What if we went back in time and told Thomas Edison that he needed to perfect the incandescent light bulb (hand in) and have it work flawlessly (earn an “A”) by a specific date and time? Would it have stunted or removed his ability to be innovative, take risks, attempt multiple solutions, and eliminate creativity? I would think so.

We need to rid ourselves of “due dates” in education. Until we do so, students will continue to focus on the grade and completing the assignment rather than on the process. When I refer to “due dates” please understand that I am talking about those for assignments, marking periods, grade advancement, and any other benchmark used for suggesting uniform progression.

The reality is that the process is much more important to learning and, more often than not, due dates contribute to haphazard work that is rushed for completion the night before. In addition, it is the process that transfers to other areas and generates meaningful learning; not the product. Students who make a web site learn skills that they can then transfer to other courses and, eventually, facets of life. Last I checked, no student could take the website they made in 10^th grade and submit it to their employer for company use, correct?

How can we allow for this type of functionality to exist without creating pandemonium? Rather than having students create three websites (or whatever) why not have them create one and combine the content from all of them with emphasis on what is most important? How about giving 4 assignments for advancement rather than 20? How about allowing students to come up with their own ways to display knowledge learned rather than giving them an “assignment sheet”? Allowing for student autonomy and personal decision-making is the key to eliminating the stunted growth that comes with due dates and the like.

My favorite (because it’s ridiculous) counter to this argument is when people say: kids need to learn that things need to be handed in on time because in real life there are timed deadlines. This may, or may not, be true, but we need to consider the process again instead of the product simply because the process is transferable; the product is not.

My vision: developing a culture where there are no “due dates” so long as a student can continually display a forward movement of progress in solving the problem. What is so bad about teaching students that deep, critical thought on a topic is more important than ensuring a piece of paper is handed in on a certain date? Students would not move on to the next grade or marking period until they had previously completed the assignments required at a certain level of proficiency. In addition, “process papers” would be used as benchmarks for suggesting advancement to a new level. Teachers would be responsible for offering feedback to students based on their evidence in “process papers” so that new avenues could be explored and new knowledge uncovered.

This type of idea would leave students open to work at a pace that is conducive to their abilities and stress the importance of learning rather than grades. Theoretically, every student’s chances of earning a high mark would actually improve with this type of system simply because their ability to revamp and rework assignments would be unlimited. It is this type of “differentiated learning” that schools need to emphasize to students.

Students would embrace this breath of fresh air. We would develop a school culture that focuses more on understanding how to get from “A to B” rather then “what did you get at B, and how fast?” It is my belief that students should be afforded the opportunity to develop their skills at their own pace AND make sure that those skills are developed at a high level. Due dates perform the opposite function. They stress compliance, uniformity, and completion.

This post was written by guest blogger Aaron Eyler (@aaron_eyler). He is the author of “Synthesizing Education” and a teacher in central New Jersey. For more information on Aaron, please visit his blog at http://synthesizingeducation.com.