After 20 years of teaching at Brookfield Central, I am saying goodbye. Although I spent the majority of that time in the physics classroom alongside my learners. That changed for my last 18 weeks. I ended up in a place similar to where I started, teaching chemistry and biology. So, rather than dealing with juniors and seniors at the end of their high school careers, I was in classrooms with freshmen and sophomores still trying to find their place. At the same time, I was learning and teaching a set curriculum I hadn't taught in over a decade. So, we were learning. But, of course, I already knew the content. The point of this post is to take a step back, take in, and share the gratitude from the last students I had in my 20 years at Brookfield Central High School through the cards and notes they made for me on my last day with them. I don't take many yay me moments. But after 20 years, I think I'll soak this one in.
It's finals time here at Brookfield Central High School. It is a time for reflection as we give our final assessment for our course. I asked my students to reflect on which type of assessment allows them to best demonstrate their understanding. When growing up in the 70's and 80's, I remember there was a heated rivalry between McDonald's and Burger King. Some may remember the argument over flame-broiled vs. fried. But, I remember the difference between the Whopper and the Big Mac. One you could have your way. The other was so regulated, it spawned its own song. I collected feedback from my students on what helped them learn in my class this term. The number one piece of positive feedback students provided was the ability to have individualized assessment options. Below is my final feedback board of the year on "This Helped Me Learn". The number one piece of positive feedback based on this board is the ability to complete a m...