Approaching the Upcoming School Year

David FrangiosaBlog, Differentiate Better, Grade Better, Lesson Plan Better, Mastery Done Better

TL;DR: Shift the focus to the development of skills. Content is still important, but it’s just not the purpose of the course. Develop a framework and common language to use during the feedback process. Limit feedback to a specific part of the assignment. When used appropriately, whole class feedback is a valuable tool. Provide multiple practice opportunities to every student … Read More

Going Gradeless: A Book Study Reflection

Teach Better TeamBlog, Grade Better, Lesson Plan Better, Mastery Done Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: This post includes reflections on a book study of Going Gradeless: Shifting the Focus to Student Learning by Elise Burns and David Frangiosa. This book provided insights about how you can shift the focus from grades to student learning! Each member of the book study shares their biggest takeaways from the book. This past month I had the pleasure … Read More

5 Scandals in Education

Steven WeberBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Grade Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Scandals exist in schools. Teachers and administrators must analyze their schools to see if they exist or have the potential to develop. There are 5 scandals in education: low expectations, lack of instructional leadership, culture does not emphasize formative assessment, curriculum alignment is left to chance, and students are not required to think. Throughout history, scandals have been documented. … Read More

Evaluating EdTech, Content, and Other Classroom Tools

Teach Better TeamBlog, Engage Better, Grade Better, Innovate Better, Lead Better

TL;DR: Assessing Content in Education Systems (ACES) is a strategy for evaluating educational content created by the author of this post. ACES is based on four key spectrums: active or anchored, creation or consumption, educational or entertainment, and social or solo. Knowing how to assess content is a foundational skill, especially because the technical aspects change often in our fast-paced … Read More

Focus on the Focus Blog Series Overview

Kari PitstickBlog, Grade Better, Mastery Done Better

Focus on the Focus Blog Series Overview The Focus on the Focus Blog Series offers grading, assessment, and feedback support for educators! Learn more about purposeful student conferencing and refocusing your assessments with student understanding in mind. In addition, get simple tips to improve your grading practices! Posts in the Series Student Conferencing with a Focus on the Focus (Video Blog) … Read More