The+Power+of+ICU

//ICU stands for Intensive Care Unit just like in a hospital. If you are physically sick enough to be in intensive care, nurses and doctors will do everything within their power to get you back to being able to independently care for yourself. If a student's grade is sick, we will do everything we can to get you back to being a responsibile, independent worker and learner. Students learn quickly if they have one missing assignment, their grade is sick and needs attention.// We can't instill a strong work ethic in these children school wide if we ourselves do not exhibit that same strong work ethic. I believe for the most part we as a faculty do! Children live what they see. Sadly many children do not see any work ethic at home. Many want things they can not and should not have. We fight a socialist-headed society where what you have I should have no matter if I have worked for it or not. There has to be a balance between giving children opportunity and then there comes a point where the deadline must be enforced and a consequence MUST come. (Sarah Bragwell)
 * THE POWER OF ICU**
 * By Principals Danny Hill and Dr. Jayson Nave**
 * Please respond to the following statements from the book OR questions. When you respond, please put your name in parentheses after your response.**
 * 1. One of the most important skills we must give students is a strong work ethic. A work etic includes the tenacity to finish a job and do it well. Our current grading system tells many, many students over and over again that they are failures, zeroes, but it does nothing to teach them that failure is not one of their options. When we do not require students to complete work, rather than teaching responsibility, we are "letting them off the hook" for learning. **
 * Thoughts on: "If you get your payment to the water company late, your water is turned off. If you are late on the electric bill, you get disconnected. When students are late on homework and keep getting chances without zeroes, you are teaching a lie about real life." The truth is the water company and the electric company gives you 30 to 60 days to get yourpayment in before they cut your utilities off. They also send you constant reminders. **
 * Yes, the water company wants their money for services rendered, however, ones inability to pay on time is kept in their payment hisory for many years. This imformation is sent to credit bureaus, so actually it is equivalent to getting an F as an **
 * law abiding citizen. Also, the late payer is continually penalized by higher installation fees should they relocate. There are consequences for actions. Maybe the redoing of a paper, with accountability, will work in itself as the consequence of a poorly done paper. (Sally Woodall) **

I think the idea of giving the student the opportunity to complete an assignment rather than giving the student a zero, is the first step in helping them see that failure is not an option. It will be a shift in both teacher and student thinking. It says," We believe in you. " "We know you can do it." We teach children....therefore a little bit of ICU is definitly what the doctors ordered. We may have to step up to show we care. Then, the students will show us they care too. (Mary McClanahan) and her rose colored glasses.

I agree that we should teach students to be accountable. I also agree that students should be able to complete assignments instead of receiving a zero. When the child is referred to ICU they are held accountable for their work. I truly believe that most students want to be good and want to please the teacher. As teachers we need to be positive role models and show the students how much we care. When we provide the child with extra time and extra help we are showing that we care about their success. I think ICU should be used as a time for the child to get the extra help and support that they need. (Katie Davis) I agree that a work ethic is something that must be taught, especially at school since some students do not have a positive example at home. I also agree that, within reason, students should be allowed extra time to complete assignments. My concern is when we give students weeks to complete some projects, and even give them the supplies they need, yet they still do not complete the work. In "the real world," some things are very time-sensitive. If we train students that it is okay to be late (they will be given extra time), what happens when they get a job and other people's livelihood is depending on them finishing a job on time? We must teach time management and at some point hold these chronic offenders accountable to doing things in a timely manner. (Amy Wallace)

Good point, Amy. I agree! At some point in time (when we have given them every opportunity, materials, extra time, etc.) we have to say "times up". That doesn't mean we are "giving up" on them. Having said that, we can't undo everything that has or has not been taught at home. We can preach about a strong work ethic, they can even see it with us, their teachers, and with certain classmates. However, home life seems to have more of an effect on them than us. (Leah Turner)

I find that students may complete work just to get it finished, but it isn't a good product. I have been making them redo, because I think garbage work is just as bad as no work. It seems to be helping. (Terry Hughes)

Our school experiences are the mainstay of how we will evolve as leaders/workers in the workplace. Coming from a background in corporate America, “re-do’s” are far from ordinary practice. If I flubbed on a presentation to a potential client, whether it be in preparation or performance, I never got a second chance. Extremely tight deadlines were constantly imminent. This is true for educators as well. We must prepare and perform daily and we have a HUGE responsibility to teach children and shape their lives. I am thankful for the standards and ethics that I learned through my time in school. I had teachers that inspired me to always do my best and held me to a high standard to complete and submit assignments that were my very best work. ---That being said, as elementary educators, we do teach __children__. Children should not be expected to perform perfectly every time and all children are very different and come from different environments. As with food-I believe EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. I feel we should be encouragers and coaches to our students and should urge them to submit quality work--not settling for messy, incomplete, rushed, etc. We need to be sure that they understand what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. However, students should not be given chance after chance after chance, because then they will begin to act as Sarah mentioned and expect something for nothing. //(Beth Balch)// //I see this DAILY in my classroom.... they want me to do it for them or tell them the answer. They struggle to think and even open the book to look especially on an open book assignment. We practice using the book....going back to the page that talked aobut the topic in question etc.. Could this be because things are done for them at home? This is causes frustration with me! (S. Bragwell)// **Is this why Third Grade teachers are seen a horribly mean and too hard?**

