Food for Thought: Shrimp Scampi and Standards-Based Grading

Alex T. ValencicBlog, Grading & Assessment, Leadership, Lesson Planning, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Standards-based grading is like shrimp scampi: great when done right, frustrating when done poorly. It is essential to understand what stands-based grading is if we are going to use it to make a difference. Insist on quality professional learning and ongoing support to make sure SBG is implemented with integrity. One of my wife’s favourite dishes to order whenever … Read More

How Can Schools Build a Roadmap for the Future?

Steven WeberBlog, Leadership, Lesson Planning

TL;DR: As school teams begin to build a roadmap for the future, they should identify priority standards and learning targets. It is also important that they establish common formative assessments. The strongest instructional plan is based on the needs of the learners and the experience of professional educators.  “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get … Read More

Developing a Quality Curriculum

Steven WeberBlog, Leadership, Lesson Planning

TL;DR: Develop a quality curriculum by identifying desired outcomes, unpacking the standards, identifying transfer goals, and prioritizing curriculum development. A quality curriculum can become the constant in schools, rather than a variable determined by each teacher.  When school districts commit to clarifying the curriculum, each student will have a greater chance of success as he/she enters the next grade level. … Read More

The Standards of Our Schools

Taylor ArmstrongBlog, Leadership

TL;DR: The curriculum should be the product of our process and not the driver of it. Our students are the standards of our schools. We cannot begin to write a curriculum if we do not first know how to take care of those that it will impact the most. If you have been in education for more than 5 minutes, … Read More

Mastering the “Gray Area” Transition to Standards-Based Grading

Rae HughartBlog, Classroom Management, Grading & Assessment, Innovation, Lesson Planning

Mastering the _Gray Area_ Transition to Standards-Based Grading (1)

Have you considered the “gray area” during the transition from a traditional grade book to Standards-Based Grading? It can take multiple years for an effective shift to Standards-Based Grading for grade books and feedback provided in the classroom. As districts navigate the transition, there is a lot to think out, plan out, and put into practice. So, how do teachers manage in … Read More