reminder when we all switched over to virtual work. Tasks of compliance were no longer important. Doing things just to check them off were hard to manage and in some cases, a huge waste of time. For you, your students, and their families.
One key thing you can change as you make plans for the new school year is consider the quality of task. Most of the standards are in place for you so you want to lead with those. Take time to truly reflect on the learning you want to take place in relation to those standards. Take a step back if needed and think about the tasks you are asking students to complete.
- Where did those tasks come from?
- Do they actually allow the students to show their learning in a way that aligns with your standards?
- Is there a way to have students show their learning in a higher quality task?
Open-ended tasks that involve student-generated thinking will give you much more bang for your instructional buck.
Replace that multiple-choice assessment with an open-ended constructed response.
Toss out the worksheet and have students show thinking on a graphic organizer.
Upgrade to journal entries instead of right/wrong answers.
And if the metaphorical Target is dictating the quality of the tasks, just say no. Strategically investing in tasks that are worthy of your time – and your students time – will be much more authentic and most likely engaging.
This year, go for the Expensive Purse. You and your students are worth it.