This year has been tough. New school. New curriculum. A constant balancing act between using what I know works and keeping people happy. My students this year are mostly on IEPs or not on track to pass the state ELA test. I’ve spent so much time worrying about whether they’ll pass that I lost sight of something more important—growth.
That should have been my focus all along.
I only realized this thanks to my friend Corbin Moore. It hit me that I’ve been measuring success by the wrong metric. Sure, scores matter, but the real victory is in progress—the moments when students engage, when they connect with history, when they improve, even just a little.
I’m refocusing. Instead of stressing over test results, I’m leaning into what I know works: structured, meaningful learning experiences that meet students where they are and push them forward. If they grow, if they leave my class better than they came in, that’s the win. That’s what matters.
Moler's Musings 