2. The authors maintain under the present zero system, we are teaching students how to fail by emphasizing deadlines over learning. They maintain that given enough time, all students will complete their work. What are your thoughts? (Respond Here ) Deadlines are a part of life!!! As I view it, the constraints put on teachers with pacing guides and accountability to get things taught in a certain time frame (ie...married to SF's weekly schedule) prevents a teacher from waiting too long for a child to complete a missed assignment due to lack of interest or laziness. Again, there has to be a deadline drawn and a time limit placed upon incomplete and unsuccessful work eventually. (This should not apply to a child who CAN"T do, but won't do.) I think that a zero is not teaching them how to fail. I think giving a zero (after that deadline has passed) is showing them that there are consequences for their actions or lack of action to complete work in a timely manner....sounds like real life to me! //No one will want to hire them if we teach them it's ok to turn it in whenever you feel like it. They will just not hire you to work for them if you can't get your job done in a timely manner. Are we trying to develop a group of people who will shirk their responsibilities as adults..."I'll get it done eventually!" ? We need to be careful! I believe there is a balance and a good answer somewhere...where that balance and answer is... I am not sure. (Sarah Bragwell)// I hear what you are saying....deadlines are a part of life. If we miss a deadline for a contest, we just don't qualify. But I think this book wants us to see the bigger picture. if we give the zeros, we say that's all I can do for you. The deadline is more important than the assignment or you (student). You get a pass. Take a zero... don't do the work. It wasn't worth the time to do it anyway. In fact, if we do allow the student time and encourage them with the 4 questions they should begin to accept the responsibility to get it done the first time. This will free us up for a more successful class.(Mary McClanahan)

I have tried to implement this idea in my classroom. I have several students that just don't care and were relieved when they just got a zero, because it was over. Therefore I have seen it work when I require them to complete the assignment even if it is late. I have given some students extra time depending on the circumstances. Most assignments have eventually been completed. I'm having trouble figuring out how to grade those since some students did a good job and had it in on time. Any suggestions? (Terry Hughes)

I I ** 3. Dr. Robert Candady states: "The threat of a low grade is more likely to motivate high-achieving students than low-achieving students." He says we need to stop grading responsibility; it does not coexist with learning." Research shows that learning is motivational for everyone, while grades alone only motivates our top students. What do you think? (Respond Here) ** **I agree with Amy here. (Terry Hughes) ME TOO! (S.Bragwell)**
 * I agree that the threat of a low grade is more likely to motivate high-achieving students rather than low-achieving students. Often times the high-achieving students have a positive support role at home as well. We can only do so much at school to teach responsibility. If the parent does not want their child to be responsible then we can't do much at school outside of enforcing the code of conduct. I agree that a zero is not the answer for most students and that it is very hard to dig out of that hole, but I am also having a hard time seeing how giving the same students extra time over and over is teaching responsibility. (Amy Wallace) **

4. An example was given of a student with the following grades: 85 - 88 92 - 83 - 97 - 0 - 96 - 99 - 93 One zero dropped this solid B student's grade eight points to a C. The authors maintain there are two problems with the traditional paradigm. One, the student is not held accountable for learning the material, and secondly, it is mathematically impossible for the student to earn what is truly a relection of their learning. As teachers, we often solve this problem by dropping the lowest grade. Under the ICU system you do not drop lowest graes because that is not what would happen in real life and it doesn't teach responsibility. They say we should not eliminate the assignment or test grade in order to eliminate the zero... we should eliminate the ability of the student to skip the assignment. The emphasis is to ASSESS what has been LEARNED and the grades should reflect what has been learned. What are your thoughts? ** (Respond Here) ** What if we did not average grades but gave detailed grading reports. (like progress reports) This way a parent would see individual graded assignments and would have a better understanding of exact assignments that a student did not understand or did not complete on time. The emphasis would be less on the overall average of grades and more on each individual assignment. We could keep the average till the end of the year for cumulative records. It might also lead teachers to ensure the assigning of grades to worthy assignments that truly assess learning and assessments are not just a graded color sheet or puzzle (not with reference to anythign K might do...oh wait, they do not give grades :) (Just a thought)- Sarah Bragwell I wish we did not have to give grades. it would help us to reflect on student learning like K is able to do and is a better reflection if the child can do a task or not!!!
 * The zero does not show what was learned. It simply shows that that student didn't complete the assignment or that we gave them a pass and didn't follow up on making them responsible for their learning. I do like the idea of progress reports that Sarah mentioned.(Mary McClanahan) **

