Using Conferences for Grading Students

Katelynn GiordanoBlog, Differentiate Better, Grade Better, Mastery Learning Better, Personalize Student Learning Better

In This Post The struggle of quantifying mastery with a letter or percent. Grading conferences as a solution to this struggle! Steps to set up grading conferences in your classroom & communicate about them to stakeholders. Feedback from students on grading conferences. In a mastery learning classroom, determining student quarter or final grades can be difficult. How do you assign … Read More

Building Better Rubrics

Chad OstrowskiBlog, Grade Better, Innovate Better, Lesson Plan Better

In This Post: An experience with a badly created rubric. What rubrics should measure… and what they shouldn’t. Ideas to include students in rubrics and assessment. Some time ago, I sat listening to presentations from my students. I paused at a student who obviously had not understood the concepts they were presenting on. The student spoke well, included the required components in … Read More

One Simple Way to Promote Mental Health: Smile!

Brian FaulknerBlog, Engage Better, Lead Better

In This Post: The necessity of addressing mental health in our schools. One strategy to instantly improve our mental state. I’m often asked what is one of the biggest challenges we are currently facing in education.  Narrowing it down to just one challenge is difficult, but our biggest challenge, in my opinion, is how to support the mental health and … Read More

Supporting Student Productive Struggle

Matthew JosephBlog, Innovate Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better

In This Post: The definition of student productive struggle. Why productive struggle is important for students. Ways to promote productive struggle in your classroom, from planning to implementation. This week some of our school leaders and intervention professionals held a fall data meeting. One of the discussions, besides progress or increased needs, focused on the productive struggle of learners. Productive … Read More