Me: "Why do kids not bother to read the rubrics? Why do they rush through the work?"
Student #1: "Well, a lot of times they just want to finish so they can [watch TV, play on the computer, go to the basketball game]."
Student #2: "Yeah, they just want to be done and move on."
Me: "Oh, I get it. So they rush through the work to be efficient."
Student #1: "Yeah, I guess so."
Student #2: "Definitely. They want to just turn it in so they can move on to the next class's homework."
Archimedes would be proud of me. On the one hand, we want our students to slow down and work, carefully, thoughtfully, thoroughly. At the same time, we are constantly on them to meet a deadline. Hurry up! Let's go! We only have 20 minutes until the end of class! Hmmm.
Which message are they getting more frequently? Well, it appears to me that our "instant" world gives me the answer. I have equally as difficult a time transitioning from the pace of the day when I get home. I don't truly start to slow down until after the dinner dishes have been put in the dishwasher. That's nearly fifteen hours of go-go-go, and MAYBE two hours of slow...slow. Seems to me that my expectation of my students is unrealistic given the world in which we live. Only those students who are naturally attentive to detail can simultaneously navigate the pace and the minutiae. How then, do we create a growth mindset in this environment? Students have to be given the time and opportunity to LEARN to slow down long enough to review and reflect. "Check your work" simply is NOT an answer. Only the aforementioned population of careful planners can execute this instruction effectively in an environment where their internal clock tells them the class period is up and they have only three minutes to get to their locker, use the restroom, get a drink of water, and get to the next class. Growth mindset? How exactly do we accomplish this? It seems counterintuitive to me - simultaneous long term reflection and short term closure. I definitely do not know how I will adjust for this realization, but I do know I'm glad I asked my students about it! Their perspective, as always, is invaluable.