Read RON CLARK's NEW BOOK....THE END OF MOLASSES CLASSES!!!!!! It is Fabulous!!!!! I love that idea Sarah! It puts more responsibility on the student, and it is a true reflection of real learning. (Terry Hughes)

Since we do not give number grades as Kindergarten teachers, we truly have to assess actual learning. As I stated previously, a //moderate // version of this type of observational assessment might be beneficial in some way for upper grade levels. Our progress reports reflect skills-based goals and truly demonstrate what the children have actually learned. (//Beth Balch //) Love it....wish grades 1-5 had same way to show student learning in this same way. This would blow our parent's minds wouldn't it! (S.Bragwell)


 * 5. Along the same vein as the example of above. The authors said when we drop the lowest grade, give bonus points, give bonus projects, or curve grades, we are are massaging grades. Are we doing that? (Respond Here) ** Yes. We have dropped grades because student have not had time to practice it again, redo it and "get it". Again, married to a program (SF-sorry Tina), we can not spend more than a week on a skill (language for instance). Third grade had some difficult language skills that some students just did not have time to grasp. Having to now grade Science and Social Studies plus get in spelling, language, math, V-math, reading, read aloud, as well as students who are pulled out for Title 1 services for math and title 1 services for reading, students who go out for ELL services and then throw in music, library, PE, and lunch, classworks, lab time to complete reading tests, all kinds of drills, fire, tornado, earthquake, (coming soon I believe) and violin for 3rd grade etc...where would we get the extra time to "review" the skills that they missed when on Monday, we begin another Reading story with all new skills and concepts? Oh I forgot any of the days we miss for snow, or other programs that interrupt the instructional time...pictures, programs, fundraisers etc... I do not feel we would feel the need to drop grades and give bonus points if we felt that we had the freedom to take the time to "re-teach" things that our students just did not get without the pressure to "move on." - Sarah Bragwell PS....I love my job! :)

AMEN, sister! (Terry Hughes) I also wonder about those children who did not care if they still had an I at the end of the year. These would be the same children who didn't care if they got a zero as long as they got out of the work. For instance, if we said, "you won't be promoted to the fourth grade until you get this complete and this I taken care of," the children with the I are most likely the children who wouldn't care if they were promoted. (B. Pettey) I believe that if a child has an I, "incomplete" in a subject, they must be made to complete the assignment before being promoted. We have to ensure that learning has taken place. (D.Bx.) I love the idea of no 0s. I had never thought about it being a way to let students off the hook. It has always bothered me because I can't see if they have mastered a skill if they don't complete the assignment. I support the no 0s policy. (Terry Hughes) I love the idea of not giving zeroes! To me, zeroes are very rarely a reflection of learning. They usually represent the lazy student who simply doesn't care. I once had a teacher who refused to let us fail. If we did, we retook the test until we passed. We stayed after school and reworked whatever we had missed. I may not have loved Algebra, but I learned how to do it and appreciate the effort Mrs. Ashley put in. (Suzanne Mozley) **7. ICU is a communication spreadsheet program for missing assignments that can be viewed by anyone in the building using some form of intrashare network. The system is totally dependent on one main ingredient: teachers working together. Teachers must be 100% committed to this system. What are your thoughts on how we can share this information?** (Respond Here) I think the spreadsheet is good. I will be 100 % honest. I am so busy teaching all day long, I have time to check my e-mail in the morning before school starts and maybe once during my break. Teachers and staff who send out messages throughout the day sometimes forget that not everyone checks their mail as often as they might should. I usually do not open my mail again until after school. I do not sit behind my desk to teach now that I use my mimio...my elmo has almost become obsolete. I just "forget" to check it regularly. For teachers like me, I might struggle to "keep an eye" on the board! If it was posted on a wall on the way to lunch or at the workroom over the copier...I would view it daily at least once. Sarah Bragwell.
 * 6. According to the authors, students should never recieve zeroes, but should be given an "I" for "Incomplete" until the work is completed. What do you think? ** **(Respond Here**) Would this mean that if they had "I's " remaining at the end of the year, would they not be allowed to move to the next grade level until this work was completed? Sarah Bragwell

