Grow Beyond Grades

Grow Beyond Grades

@growbeyondgrades.org

What matters can’t be measured. Join the movement! Website: growbeyondgrades.org Support: growbeyondgrades.org/donate

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Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

When grades arrived in 7th grade, students at @carlameyrink.bsky.social's school began losing their curiosity and obsessing about grades. Our new podcast explores what happened next—and how students became partners in assessment and school change. 🎧 growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26me...

growbeyondgrades.orgFrom Grades to Student Voice: The Community for Learning Story — Grow Beyond GradesCarla Meyrink, head of school at The Community for Learning in the Dominican Republic, has helped build a school centered on curiosity, inquiry, and student agency. In this episode, she explores how i...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Many thanks to everyone who joined us for today's Community Gathering! Next, we're heading to Brazil 🇧🇷! Heloisa Pait will join us to explore public self-assessment, intellectual independence, and the question of who gets to judge learning. Hope you'll join us! growbeyondgrades.org/events/7nov2...

growbeyondgrades.orgCommunity Gathering - Who Gets to Judge? with Heloisa Pait — Grow Beyond GradesJoin sociologist Heloisa Pait for a free online conversation about public self-assessment, student agency, grading cultures, and intellectual independence.
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Many thanks to everyone who joined us for today's Community Gathering! Next, we're heading to Brazil 🇧🇷! Heloisa Pait will join us to explore public self-assessment, intellectual independence, and the question of who gets to judge learning. Hope you'll join us! growbeyondgrades.org/events/7nov2...

growbeyondgrades.orgCommunity Gathering - Who Gets to Judge? with Heloisa Pait — Grow Beyond GradesJoin sociologist Heloisa Pait for a free online conversation about public self-assessment, student agency, grading cultures, and intellectual independence.
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

"Very quickly I heard from student after student telling me that they just wanted to get really good grades and how did they do that? They no longer felt an interest in what they were learning." @carlameyrink.bsky.social RSVP for this Saturday gathering here! growbeyondgrades.org/events/24oct...

growbeyondgrades.orgCommunity Gathering - From Grades to Student Voice with Carla Meyrink — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than two decades, Carla Meyrink, Head of School at The Community for Learning in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has helped lead an ongoing effort to rethink assessment from the ground up....
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

⛵ Continue the conversation with Carla at our free Community Gathering, Saturday, October 24, at noon ET. Teachers, students, school leaders, and curious minds welcome! growbeyondgrades.org/events/24oct...

growbeyondgrades.orgCommunity Gathering - From Grades to Student Voice with Carla Meyrink — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than two decades, Carla Meyrink, Head of School at The Community for Learning in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has helped lead an ongoing effort to rethink assessment from the ground up....
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Does some of your best teaching run aground on grades? Writing workshop is one example—but so are inquiry, projects, performance, experimentation, revision & collaboration. Join @plthomasedd.bsky.social + the GBG community Saturday at noon ET. growbeyondgrades.org/events/10oct...

growbeyondgrades.orgCommunity Gathering - Navigating Ungrading in a Graded World with Paul Thomas — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer Paul Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. Following this week’s podcast, join Paul for a conversat...

Grow Beyond Grades reposted

PL Thomas EdD
@plthomasedd.bsky.social

We train students to be risk averse. They don’t want to take any chances. And I’m like, that’s not how you learn things. —P.L. Thomas @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...

Grow Beyond Grades reposted

PL Thomas EdD
@plthomasedd.bsky.social

We train students to be risk averse. They don’t want to take any chances. And I’m like, that’s not how you learn things. —P.L. Thomas @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...

Grow Beyond Grades reposted

PL Thomas EdD
@plthomasedd.bsky.social

We train students to be risk averse. They don’t want to take any chances. And I’m like, that’s not how you learn things. —P.L. Thomas @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

P. L. Thomas has been experimenting with different ways of thinking about grades, feedback, writing, and learning for decades. We’re thrilled to have his voice in Beyond Grades—and in this week’s Grow Beyond Grades conversation.

