Going Gradeless with Gary Heidt

Why do we grade students? 

Is it to measure and evaluate learning? Provide students an incentive to do their work? Reflect the ‘rigour’ of our classroom? 

Research shows that grades don’t accomplish any of these things. 

What if there was a better way to measure, monitor and evaluate student growth? And share a story of their learning journey...

What if we eliminated grades entirely? 

That’s exactly what Gary Heidt, 10th Grade Humanities and Social Entrepreneurship Teacher, did in his high school's 'Nova Lab' learning space. And his students soared to new heights because of it. 

Learn more about the alternative system he co-designed, and how it can help your students:

• Increase work ethic and production
• Become more reflective and meticulous with their work
• Provide detailed descriptions of their learning journey and growth
• Take charge of their learning  

Gary's Blog: https://onlyconnects.wordpress.com 

Going Gradeless Resources

Nova Lab: https://pvhsnovalab.com   

Connect w/ Gary: Twiter (@Ed_by_design) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-heidt-6146656/)  

Gary's Bio: Garreth Heidt has taught middle and high school students via a unique instructional approach to creativity and design thinking for the better part of 30 years. His curricula seek to develop skills in critical viewing, question formation, civil discussion, problem finding, and problem solving. The learning process is driven by design-minded means to a unique educational end for his students, and is focused around two simple questions: “Why are things the way they are? How can we make them better?”

He currently teaches a 10th grade Gifted Humanities class, and is the Lead Learner and co-designer of his high school’s innovation and social entrepreneurship space, NOVA Lab.

Mr. Heidt has spent time teaching and developing classes at the middle school, high school, and college level. He is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in English and a Masters in Curriculum, Instruction and Technology. His work has appeared in or been featured by: School Arts, A Gathering of the Tribes, the Industrial Designers Society of America, The Design Learning Network, Bard College’s “Institute for Writing and Thinking”, and in a forthcoming book on experiential learning in museums entitled, The Museum as Experience.

He blogs infrequently on his own sites, Only Connect (www.onlyconnects.wordpress.com) and Innovation Lab (pvhsnovalab.com). He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Association of the Delaware Valley, Design-ed Coalition, the Design Learning Network, and he is the Director of Learning for the Educational Design Consultancy, Form & Faculty (www.formandfaculty.com ).