TG2Cast

Sarah M. Zerwin teaches Senior Language Arts and AP Lit at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado, and author of the book Point-Less: An English Teacher's Guide to More. You can follow her blog The Paper Graders and on twitter at @SarahMZerwin Topics include: What led to the idea that points get in the way of learning. How to identify learning targets and communicate them to students. How to establish a culture of feedback and maintain it throughout the year. How to report a final grade at the end of a term. Resources: Sarah's book Point-Less: An English Teacher's Guide to More. Sarah's blog The Paper Graders

This episode is the continuation of my conversation with college educators Maha Bali, Jesse Stommel, and Asao B. Inoue (you can listen to the first half here). As college institutions struggle with the implications of COVID-19, it's important for them to place equity and access at the center of considerations about ways in which college can resume. As Professor Inoue pointed out, however, we also have an opportunity to fundamentally revolutionize the academy and the way we identify and support student success. Topics include: How we can co-create intentionally equitable, hospitable spaces in our institutions What troubling practices emerged as institutions pivoted to remote education What does “access” mean, and what is being accessed when we say we are providing more access How the pandemic has problematized the practice of grading How institutions must empower and give agency to faculty as they reimagine education within the pandemic

Part 2 of our conversation with college educators Maha Bali, Jesse Stommel, and Asao B. Inoue. As college institutions struggle with the implications of COVID-19, it’s important for them to place equity and access at the center. We also have an opportunity to fundamentally revolutionize the academy and the way we identify and support student success.

Maha Bali, Asao B. Inoue, and Jesse Stommel are three university educators valued for their insights on equity and inclusion, higher education, digital pedagogy, and going gradeless. They provide some important insights that can help us navigate toward next year, especially at the college level.

In this episode, I sit down with three college educators known for their commitment to creating inclusive, humane educational spaces—both in the classroom and online. All three of them have experimented with different forms of going gradeless as part of this commitment. All three have given considerable thought about teaching under the current pandemic. You can check out Part 2 of this interview here. Maha Bali is associate professor of practice at the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo. She is also the co-founder and co-director of Virtually Connecting, a grassroots movement that organizes hybrid hallway conversations at conferences for virtual participants, and co-facilitator of Equity Unbound, an equity-focused intercultural curriculum for teaching digital literacies. You can find more of Maha's writing at her blog Reflecting Allowed and follow her on Twitter at @Bali_Maha. Asao B. Inoue is Professor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Equity, and Inclusion for the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts at Arizona State University. He is the 2019 Chair of the Conference on College Composition and Communication. He has published a co-edited collection, Writing Assessment, Social Justice, and The Advancement of Opportunity, and a book, Labor-Based Grading Contracts: Building Equity and Inclusion in the Compassionate Writing Classroom. You can find more of Asao's writing at his blog Asao B. Inoue's Infrequent Words and follow him on Twitter at @AsaoBInoue. Jesse Stommel is a Digital Learning Fellow and Senior Lecturer of Digital Studies at University of Mary Washington. He is co-founder of Digital Pedagogy Lab and Hybrid Pedagogy: the journal of critical digital pedagogy. He is co-author of An Urgency of Teachers: the Work of Critical Digital Pedagogy. Jesse is a documentary filmmaker and teaches courses about pedagogy, film, and new media. Jesse experiments relentlessly with learning interfaces, both digital and analog, and his research focuses on higher education pedagogy, critical digital pedagogy, and assessment. You can find more of Jesse's writing at jessestommel.com and follow him on Twitter at @jessifer.

Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D. is the founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. With over 11 years in education, he has served as a teacher, principal, and Director of Special Education. Dr. Eakins has a passion for helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. You can follow him on Twitter at @sheldoneakins. Topics include: What is equity and how we make sure it maintains that urgency and doesn't become another buzzword or checklist What elements of equity have been most endangered under COVID-19 How to examine distance learning practices from the standpoint of equity How COVID-19 may have removed certain barriers to equity How grades undermine efforts toward more equitable, culturally sustaining practices How educators should respond to ongoing racial injustice and violence

Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D. is the Founder of the Leading Equity Center and host of the Leading Equity Podcast. With over 11 years in education, he has served as a teacher, principal, and Director of Special Education. Dr. Eakins has a passion for helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools.

