How Two Teachers Handed the Mic to Their Students - and Watched Them Crush It
Guest blog by IFC Inclusion Coach Susan Krikelis.Let’s talk about a classroom glow-up.
This year, co-teaching duo Brandon Marvel and Jesse Steele did something bold. They flipped the script from “teacher in charge” to “students, take the wheel!”
And the results? Off the charts.
This isn’t just a story about test scores (although those were very impressive). It’s about what happens when educators trust their students, set super clear expectations, sprinkle in some structure, and fuel it all with a big ol’ dose of growth mindset.
Just before winter break, when students were counting down the days and teachers were counting their remaining sanity, Brandon and Jesse said: “Let’s use this moment.”
Instead of coasting into the holidays, they used that time to set the stage for a whole new classroom culture. One where:
💫 Students knew exactly what was expected
💫 Group work meant everyone pulled their weight
💫 Assignments came with modeled responses and clear
submission rules
💫 And routines? Locked in. (Shout out to the always-there “To Do”
list on the board.)
By the time students came back in January, they were ready for the remix.
“We told them this is a place to work - and your effort determines your outcome, just like in life,” Jesse said.
Enter the Student-Led Era
Brandon, fresh from the elementary world, knew he was used to being in control. But this time, he decided to loosen the reins.
“Middle schoolers are ready for responsibility - they just need to know you trust them with it,” Brandon explained. “And when they know that, they rise to the occasion.”
Spoiler: They crushed it.
Jesse and Brandon told their students: “This is your education. Own it. Work hard. Support each other. Let’s do this.”
Suddenly, the class felt like a team. (A very competitive, highly motivated team.)
Wait, did someone say “friendly competition”???
Oh, yes! Let’s not forget one of the secret ingredients in this classroom transformation: good old healthy rivalry.
Brandon brought back competition in the form of:
🏅 Class averages on display (anonymized, of course).
🏅 Students literally asking for their graded work so they could track
growth.
🏅 Entire classes rallying together to beat the “honors” group.
“They were constantly checking to see how they were doing - and how the class was doing,” Jesse shared. “It built this sense of pride. They weren’t just growing individually. They were growing together.”
Students weren’t just learning - they were invested. They saw their progress in real time, and they were hungry for more.
The results?
Jaw-dropping.
Period 1:
31 students - 8 with IEPs, 5 with 504s, and 6 Multilingual Learners.
Fall Proficiency: 53%
Spring Proficiency: 71%
76% met their growth goals
Period 2:
28 students - 6 with IEPs, 3 with 504s, and 1 selectively nonverbal student.
Fall Proficiency: 59%
Spring Proficiency: 68%
82% met their growth goals
And on the statewide test scores?
According to the state report card, in the 2023-2024 school year, 43% of all students in grades 3-8 were proficient in ELA. 77% of students hit the 6th-grade proficiency mark in Brandon and Jesse’s classes.
Mic. Drop.
Final Thoughts from the Marvel-Steele Dream Team
“Give it a shot,” Brandon said. “You’ll be amazed at what students can do when they have a clear understanding of expectations and a structured room to excel. Anything is possible for them - and this year was proof.”
So here’s to Brandon and Jesse: the co-teaching pair who reminded us that when we believe in kids, give them tools, and build a culture of effort + accountability + a little fun... amazing things happen.