PL Thomas EdD@plthomasedd.bsky.social

We train students to be risk averse. They don’t want to take any chances. And I’m like, that’s not how you learn things. —P.L. Thomas @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...

Grow Beyond Grades reposted

Arthur Chiaravalli
@achiaravalli.bsky.social

I really enjoyed my conversation with @plthomasedd.bsky.social. Got me thinking about how the richest teaching and learning experiences (such as writer's workshop) run aground on grades. Love to hear your thoughts, and hope to see you at the follow-up Community Gathering!

Grow Beyond Grades@growbeyondgrades.org

🎙️ New on the Grow Beyond Grades podcast: P. L. Thomas on ungrading, writing workshop, feedback, grade contracts—and why grades can make learners risk-averse. @plthomasedd.bsky.social @achiaravalli.bsky.social 🎧 growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

🎙️ New on the Grow Beyond Grades podcast: P. L. Thomas on ungrading, writing workshop, feedback, grade contracts—and why grades can make learners risk-averse. @plthomasedd.bsky.social @achiaravalli.bsky.social 🎧 growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...

Grow Beyond Grades reposted

PL Thomas EdD
@plthomasedd.bsky.social

We train students to be risk averse. They don’t want to take any chances. And I’m like, that’s not how you learn things. —P.L. Thomas @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-26pl...

growbeyondgrades.orgNavigating Ungrading and Workshop in a Graded World — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer P. L. Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. In this episode, he explores ungrading, writing worksho...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

What happens when writing workshop runs up against traditional grading? Tomorrow: @achiaravalli.bsky.social’s podcast conversation with @plthomasedd.bsky.social. Next Saturday at noon ET: join Paul live for a free GBG Community Gathering. RSVP here: growbeyondgrades.org/events/10oct...

growbeyondgrades.orgCommunity Gathering - Navigating Ungrading in a Graded World with Paul Thomas — Grow Beyond GradesFor more than four decades, educator and writer Paul Thomas has been rethinking the relationship among grades, feedback, writing, and learning. Following this week’s podcast, join Paul for a conversat...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

10 Years in the making: Grow Beyond Grades begins its 10th-anniversary podcast season with “The New College Story”—narrative evaluation, community, academic freedom, and what survives institutional loss. Listen, follow, rate, and share! growbeyondgrades.org/blog/09-26ne...

growbeyondgrades.orgNo Grades, High Stakes: The New College Story — Grow Beyond GradesAt New College of Florida, narrative evaluations and other alternative assessment practices helped create a deeply relational, student-centered culture. In this roundtable, former faculty reflect on w...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

What becomes possible when learning is not organized primarily around performance? What kinds of educational futures are we cultivating? @ameenapayne.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/meet-ou...

growbeyondgrades.orgMeet Our Board! — Grow Beyond GradesMeet the educators helping guide Grow Beyond Grades into its next chapter. In this roundtable, our Board of Directors reflects on their paths to gradeless learning, the experiences that reshaped how t...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

We’ve got to give up our obsession with measurement. It’s destroying our kids, it’s destroying our teachers, it’s destroying our ability to deliberate, to think deeply, to participate in democratic society. @achiaravalli.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/dump-th...

growbeyondgrades.orgWhat’s It Going to Take for Us to Dump the Tests? — Grow Beyond GradesAs schools reconvened on Thursday, January 7, many teachers faced two tasks: helping students make sense of yet another traumatizing “day after”—and getting them prepared for end-of-semester tests.
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

If you never get started on building infrastructure, the change you desire will never happen. And infrastructure building is a collective enterprise, not an individual one. —Barry Fishman growbeyondgrades.org/blog/additio...

growbeyondgrades.orgGoing Gradeless Requires Both Addition and Subtraction — Grow Beyond GradesAlthough most gradeless teachers engage in “subtraction,” removing traditional grading from our classrooms, we also need “addition” in the form of new infrastructure that connects our individual effor...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