We must maintain the dignity of the child in the way we display our information. We will have to make it a priority to briefly check our email should that be what we agree on. Dena Mayfield This type of sheet could be placed in appropriate spots where teachers and support personnel could only see it. Then we could follow through with making our school "all for one and one for all." Name?oops!(Mary McClanahan) <-I like this all for one and one for all idea! (S.Bragwell) That is a great point! We need an APPROPRIATE place where all school personnel could see the sheet, but we do not need it where volunteers and parent helpers could see. This may be a difficult task. (B. Pettey) I still think this is going to have to be digital. If we displayed this somewhere in the office, students and parents would have access. Also, when are you going to have time to write on it? (S. Calvert) TRUE! (S.Bragwell)

First thing each mornig would be time enough to check mail/message board to know who owed what. Checking this each morning we could see who we might come into contact with each day and make it a point to ask them... Who do you owe? What do you owe? and How can help? A daily check is absolutely doable. S.Bragwell

I agree that the ICU list should be digital. What if we created another Wiki and made it password protected for our staff only? Teachers could post the ICU list on the wiki by a certain day and everyone could see what child was missing what assignment. As a faculty we would have to decide on the day and time the information should be posted. We should also decide on what day each teacher is to check the wiki for names. We could even have tabs for each grade level to post under. Just an idea... (Katie Davis)

My concern with this is that I never see the other end of the school to even see the kids in K, 1st, and 2nd (even if I did know them). So, how will I ensure that I do my job as an encourager to them? Also, we are all in our "own little world" within our classroom and grade level that the probabilty of getting a chance to do this might be slim. Still doable, but slim. (Leah Turner) **Well, I think the nine week grading period has helped tremendously with this. With SF being written like it is, it is kind of hard to test one certain skill in a weeks time. When we were using novels, Literature Circles, etc. we would have just a few skills for the entire book, not just one story. They were ready to test at the end of the book on that particular concept and could do it well because it was discussed and taught all the way thru the book, not in one week. If we take a look at Science and Social Studies, we (speaking for 4th grade) might not have a grade every week because the material builds within the chapter or AMSTI units. Using different formats of tests/ assignmnents are to be considered as well. The students know that the layout of our weekly tests are MC and short answer. They are very predictable (and hard at the same time). While the lower grades might need that predictability, the upper grades need an element of suprise and a 'change up" every now and then. I believe that is one reason that they love Science and Social Studies; much of the time it's unpredictable and new. I am not in any way trying to bash SF:) because I know it has some good qualities; however when we think of grading a true reflection of what students know and have learned is a test a week the right answer? (Leah Turner)** I don't have a problem bashing SF. Like I said before... married to a program where you proceede form one skill to another from week to week... it's hard to reinforce a skill not learned well by some students. If you take the time to revisit andpractice....they are confused because they are to be learning another skill!!! Something has got to give! (S. Bragwell) I agree it is much easier to get accurate assessments on the nine week grading system. Howwever, we are still having trouble with science and social studies grades. We are just getting our feet wet, so to speak so maybe we can iron out the kinks for next year. (Terry Hughes) I think most of us do this most of the time as it is. It may not be a detailed communication, but a brief email, phone call, or even text message probably takes place several times a week for many of us. (B. Pettey) Especially if that student is having problems. communication with parents of students are doing well is another thing. This is somethign that could be worked on. (S.Bragwell) 10. The Four Powerful Questions: Who do you owe? What do you owe? What do you need? How can I help you? Do you think using these questions will help change views of teachers from being adversaries to becoming advocates? ** (Respond Here) **
 * 8. The authors emphasize that under the ICU system, we should take a very good look at the grades we are giving students. Grades should reflect student learning so we are to think quality over quantity. What changes (in thinking or action) are we going to have to make? (Respond Here) **
 * Wow! This has been an age old discussion. Why 25 spelling words instead of 15. Good question? We are going to have to be willing to let our infinite will bend. Dena Mayfield **
 * I totally agree. We should focus on what we test rather than the number of items we test. Sonya Preuitt **
 * 9. The ICU system asks teachers to communicate with one parent per day either through email or a phone call. Is this a habit we are willing to make? (Respond Here) I would be willing to do this.(Mary McClanahan) I agree with Brooke. Most of us do this already. If we put a little more effort, we can make a difference in overall communication.(M McClanahan) **
 * Absolutely! It is a revelation to our thinking:) Dena Mayfield **
 * Yes, without a doubt.(M McClanahan) Students will see that more than their teacher cares about their success. I think this type of good attention will be good for all.MM **
 * I like the idea of, we the teachers, being an advocate for our children/students! (D.Bx.) **
 * I definately think that "What do you need?: and "How can I help you?" shows we are there to help. The others may put them on **
 * defensive. (Terry Hughes) **