Done is Better Than Perfect

Article

Our group was getting kind of punchy near the end of reviewing public comments to the DPI on the ELA standards. We were assigned to speaking and listening.

"What does 'integrate' even mean?" asked one exasperated educator. We had been debating what verb to use at the beginning of the fifth anchor standard. After reading the progression for this standard from kindergarten up to grade 12, we decided on "Analyze and Synthesize".

This was the last comment to address. We all sat back and took a collective sigh of relief. For simply sitting around and looking at a screen all day, revising standards is hard work.

Part of this has to do with the responsibility that comes with creating a resource that others will use and rely on for their work. We want to get it just right. We could probably spend another day continuing to revise and update the standards.

There's always room for improvement, yet at some point we have to be okay with good enough. Maybe our students feel this way in their own writing, or we do in our lesson plans. It reflects a desire for excellence and an eye toward craftsmanship. Always admirable but not at the expense of our well-being.

Change happens in small steps and slight iterations - rarely giant leaps. So let’s get our work out there and let the community decide about the quality. They will anyway.

Articles are written ahead of time. I’m currently developing content around relevant topics and resources to share next week with regard to the national emergency and school being cancelled. Hang in there and stay positive! -Matt