Discover a practical three-year roadmap for implementing standards-based grading tailored to your educational context. Learn about the crucial difference between proficiency and frequency scales in assessments. Explore fascinating cultural contrasts from their travels, emphasizing collaboration and learning among educators. Delve into the urgency needed in restructuring grading practices while encouraging patience and inclusivity among staff. Get insights on balancing academic and behavioral assessments for a fairer evaluation system.

Discover the transformative power of self-assessment in the classroom! The hosts reveal why it's essential for student empowerment and share strategies to navigate early implementation challenges. Learn about innovative methods like using exemplars and tools such as chat GPT to enrich student understanding. Hear how portfolios and data notebooks can drive meaningful reflection and engagement. Get ready to cultivate a culture of growth, as you help students take ownership of their learning journey!

In this episode, Tom and Natalie discuss the "Grading Trap," which inadvertently occurs when traditional grading practices - things like zeros for missing work, late penalties, and mixing behavior with academic performance - end up working against learning instead of supporting it.  The "Grading Trap" can inadvertently sabotage great teaching. Tom and Natalie close the episode with ways that teachers can recognize the "red flags" of the "Grading Trap" and how they can get themselves out of it.     PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EVENTS JAN. 24-25 (Tom) NESA Educators Training Institute  Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.  FEB. 6-7 (Natalie) GFIO 2-Day Workshop  Orlando, FL.  FEB 19 (Tom) PLC Summit KEYNOTE  Phoenix, AZ  MAR. 5-6 (Tom) GFIO 2-Day Workshop  San Antonio, TX  MAR. 24-25 (Tom) SBLA 2-Day   New Orleans, LA  APR. 5-6 (Tom & Nat) NESA Learning Futures Summit  Athens, Greece   June 25-27 (Tom & Nat) ST Assessment Collaborative Institue  Madison, WI       RECENT BOOKS: "Redefining Student Accountability" "Concise Answers to FAQs about Assessment & Grading" "Jackpot: Nurturing Student Investment through Assessment"   CONNECT WITH TOM & NATALIE   Podcast on X Tom on X Natalie on X Podcast on IG Tom on IG Natalie on IG Email: assessthat24@gmail.com

In this episode, Tom and Natalie discuss three quick assessment wins. Each "win" falls within a specific aspect of assessment. Formative: Engineer conversations Summative: Reorganize the gradebook. Student Agency: Feedback through consent     PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EVENTS JAN. 24-25 (Tom) NESA Educators Training Institute  Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.  FEB. 6-7 (Natalie) GFIO 2-Day Workshop  Orlando, FL.  FEB 19 (Tom) PLC Summit KEYNOTE  Phoenix, AZ  MAR. 5-6 (Tom) GFIO 2-Day Workshop  San Antonio, TX  MAR. 24-25 (Tom) SBLA 2-Day   New Orleans, LA  APR. 5-6 (Tom & Nat) NESA Learning Futures Summit  Athens, Greece   June 25-27 (Tom & Nat) ST Assessment Collaborative Institue  Madison, WI       RECENT BOOKS: "Redefining Student Accountability" "Concise Answers to FAQs about Assessment & Grading" "Jackpot: Nurturing Student Investment through Assessment"   CONNECT WITH TOM & NATALIE   Podcast on X Tom on X Natalie on X Podcast on IG Tom on IG Natalie on IG Email: assessthat24@gmail.com    

Discover the secrets behind crafting effective rubrics that balance art and science. The discussion dives into different types of rubrics—analytic, holistic, and single-point—and their unique benefits. Find out why task neutrality matters, allowing criteria to apply broadly across assignments. Gain insights into providing feedback that enhances long-term learning, while also exploring the evolving role of rubrics in education. Hear humorous travel tales alongside inspiring educational discussions that promote global collaboration.

