I need to come clean with all of you. I’m embarrassed and somewhat ashamed about what I have to reveal. Please refrain from chastising me or rolling your eyes. I hope that you will not think less of me because of this information which I am about to bestow upon you. Okay, here it goes… … Continue reading Learning isn’t a privilege, it’s a right
***Updated with a video link at the bottom*** Since I began working with my Secondary Assessment Learning Team (SALT) at my school, I've attempted to tackle numerous projects, but none has been more significant and problematic than my grade book. Since going officially gradeless (feedback only with students, no levels, no points, no scores, no … Continue reading What story does your grade book tell?
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
A few months after I launched the gradeless learning scale to the teachers at my high school, it was noted by a reputable professional that students and parents alike would soon view the headings of the scale as no different than letter grades. In their view, what they were trying to tell me was that … Continue reading Going More Gradeless
Once upon a time, in a far away gradebook, oh about fifteen to twenty odd years ago, there was a keen and eager teacher who wanted to create an assessment for an English 9 short fiction unit. She laboured over the assessment and decided that a test would be the finest of fits for her … Continue reading Content, A Fairy Tale
For the first week of school, a young man (Let’s call him Brad) hid in his hoodie in my Humanities 8 room. He refused to do any work. I pulled him out, one day, and questioned him in an authoritarian manner. It's the beginning of the school year and I needed to show him I … Continue reading Syncing Maslow with Bloom
You’ve embraced a gradeless mindset. Your students are showing progress. It was a struggle at first, but you persevered in your communication of student learning to parents and they now appreciate that your focus has been on learning and not grades. Wahoo! Success! But it’s June and the Ministry of Education requires a letter grade … Continue reading The Report Card Dilemma
As mentioned in my Teachers Going Gradeless post, communication of student learning is vital for gradeless and standards based grading to be successful. By communication, I mean communication of pivotal learning points in a student's learning journey:where they are at now and how to get to the next level. Communication should highlight the growth and … Continue reading Choreographing Communication of Student Learning
I love Bloom's Taxonomy. I literally have a picture on my phone, another pinned to my bulletin board by my desk, one in my marking bag, and a copy saved to the desktop of every computer I work on in the school, plus one on my H: drive and my flash drives...err...make that flash drives. … Continue reading How do I love Bloom’s Taxonomy…let me count the ways…
The dynamic of my Drama classes is a special one. I get students from all walks of life: academic, athletic, eclectic, quiet, loud, at risk, behavioral, funny, awkward, and musical. They all seem to be able to find a place to call home in a Drama class. The kid who feels unsuccessful at Math discovers … Continue reading Teaching Special Needs students is a privilege
