Death Crawl… Push yourself!

Posted on April 13, 2010

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If I could measure students’ output on a potential scale from 1 – 100, I wonder how most would score?  If I could just reach in the top right desk drawer, pull out the Potentialmeter, and turn it on, what would it show?

I would be willing to bet that most students don’t realize their potential.  They underestimate their ability to think, read, write, and produce high quality work.  Although they are working, they are not even close to maximum output.

Don’t get me wrong.  Students in Reading Workshop have really been putting forth a lot of effort.  As we scream down the test prep road preparing for the Ohio Achievement Assessment on April 27, students have been working hard and showing excellent growth in their ability.  However, I just don’t believe they know the limits of their capabilities.  And, I know they are not even close to putting forth maximum effort.

This became especially evident as I watched this video, Death Crawl from Facing the Giants in Mrs. Stevenson’s class yesterday.
Students in Reading Workshop, how close are you to reaching your potential?  What would your score be on the potentialmeter?  What is your best and what can you do to reach it?

My response to that is:

I think I’m around a 75 but I know I can do way better. I try in class and I try my hardest but if I focus then I will try my hardest and I will also succeed to 100 but I can’t do that if I don’t put all of my effort into it and focus. Even if I get an “A” it’s not above 100% and it’s not an “A+”.

So if I try my hardest I think I can get to around 90 but if I try more than my hardest I can be like Brock and reach the 100 mark. My goal may be 90 but if I really try and push it like Brock in the video then I know I can reach 100 and be definitely ready for the OAT.

The video of Brock really inspires me to not give up and to give it my all not my best but my all. So in the next two weeks and on the OAT I will be taking a lot more time on the tests and try to give it my all and think of the video and what Brock did to succeed like I want to.

You can also go to The Reading Workshop to watch the video and see other responses.

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