In this episode, Tom and Natalie ask, "Are Common Assessments Worth It?" Spoiler alert: they are, as long as certain fundamentals and conditions are adhered to. In particular, when common assessments are used formatively they can be a powerful process for enhanced learning for students and teachers!     UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Nov. 3-5: Aurora Institute Symposium New Orleans, LA     RECENT BOOKS: "Redefining Student Accountability" "Concise Answers to FAQs about Assessment & Grading" "Jackpot: Nurturing Student Investment through Assessment"   CONNECT WITH TOM & NATALIE   Podcast on X Tom on X Natalie on X Podcast on IG Tom on IG Natalie on IG Email: assessthat24@gmail.com    

In this episode, Tom and Natalie explore the topic of feedback. They discuss it as both simple and complex. It's simple because there is unanimous agreement in academia about the role feedback plays in increasing student learning. It's complex because there are many contributing factors that lead to feedback potentially being ineffective.   In the end, Tom & Nat leave you with six guidelines for effective feedback.   FEEDBACK LESSONS   Lesson 1 - What is feedback?  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Zj5UPoNEIJK3x_i6dxGC3bjMFmaYiQSo/copy   Lesson 2 - How can I ask for and give feedback? https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ISI4f0rarjXpitgc9Ab4hkNbrK127HJN/copy   UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Oct. 17-19: NESA Fall Leadership Conference (Tom) Dubai, U.A.E. Nov. 3-5: Aurora Institute Symposium New Orleans, LA     RECENT BOOKS: "Redefining Student Accountability" "Concise Answers to FAQs about Assessment & Grading" "Jackpot: Nurturing Student Investment through Assessment"   CONNECT WITH TOM & NATALIE   Podcast on X Tom on X Natalie on X Podcast on IG Tom on IG Natalie on IG Email: assessthat24@gmail.com    

In this episode of Assess THAT, Tom and Nat discuss how educators can quiet the grading noise. Whether it be the traditional graders on one side or the undgraders on the other, many educators can find themselves feeling uncertain about how to respond.   While the extreme positions often take center stage, especially online, it is the balanced positions that are more thoughtful, grounded, and helpful for those trying to navigate grading reform.     UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Sep. 23-24: GFIO 2-Day (Tom) Madison, WI Sep. 25-26: SBLA 2-Day (Tom) Madison, WI Sep. 30-Oct. 1: GFIO 2-Day (Natalie) Sacramento, CA Oct. 17-19: NESA Fall Leadership Conference (Tom) Dubai, U.A.E. Nov. 3-5: Aurora Institute Symposium New Orleans, LA     RECENT BOOKS: "Redefining Student Accountability" "Concise Answers to FAQs about Assessment & Grading" "Jackpot: Nurturing Student Investment through Assessment"   CONNECT WITH TOM & NATALIE   Podcast on X Tom on X Natalie on X Podcast on IG Tom on IG Natalie on IG Email: assessthat24@gmail.com    

In this first episode of Assess THAT, Tom & Nat discuss the five reasons assessment must still be an essential part of every educator's professional learning plan.     UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Sep. 23-24: GFIO 2-Day (Tom) Madison, WI Sep. 25-26: SBLA 2-Day (Tom) Madison, WI Sep. 30-Oct. 1: GFIO 2-Day (Natalie) Sacramento, CA Oct. 17-19: NESA Fall Leadership Conference (Tom) Dubai, U.A.E. Nov. 3-5: Aurora Institute Symposium New Orleans, LA     RECENT BOOKS: "Redefining Student Accountability" "Concise Answers to FAQs about Assessment & Grading" "Jackpot: Nurturing Student Investment through Assessment"   CONNECT WITH TOM & NATALIE   Podcast on X Tom on X Natalie on X Podcast on IG Tom on IG Natalie on IG Email: assessthat24@gmail.com    

Introducing Assess THAT with Tom & Nat! Tom Schimmer and Natalie Vardabasso will be your go-to podcast for everything assessment. From formative assessment to feedback to grading, Tom and Natalie will share their expertise and experience to help you grow your assessment literacy to bring about a transformation within your classroom, your school, or even your district.   Beginning on September 9, Tom and Natalie will bring you bi-weekly episodes that drill down to what the research says, what it doesn't say, and how to put theory into practice.   Stay subscribed to the feed, and the episodes will download automatically!