TL;DR: Students need to know the expectations and deserve feedback to help them improve and grow. #TechBetter with an “edurubricon,” which involves numbering the skills and including icons to create an easy visual for students to follow along. Happy New Year! I hope as we begin 2022, all of you will use the ways that we have discussed to #techbetter. … Read More
Approaching the Upcoming School Year
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
4 Things Every Educational Coach Should Do
TL;DR: A school administrator is also an instructional coach, life coach, behavior coach, character development coach, and career development coach. To make an impact, every educational coach should build relationships, listen, stay positive, and start small. When talking to another colleague about a coaching training I had recently attended, they asked me why I would attend training designed for coaches. … Read More
Focus on the Focus Blog Series Overview
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
Focus on Improving Your Grading Practices
TL;DR: Focus on improving your grading practices by cutting the fluff, grading what matters, eradicating participation and completion points, and allowing redos. Avoid taking points off for late work. Use formative assessments to guide student progress and include students in the assessment process. Have you ever had a parent ask you why their child is passing your class but failing … Read More