TL;DR: Make student conferences a part of your unit arc. Give high quality feedback outside of your conferences. Invite students to lead and give them ownership in conversations about their grade. These tips can support the regularity, efficiency and effectiveness, and student ownership of conferences. For the last half of my teaching career, weekly student conferencing has been a staple … Read More
Approaching Learning From a Positive and Proactive Approach
Video Highlights: Katelyn Giordano discusses how to approach and implement a “gradeless” or standards-based classroom and the transformational impact it can have on your students. [scroll down to keep reading] About Katelynn Giordano Katelynn Giordano is a Middle Level Language Arts Educator in Illinois and the Director of Curriculum & Instruction for the Teach Better Team. She is a dynamic … Read More
The Impact of Standardized Assessments
TL;DR: Measuring student achievement using standardized assessments is inequitable. The story of Parks Middle School exemplifies the inequities of standardized assessments. Cheating on standardized tests led to teachers and administration guilty in court for racketeering. There’s a great opportunity now to reconsider and determine the best method to assess student progress to unlock unlimited potential. Standardized assessments is a “one … Read More
Key Considerations for Educators During Pandemic Teaching
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