As the school year draws to a close and gradebooks are being calculated, it is becoming clear that traditional grading is inequitable. Some students are able to remain engaged while others, for various reasons, cannot. But schools need to provide some form of summative reporting. The question is, “How do we move forward?”I had the privilege to spend time with Jay Percell, Ed D. Jay is an Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State University, he is the author of several academic essays, and a TEDx presenter. In this episode, Jay discusses the problems with traditional reporting and what we can learn from COVID-19 and report in ways that honor the learner.

As the school year draws to a close and final grades are calculated, it is becoming clear that traditional grading is inequitable. Some students are able to remain engaged while others, for various reasons, cannot. Schools need to provide some form of summative reporting. The question is, “How can we move forward?” Jay Percell, Ed.D. is an Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State University, an author of several academic essays, and a TEDx presenter. In this episode, Jay discusses the problems with traditional grades and how the pandemic can help push us toward practices that are more accurate, equitable, and humane. Resources: Jay's blog post Grading in the New Normal: Seizing Hope in a Time of Crisis #TG2Chat: Grading in the New Normal - May 24, 2020 Jay's TEDx Talk: "Make Grading Point-less: Eliminating Points to Foster Student Motivation"

This episode explores "Do No Harm" grading as a response to distance learning in the midst of COVID-19. Educators across the country are experiencing first hand how online distance learning exacerbates inequities in education. Students are struggling with more than access to proper technology and internet connectivity. There are inequities in supports, environments, and time constraints. On April 22nd, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chris Reykdal, released a video announcing its Do No Harm grading policy. The State's policy was written to ensure that students were not punished for a situation outside of their control that could impact future opportunities. The policy states that high schools will only give letter grades of A-D, no student can receive an F, and student grades cannot be negatively impacted—they can only improve. This episode explores three perspectives on grading during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monte Syrie Monte is an English teacher in Chaney, Washington. He is a 2013 Washington State Teacher of the Year finalist, Adjunct professor at Eastern Washington University, and the author of the blog Project 180. Let's Change Education Blog Dr. Manuel Rustin Dr. Manuel Rustin. Manuel is a high school history teacher in Pasadena California. He is the co-host of the show All of the Above, authors a blog on Medium, where he published his piece, Give them All A's and the recipient of the Milken Educator Award in 2011. Dr. Rustin's Blog on Medium All of the Above Podcast Ken O'Connor Ken O'Connor is an education consultant, speaker, and author. Ken's books include 15 Fixes for Broken Grades and How to Grade for Learning, O'Connor Grading

An interview with Monte Syrie, Manuel Rustin, and Ken O'Connor on grading policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joe Feldman is the author of Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms (Corwin). Joe has worked in education as a teacher, principal, district administrator, and is now founder of Crescendo Education Group, which since 2013 has supported schools in adopting assessment, grading, and reporting practices that improve equity outcomes in schools. Topics include: How Joe came to see equity as the central issue in grading practice Common grading practices are most susceptible to implicit bias and inequity How grading policies for remote learning during COVID-19 can mitigate or exacerbate inequities What we can take from the COVID-19 crisis that could lead to more equitable outcomes in the future Resources: gradingforequity.org Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms Grading for Equity Online Course #TG2Chat: Grading for Equity During COVID-19 - April 26, 2020 Panel Discussion on Grading/Crediting Policies During COVID-19: Joe is joined by Denise Pope, Ph.D., Stanford Lecturer and Co-Founder of Challenge Success; Stacy Caldwell, M.A., M.B.A., Executive Director or Mastery Transcript Consortium; and Randall Booker, Superintendent of Piedmont Unified School District. Open Letter to the College Board on Plan for Online Testing During COVID-19 Make sure to join Joe as he moderates #TG2Chat this Sunday, April 26, at 9 pm EDT/6 pm PDT!

Joe Feldman is the author of Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms (Corwin). Joe’’s work supports schools in adopting assessment, grading, and reporting practices that improve equity outcomes.

