Recently a fence between my neighbors and my house fell down. As I walked around the huge tree in the backyard near the downed fence, I noticed that the tree was rotten on the back side. I called three tree specialists. Two said to cut it down. The third agreed it was rotten but then stated that the tree was still alive. It had healthy branches. He could trim it so that the rot would not cause the tree to come down. The tree could continue to live and grow.
I wonder how often we have “cut down” “rotten” students when they have failed tests, not completed their homework, or not done in class work. We may think, “They’ll never get it…They are always lost…They will fail… They are beyond help.” However, if we nurture them through formative assessment they can overcome their “rotten” parts. We can use technology to provide additional resources for them that present the learning in a different manner so that they grow in their learning.
Do you view students as “dead wood” or as “thriving trees”? How does your classroom actions show this? Try formative assessment to help your students become successful learners.
My new book, Successful Student Writing Through Formative Assessment, is available through Eye on Education.
My book, Formative Assessment: Responding to Your Students, is available through Eye on Education.
Education with Technology Harry G. Tuttle 
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