Newaygo Pride Newsletter
Making a difference, one person at a time
Are We Gatekeepers or Spark Lighters?
“The question isn't whether we should lower the bar. The question is whether we're willing to help every student find a way over it.”
Years ago, when I was still a classroom teacher, I was recruited to be a scorer for the MEAP, Michigan's standardized assessment at the time.
My initial reaction?
Absolutely not.
I wasn't a big fan of standardized testing, and the thought of joining what I jokingly considered the "dark side" didn't exactly excite me. But then I wondered if perhaps I could learn something. Better understand the system. Maybe even make a difference from the inside.
So I said yes.
I remember sitting with other educators, reviewing student responses and determining what met the standard and what didn't.
And something interesting happened.
I could feel my own thinking beginning to shift. I became more rigid. More black and white. I found myself defending decisions with phrases like "high standards" and "raising the bar."
Those aren't bad things. I believe deeply in high expectations for students.
But looking back, I wonder if somewhere along the way I had begun confusing maintaining standards with being a gatekeeper.
I did that work for two summers. I learned a great deal, but I also walked away uncomfortable with how easily we could reduce a student's work to a judgment without knowing the student behind it.
Fast-forward many years.
Amy and I were beginning the college search process with our oldest son. Because he had a 504 plan, we made a point of meeting with advisors at the colleges we visited. We wanted to understand the supports available, but more importantly, we wanted the people at those institutions to understand our son.
Not simply his grades.
Not simply his transcript.
Him as a person.
I'll never forget one particular conversation at Saginaw Valley State University.
We sat across from an advisor and shared pieces of our son's story.
And then the advisor said something that has stayed with me ever since.
He shared the institutions philosophy that guided his work with students: If a student shows up to class, demonstrates genuine effort, and continues to grow, they will not fail that student.
Period.
I remember smiling.
Later, I turned to Amy and said, "THAT is what it's all about."
What struck me wasn't that the advisor was suggesting every student should earn an A or a B. He wasn't talking about handing out grades or lowering expectations.
He was talking about believing in students.
He was talking about recognizing effort, honoring growth, and understanding that learning doesn't happen at the same pace or in the same way for every person.
And perhaps most importantly, he was describing adults who saw themselves as partners in a student's success rather than simply the people who determine whether that student succeeds or fails.
That conversation has stayed with me.
Throughout my career, I've encountered educators who see grading and learning in very black-and-white terms.
"You either earned the grade or you didn't."
I understand that perspective. I really do. Standards matter. Accountability matters. Students need to learn that effort doesn't always guarantee the outcome we want.
AND I also believe there's another side to this conversation.
When I was a classroom teacher, if I had a student who was struggling, but I could see that student showing up, putting forth effort, and trying to grow, I believed the responsibility shifted back to me.
What hadn't I figured out yet?
Was there another way to explain the concept?
Was I providing multiple opportunities for that student to show me what they knew?
Had I taken the time to understand what was getting in the way?
And perhaps the most important question of all:
Had I done everything I reasonably could to help that student succeed?
I didn't always get it right. Not even close.
But I never wanted a student to believe that struggling meant they weren't capable.
Because sometimes the difference between a student who gives up and a student who keeps going is an adult who refuses to give up on them.
We're now more than a quarter of the way through the school year.
By this point, we're beginning to know our students in deeper ways. We know which students are thriving. We know which students are struggling. And we are beginning to recognize the students who may need something different from us.
I believe every student who walks through our doors has a spark.
Sometimes that spark is easy to see. The student is confident, engaged, successful, and eager to learn.
Other times, it's buried beneath frustration, discouragement, fear, or years of believing that school simply isn't a place where they can succeed.
And I believe one of our greatest responsibilities as educators is to find that spark.
To notice it.
To encourage it.
To help it grow.
This isn't about lowering standards. It's about refusing to lower our belief in what students can become.
A grade is a snapshot of learning, not a verdict on a child's potential.
Our role as educators is so much bigger than determining who has met the bar.
Our role is to help students believe they can reach it.
So here's my challenge.
Think about one student who is struggling. One student who hasn't quite found their footing. One student who may be starting to believe they just aren't good at school.
When that student isn't finding success, do we simply point to the gradebook? Or do we get curious?
What if we asked a different question? Tried something different? Found another way to help that student experience success?
What if you became the person who helped reignite their spark?
I don't believe our students need more gatekeepers.
I believe they need more adults who see possibility where others might see limitations.
And sometimes, the most important thing we can give a student isn't a grade.
It's a reason to keep believing in themselves.
#WeAreNewaygo