Nate Bowling an AP social studies teacher and emigrant to the United Arab Emirates. In his teaching, writing, and advocacy, Nate challenges the politics and policies that impact his students, his classroom, and society at large. Topics include: What prompted Nate to leave Tacoma and take up teaching in the UAE Why the job of teaching and learning in a low-income schools in the United States as currently constructed is unsustainable Why the College Board's plan to test during the COVID-19 crisis is inequitable and flawed Whether the College Board's reductive focus effectively prevents teachers from being responsive in the way this political moment demands Why Nate is not entirely opposed to standardization and testing How Nate really feels about the Star Wars prequel and sequel trilogies Resources: natebowling.com Teachers United Nate's Twitter thread on 2016 Teachers of the Year Finalists Nate's testimony to the Washington State Board of Education Nerd Farmer Podcast Open Letter to the College Board about Testing During COVID-19

Nate Bowling an AP social studies teacher and emigrant to the United Arab Emirates. In his teaching, writing, and advocacy, Nate challenges the politics and policies that impact his students, his classroom, and society at large.

Eric is a principal at Hall Middle School in Larkspur, CA. Eric is the co-founder of Global School Play Day which is dedicated to promoting the idea that kids learn more when they play. In this episode of TG2Cast Chris and I discuss Progressive Education, what is it, and how teachers interested in Progressive Education can get started. Topics include: Eric's philosophy of leadership Concerns about teacher insularity How to break the cycle of teacher insularity How going gradeless impacted his school Resources: Blog Twitter Golbal School Play Day

Eric is a principal at Hall Middle School in Larkspur, CA. Eric is the co-founder of Global School Play Day which is dedicated to promoting the idea that kids learn more when they play. In this episode of TG2Cast Chris and I discuss Progressive Education, what is it, and how teachers interested in Progressive Education can get started. Topics include: Eric’s philosophy of leadership Concerns about teacher insularity How to break the cycle of teacher insularity How going gradeless impacted his school

Chris is a Social Studies teacher at Global Impact Stem Academy in Springfield, Ohio. Chris is the founder of The Human Restoration Project which is dedicated to promoting Progressive Education. In this episode of TG2Cast Chris and I discuss Progressive Education, what is it, and how teachers interested in Progressive Education can get started. Topics include: The Human Restoration Project. What is Grassroots Activism and its role in education. What is Progressive Education. How to implement Progressive Education. Why teachers should consider Progressive Education. Resources: The Human Restoration Project Website Twitter Instagram Facebook

Chris is a Social Studies teacher at Global Impact Stem Academy in Springfield, Ohio. Chris is the founder of The Human Restoration Project which is dedicated to promoting Progressive Education.

Topics include:What is Environmental Learning and how does it fit with Project Based Learning.What is the philosophy behind Project Based and Environmental Learning.How parents and students perceive Project Based Learning.How Project Based Learning and No Grade go hand in hand.How project based learning and no grades students perform beyond high school.Resources:Skylar’s Blog on MediumPBL Works WebsiteList of articles about Project Based Learning on EdutopiaNorth American Association for Environmental EducationGreen Schools National Network

Skylar is a co-lead teacher and advisor at High Marq Environmental Charter School, the treasurer for Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education, and a fellow of the Greater Madison Writing Project. His teaching practice is grounded in Project-Based Learning that allows education to be used as a tool to connect youth with their community and become environmentally conscious citizens. In this episode of TG2Cast Skylar and I discuss how Project Based and Environmental Learning create authentic learning experiences for students. Topics include: What is Environmental Education and how does it fit with Project Based Learning? The philosophy behind Project Based and Environmental Learning. How parents and students perceive Project Based Learning. Why Project Based Learning and gradeless pedagogy go hand in hand. How Project Based Learning and gradeless students perform beyond high school. Resources: Skylar's Blog on Medium Skylar's Blog on Teachers Going Gradeless PBL Works Website List of articles about Project Based Learning on Edutopia North American Association for Environmental Education Green Schools National Network

Topics include:How students see themselves through the lens of grades.How grades impact the student/teacher relationship.How grades shape the identity of a student.Why teachers need to take the time to talk to students in order to understand their perspective.Resources:"1 Week, 170 Conferences""In Her Words" (Full interview with Soleil)Jeff's Blog Site

