TL;DR: Key considerations for educators during pandemic teaching include grading and reporting, connectivity, and ‘Profile of a Graduate.’ The pandemic provides educators with the opportunity to reflect on the purpose of a grade. Connectivity should be considered because every student has a right to learn. Having a clear vision of the type of learners we want to produce will support … Read More
Using Formative Assessments to Guide Instruction
TL;DR: Formative assessments help teachers effectively plan and guide instruction. It also helps to understand students better in terms of whether they are on track, need support, or a challenge. Likely, you’ll need to plan for differentiated instruction to meet the needs of your students, individually or as a class. There are many formative assessment options: Do-nows & bell ringers, … Read More
Data Collection: The Simple + Easy Way
TL;DR: Data collection helps us make informed decisions for our students. Collaborating with a team to use data effectively is a powerful tool to guide our decisions. The steps for data collection include: understanding the why, collecting the data, checking in with the team, then analyzing and sharing the results. Data, as I’ve come to learn, is one of those … Read More
Choice + Voice: Powerhouse Combo in the Classroom
TL;DR: Choice and voice are essential in order to engage students. Student choice is directly related to the concept of autonomy. Student voice is often communicated through their choices and behaviors. It might be the teacher in me, but when words rhyme or have a strong sense of alliteration, I’m all for it! Two of my favorites? CHOICE + VOICE, … Read More
Grading SAMR Model
TL;DR: Grading is undergoing changes, and many schools or districts need guidance. A comprehensive overview of the grading SAMR model, created by Erik Youngman. Grading should be fair, accurate, meaningful, and clearly communicated. I created the “Grading SAMR Model” to provide a framework for defining indicators within four distinct dimensions. They can be compared, separately or simultaneously, to guide grading … Read More