Grades Don’t Matter! But These Five Things Do!

Homework

May 9

Written By

Victory is not found in a grade but in doing the little things over a long period of time. Challenging freshmen to do five things every day is what almost 100 freshmen will experience this summer at Connections at Washington High School. Here is an overview:

#1 - Prioritize Paper

During a semester don’t throw anything away. But it in a BOX at home. This simple process of carrying paper home rather than throwing it away means that 100% of paper is either in their backpack or the BOX. It’s a simple, no-stress hack for managing paper that means that every paper is available and nothing is lost.

#2 Practice and Ponder

We talk so much about studying, and too many students have no idea how to do that. Some of this lack of studying know-how is rooted in a fixed mindset. Students believe that they have it or they don’t have it, and studying would not change that reality. That needs to be challenged. We will attend to this with a number of great YouTube videos and discussions about growth mindset. I have linked a couple of good ones to the right.

#3 - Personalize and Post

Students need to write their name on each paper like them mean it. I believe that good homework starts with a well printed name at the top of the paper that declares ownership and a desire to do excellent work. Too often I see sloppy, abbreviated names atop a poorly done assignment.

Students also need to adopt a new name. It’s their name plus the date or at least the day. This is a great organizational structure and a folder is just the next level.

Lastly many freshmen do not have a signature so we spend a period doing just that.

#4 - Persist and Prevail

This ties into a growth mindset as well. I want to prepare students to NOT understand. Confusion and questions about what’s being taught will happen. This shouldn’t be a shock. It shouldn’t generate despondency. It requires engagement not avoidance. But first it requires a little peace. Chill. Don’t be surprised. And then persist.

#5 - Pencils and Pens

If you don’t have your gear, the deal is done. It is completely unacceptable to not have a pencil or pen all the time. High schoolers carry everything in backpacks. Every backpack should have 10 pencils and 10 pens. We set this expectation and this goal.