Jeff is an English Language Arts teacher at Hillcrest High School in Riverside, California. Over his 14 years in teaching, he has taught at 3 high schools, chaired two departments, and served on several different committees. Recently, Jeff decided to use summative conferencing in his class and learned a lot about his students. In this episode of TG2Cast Jeff and I discuss the impact of grades from the perspective of one of his students. Topics include: How students see themselves through the lens of grades. How grades impact the student/teacher relationship. How grades shape the identity of a student. Why teachers need to take the time to talk to students in order to understand their perspective. Resources: "1 Week, 170 Conferences" "In Her Words" (Full interview with Soleil) Jeff's Blog Site

As a teacher/activist, Julia Torres's work is grounded in empowering students to use the Language Arts to fuel resistance and positive social transformation. Ms. Torres facilitates workshops and professional conversations about anti-racist education, social justice, and culturally sustaining pedagogies. She writes about these and other topics at at juliaetorres.blog. Topics include: How Julia uses side-by-side teaching, expert groups, and culturally relevant texts to shift traditional power dynamics in her classroom How grades foster attitudes of competition, compliance, and insecurity in students of color, dividing them and pitting them against one another How Julia helps students "unlearn" disempowering attitudes from past experiences Why implementing progressive practices like going gradeless can be extremely difficult in urban school settings Why teachers from non-urban settings should visit and learn from teachers in urban settings

As a teacher/activist, Julia Torres's work is grounded in empowering students to use the Language Arts to fuel resistance and positive social transformation. Ms. Torres facilitates workshops and professional conversations about anti-racist education, social justice, and culturally sustaining pedagogies. She writes about these and other topics at at juliaetorres.blog. Topics include: How Julia uses side-by-side teaching, expert groups, and culturally relevant texts to shift traditional power dynamics in her classroom How grades foster attitudes of competition, compliance, and insecurity in students of color, dividing them and pitting them against one another How Julia helps students "unlearn" disempowering attitudes from past experiences Why implementing progressive practices like going gradeless can be extremely difficult in urban school settings Why teachers from non-urban settings should visit and learn from teachers in urban settings Resources mentioned: Julia's Twitter thread on grades Going Gradeless in Urban Ed (Teachers Going Gradeless) On Reading...and Grading (juliaetorres.blog) Building Bridges (juliaetorres.blog)

This episode features an interview with high school student, Bennette Jester, founder of #mygradingstory and author of the website My Grading Story, and advocate of student voice in learning. Topics include: #MyGradingStory Montessori Education Student voice in learning How to motivate students

Topics include:#MyGradingStoryMontessori EducationStudent voice in learningHow to motivate students

This episode features an interview with Andrew Burnett, middle school math teacher, author of the website BurnettMath, and advocate of The Thinking Classroom. Topics include: Choosing learning targets Providing feedback Reporting learning to parents without grades Building student metacognition

Topics include:Choosing learning targetsProviding feedbackReporting learning to parents without gradesBuilding student metacognition

Topics include:Why it is important for students to engage in social justiceBuilding relationships as a foundation for social justiceHow social justice impacts classroom managementApplying social justice education in STEM disciplines

This episode features an interview with Dan Scratch, high school social studies teacher, author of the website Teaching for Equity and Social Justice, and advocate of teaching for social justice. Topics include: Why it is important for students to engage in social justice Building relationships as a foundation for social justice How social justice impacts classroom management Applying social justice education in STEM disciplines

Countless educators, including many in Teachers Going Gradeless, consider Ken O'Connor one of the first to introduce them to the idea that traditional grades are “broken” and that a better approach is possible. Ken is an independent consultant and author of the book A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades. Just recently, Ken published the fourth edition of his seminal book How to Grade for Learning. I believe I speak for many of us in expressing gratitude to Ken for the profound impact he has had on so many of our teaching practices. Topics include: How Ken's experiences as teacher, curriculum coordinator, and field hockey coach informed his ideas around assessment and grading Why we should shift our grading practices Reasons for optimism regarding shifting grading practices in schools Why going gradeless and standards-based learning are "in the same chapter if not on the same page" Highlights from the new edition of How to Grade for Learning

Topics include:How Ken's experiences as teacher, curriculum coordinator, and field hockey coach informed his ideas around assessment and gradingWhy we should shift our grading practicesReasons for optimism regarding shifting grading practices in schoolsWhy going gradeless and standards-based learning are "in the same chapter if not on the same page"Highlights from the new edition of How to Grade for Learning

