Originally published 120723

The Mac Lab was an atypical learning environment.

It had to be.

Families had lots of questions. I posted my answers on our website.

What is my child expected to do?

I expect students to log in and begin the daily mission before the bell rings to start class.

I expect students to continue working through the final bell. I expect no one to pack up, log out, or, heaven forbid, stand by the door before my Thanks and see you tomorrow message (after the bell rings).

I expect students to work at their own pace, so no one gets left behind or is forced to wait.

I expect students to make mistakes.

I expect students to embrace this freedom with responsibility.

Finally, I expect students to try their best, not give up, learn from their mistakes, and play by the rules.

Students who meet these expectations will succeed in the Mac Lab.

Period.

(Paraphrasing Dan Pink.)

Why don’t you use a standard rubric?

Digital Arts in the Mac Lab is about learning, not grading. But since many students and families seem more focused on the latter, let’s get grades out of the way. The short version is that if your student does not earn an A in Digital Arts, they chose not to earn an A. I can say that with certainty because this is my rubric:

Try your best
Don’t give up
Learn from your mistakes
Play by the rules

That’s it. No tests. No homework. No loopholes. I don’t grade individual assignments; I provide feedback. Once grades are no longer an issue, we can focus on the joy of learning and begin to do amazing things.

I came to Valhalla in January 2002 after 20+ years as a graphic artist. Among other honors, the Mac Lab has earned an INSPIRE Award from the Classroom of the Future Foundation (for our gameful learning system) and a Global Impact Award from Adobe (for sharing our innovative methods and strategies).

I’m not the teacher in the Mac Lab; I’m the lead learner. I lead by example and produce digital media every day. So we—the students and I—learn and grow together. Students are encouraged to help each other. Asking for or offering help isn’t cheating; it’s collaborating.

Fun Fact: That’s also a recipe for success in the real world.

Why don’t you give tests or grade assignments?

This question is a fork in the road.

To the left is the unspoken, “How can you possibly know if students are trying their best?”

To the right is the demand for “objective” measurements.

(My words.)

If you want to know how your student is doing:

• Look through their Digital Arts Journal.
• Read their Weekly Mission Logs.
• Students have all period to work, reflect, and document their journey.
• Does it look as if your student is trying their best?

As for me, I know what I’ve asked students to do. I can see who is and is not following instructions. For the latter, I’ll give repeated fair warnings (verbally and via the Gameful feedback system) before entering (or changing) grades. After that, students will know exactly where they stand. After all, they choose their grade with their actions.

What about assignments and homework?

As previously mentioned, I don’t assign homework. Instead, we milk every classroom minute for all it’s worth. First, I ask that students begin watching the daily update before the period starts. Then, continued persistent engagement with the coursework until after the period ends. Consequently, in addition to developing (or reinforcing) a good work ethic, we make far more efficient use of time than a traditional classroom.

As for coursework, you’re never finished in the Mac Lab is more than a mantra; it reflects the nature of our learning environment. There’s always more to do because my assignments, tutorials, and resources are online. No one ever reaches a stopping point because there’s always more to do. And because every student works at their own pace, no one is left behind or forced to sit and wait for others.

While students learn, I’m free to answer questions, offer suggestions, or, when necessary, enforce the rules. If you want to see how this works in person, check in at Valhalla’s front desk and ask to observe the Mac Lab. Our doors are always open.

Students enrolled in Digital Arts are provided an Adobe Creative Cloud license. Your student may download the apps at home if you have a Mac or PC. (Remember, I do not assign homework, so this is a perk, not a necessity.)

The Bullet Point Archive summarizes my daily updates, weekly instructions, and expectations. Compare that information with your student’s journal entries (where all their coursework is archived). Voila! You can see how much time and effort your student has invested in Digital Arts.

The Mac Lab is a transparent learning environment. My instructions, tutorials, resources, and assignments are all on the Mission Maps. Likewise, your student’s progress is tracked on their map, and their coursework is in their journal. As the parent of a Valhalla grad (class of 2015), I know it doesn’t get any simpler than that.

(My words.)

What if my child isn’t good at _______?

Students who consistently try their best, don’t give up, learn from their mistakes, and play by the rules have earned an A.

Period.

I expect every student to struggle at times. I’m frustrated right now, trying to shape these words to match my intent. But I’m trying my best; if I don’t give up, this post will reach you.

There. Imperfect as usual, but it serves the intended purpose.

Maybe now would be a good time to share this story.

In March of 2016, I discovered that I’m on the spectrum—a high-functioning autistic. When I told the department chair of Special Academic Instruction (whom I’d worked with from the beginning), she smiled and said, “I know.” (005)

You know what I know?

I know it’s an uneven playing field. So, in the Mac Lab, I only ask that your student try their best, not give up, learn from their mistakes, and play by the rules. If they do that persistently and consistently, your student has held up their half of the deal.

P.S. It took me over three hours to “finish” the story. I’ll edit it repeatedly in the days and weeks ahead. It’s not a race; we work at our own pace. And we continually iterate!

What if my child wants to learn _______?

Industry representatives review, revise, and approve Digital Arts outlines and competencies in our annual Career Technical Education (CTE) Advisory Meetings. Over the years, I have proposed numerous additions to these formal documents, which advisors have approved. Today, the scope of approved Digital Arts disciplines is virtually unlimited.

These flexible boundaries (below) invite student input and introduce an element of what might be called academic entrepreneurship into the learning environment. In this scenario, we (teachers) are the equivalent of venture capitalists, and students are startup founders seeking funding (approval) for their innovative ideas.

ZIM! = Zone of Intrinsic Motivation

After demonstrating proficiency in core Mac Lab skill sets, any student may propose a personalized learning environment (PLE) that falls within the scope of our approved coursework. However, the student’s proposal must include a product, and that is non-negotiable.

If a student says, I want to learn _______, I’ll reply, Great! What do you want to create?

Envisioning an end product and then devising a way to reach the goal leads to more productive learning strategies.

Creative freedom includes responsibility (and accountability). So, if your student agrees to my terms and successfully pitches a PLE, they may forge a unique path in the Mac Lab.

(My words.)

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Context: Those answers were part of the FAQ I posted (for admin and families). As the lead learner, I also had to play by the rules. (As usual, teaching what I most need to learn.)

Rubric: I’ve been accused of lowering expectations. Seriously, how could I ask more from anyone in the room?

These four images are from an iteration of Mac Lab Policies and Expectations. (I’ll post the collection elsewhere.)

Tierra, Cat, Max, and… (Brian?) created the art in Bodhi et al.

As should be obvious by now, our atypical learning environment was as much for me as it was for the kids. Positive sumness.

I still don’t like grades, but if I had to post one for my career, the rubric tells that story: I got a B.

Featured Image: It’s a team effort.

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