As rubric season comes to a close at Bixby, I’ve been reflecting on the experience of writing these reports. For many years the rubric has been a Bixby hallmark. It is actually a trademarked document and, in the world of alternative assessments, quite unique. The Bixby Rubric, with its 11 dimensions that range from the social emotional to the academic, is a “living document”. It brings to light the details, the glimpses, the meaningful moments of a child’s Bixby experience and integrates them into a whole. We have been pleased to hear from many families that the Rubric of Student Growth and accompanying conference is a yearly highlight of a Bixby education. For me, the act of writing about the classroom experience and progress of my students is yet another opportunity to think about my teaching practice. As I read back on what I’ve written, I think about what is working well in my curricula and instruction, and consider what needs changing. The rubric offers me the opportunity to dive deep into reflection about what it means to be a student. In writing about my students this year, I was struck by all the pieces that must come together to make for a meaningful experience for them, from academic to social, from cognitive to developmental. This helps me look at and adjust my expectations. Reading what my colleagues write is an important link to their teaching and can inform my own. It is always helpful to see the similarities and differences in our work with students. The bottom line: the rubric has had a big impact on my professional growth and integration into the Bixby experience. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