Topics include:The landscape of grading and testing in SpainPersonalization vs. humanization in schoolsWhat teachers going gradeless can learn from playground reformWhy playgrounds are not automatically neutral or equitable spacesHow schools can create more equitable spaces and involve the voices of children

This episode, I interview Mariana Morales Lobo, who taught high school in Madrid and Barcelona for 15 years, and who now works as a consultant in education, training teachers and helping school leaders implement innovation. One of her main areas of interest is “reinventing playground” spaces, considering the ways these supposedly neutral spaces can be made more equitable. Her writing can be found on the international platform of Práctica Reflexiva. Topics include: The landscape of grading and testing in Spain Personalization vs. humanization in schools What teachers going gradeless can learn from playground reform Why playgrounds are not automatically neutral or equitable spaces How schools can create more equitable spaces and involve the voices of children

This episode features an interview with Alfie Kohn, author of the books Punished by Rewards, The Schools Our Children Deserve, The Homework Myth, and his latest, Schooling Beyond Measure. Topics include: The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation How teachers can leverage extrinsic motivation Rethinking reluctant learners "Doing with" rather than "doing to"

Topics include:The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivationHow teachers can leverage extrinsic motivationRethinking reluctant learners"Doing with" rather than "doing to"

This episode features an interview with Benjamin Doxtdator, a middle school language arts teacher at an international school in Brussels, Belgium. Benjamin is probably best known for his essays on his blog Longview on Education at longviewoneducation.org. Topics include: How deemphasizing grades reflects Benjamin's commitments as a teacher The potential pitfalls of a more gradeless future The rhetoric of education reform, educational technology, and futurism How tapping into and cultivating community can help us our voice as educators

Topics include:How deemphasizing grades reflects Benjamin's commitments as a teacherThe potential pitfalls of a more gradeless futureThe rhetoric of education reform, educational technology, and futurismHow tapping into and cultivating community can help us our voice as educators

This episode features an interview with Starr Sackstein, author of the book Peer Feedback in the Classroom and Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School. Topics include: What are peer experts? Why use peer experts? How to implement peer experts in the classroom How to maximize the effectiveness of peer experts

Topics include:What are peer experts?Why use peer experts?How to implement peer experts in the classroomHow to maximize the effectiveness of peer experts

Topics include:Why Joy decided to write the bookHow to create positive classroom cultureDilemmas of grading and reporting learningHow to implement Genius HourOther shifts Joy is making after publishing the book

This episode features an interview with Joy Kirr, author of the book Shift This! How to Implement Gradual Changes for MASSIVE Impact in Your Classroom. Topics include: Why Joy decided to write the book How to create a positive classroom culture Dilemmas of grading and reporting learning How to implement Genius Hour Other shifts Joy is making after publishing the book

Topics include:Why grades are "the biggest and most insidious obstacle to education”How de-emphasizing grades coincides with a pedagogy of equity and social justiceWhy a gradeless space will not automatically be an equitable oneHow seemingly neutral platforms can flatten differences and influence pedagogiesHow we need to think about going gradeless in order it to be liberatory, transformative, an act of resistance

This episode features an interview with Jesse Stommel, Executive Director of the Division of Teaching and Learning Technologies at University of Mary Washington. He is Co-founder of Digital Pedagogy Lab and Hybrid Pedagogy: a digital journal of learning, teaching, and technology. In addition to his focus on digital and critical pedagogy, Jesse has been a gradeless educator for his entire career, as he recounts in his blog post "Why I Don't Grade." Topics include: Why grades are "the biggest and most insidious obstacle to education” How de-emphasizing grades coincides with a pedagogy of equity and social justice Why a gradeless space will not automatically be an equitable one How seemingly neutral platforms can flatten differences and influence pedagogies How we need to think about going gradeless in order it to be liberatory, transformative, an act of resistance

This episode features an interview with Patty McGee, author of the book Feedback That Moves Writers Forward. Topics include: How to use the "Power of Three" in feedback. Strategies to help the stuck and reluctant writers The importance of setting writing goals How and when to introduce grammar How feedback works at the middle, secondary, and college levels

This episode features an interview with Patty McGee, author of the book Feedback That Moves Writers Forward.