It seems like every other day, I am asked how I can reconcile myself to the fact that I still have to give grades at report card time and run a gradeless classroom. It’s a complex question and there’s an equally complex answer. Let me first make a comment…gradeless is amazing! It’s the single most … Continue reading What does a B mean anyways?
There is a solo project I do with my Drama students. I have them pretend they are a small child trying to fly a kite on a windless day. I tell the actors that despite all odds, their character should never give up. Here is what the actors show me. At first, the child is … Continue reading Let’s Go Fly a Kite
Click on the picture to check out my article in BC Teacher Magazine.
For high school teachers, there’s been a lot of questions around learning and assessment and what we should be doingduring this pandemic. How much work should we give? Should we give everyone A’s? What if kids don't have computers? Should kids fail? What if kids are alone? Should they pass or pass with distinction? Should … Continue reading Throw ’em a life preserver
The Trouble with Technology I rely heavily on my social network for resources to communicate my assessment philosophy and education pedagogy. During this crisis, I find myself inundated with so much information that I find it a daunting task to weed out the unnecessary, trolls, and funnies to get to important information for my PLN … Continue reading Thinking outside the ‘tech’ box
I’m an extrovert. No wait, I’m not just an extrovert. I am a certifiable, put me in the spotlight, please give me attention, extrovert. That's more accurate. Extroverts, in case you don’t know, are completely aware of their cravings for attention and are far from obtuse about it. I have no issues telling someone I’m … Continue reading An Extrovert in Isolation
Slam Poem about making sense of Covid 19- The Problem is Video reading - https://youtu.be/DUNW87sdyRM
Last week those of us in BC ed had no idea what this week would have in store for us. When I was a kid, "self-isolating" was humorously coined for those who rather not deal with the public, "social distancing" was something told to us by supervisors at teen dances, and "quarantining" was something learned … Continue reading Riding an edu-emotional roller coaster
Going gradeless is a complete somersault into foreign territory. To do it correctly, in my view, it shouldn't be a partial or hurried cartwheel into gradeless. One cannot simply post marks using a proficiency scale, pat themselves on the back and call it gradeless. Gradeless is about pedagogy, mindset, communication of learning without numbers…all numbers…ANY … Continue reading Gradeless: Don’t just dip your toes, jump in
Four weeks have passed in my gradeless English 11 class. I’m in a sort of limbo. Students haven’t asked for a grade, but I haven’t really given them a reason to. They’ve read a novel, completed three weeks of annotations with descriptive feedback, participated in discussions, and started an essay. About half of the students … Continue reading Playing chess – Gradeless English 11 Weeks 3 and 4