When the pandemic started, we heard from our administrators and state education officials to do no harm with our grading. Do no harm. What does that suggest about the way we graded before the pandemic? —Patti Forster growbeyondgrades.org/blog/do-no-h...

growbeyondgrades.org"Do No Harm" with More Equitable and Motivating Grading Practices — Grow Beyond Grades“Our grading practices haven’t changed much from when I was graded, to when my son was graded, to now,” writes Patti Forster. “Grades are still used as rewards and consequences to compare students, an...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

School is about learning, not grades. Changing how we talk about success in school is a great first step to putting the focus where it should be: on learning! —Ed Vogel and Jolene Zywica growbeyondgrades.org/blog/want-to...

growbeyondgrades.orgWant to Go Gradeless? Here's How We Do It — Grow Beyond GradesGrades are so much a part of our own learning experiences and the tools available to teachers today it might be hard to imagine your school without grades. But a it’s possible—and powerful—when you ca...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

A whole lot of the ills we associate with schools these days comes down to students not feeling like they have choice and voice and agency in what they do. @rickwormeli.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/10-27-2...

growbeyondgrades.orgDifferentiated Assessment w/Rick Wormeli — Grow Beyond GradesIn this episode of TG2Chat LIVE! well known educator and author, Rick Wormeli, discusses how educators can better communicate learning with students and stakeholders.
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

It was contradictory for me to tell students to work on this particular skill and not worry about the results, just to turn around and put a poor grade on their work. @davefrangiosa.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/asset-b...

growbeyondgrades.orgAsset-based Assessment is Equitable Assessment — Grow Beyond GradesAlthough I always valued students’ improvement over time, the way I was assessing didn’t support those values. I said I valued process, but my vision was on product, which limited the opportunities fo...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Students weren’t benefitting from my use of feedback to recreate lessons they hadn’t learned in the first place. And feedback continued to be far more work for me than it was for them. @achiaravalli.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/notch-u...

growbeyondgrades.orgNotch Up Your Nitpicking with Replace/With Pairs — Grow Beyond GradesIn my nitpicking, I spent far too much time bogged down in reiterating past teaching. In my marginal notes and technology-enhanced comments, I was giving a low-quality version of the lesson I’d given ...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Education systems writ large are still very much about hierarchies and measurement and ranking. We are all participating whether we choose to or not. @edifiedlistener.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/1-23-22...

growbeyondgrades.orgCare at the Core w/Sherri Spelic — Grow Beyond GradesSherri Spelic, an elementary physical education teacher at American International School Vienna, shares her experiences and reflections on assessment, as well as how we can create more inclusive, resp...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Students shouldn’t squander years of their life, stumbling about to see what jobs accidentally present themselves that maybe they won’t hate. —Peter Hostrawser growbeyondgrades.org/blog/tell-me...

growbeyondgrades.orgTell Me About You, Not About Your Grades — Grow Beyond GradesStudents using spikeview view their learning as a journey. They see where they have been, can explore what’s next, and make informed decisions on where not to spend time. It’s not a snapshot of one cl...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

How successful was my education if all I have to show for it is a high school GPA? Was I ready to stand out from the crowd, or to receive a certificate honoring my conformity to the system? —Peter Hostrawser growbeyondgrades.org/blog/tell-me...

growbeyondgrades.orgTell Me About You, Not About Your Grades — Grow Beyond GradesStudents using spikeview view their learning as a journey. They see where they have been, can explore what’s next, and make informed decisions on where not to spend time. It’s not a snapshot of one cl...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

As my work neared completion, a sinking feeling gradually began to come over me. Finally I realized what it was. It was the dread of handing it in to be evaluated. @carolblack.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/evaluat...

growbeyondgrades.orgChildren, Learning, and the 'Evaluative Gaze' of School — Grow Beyond GradesThe evaluative gaze of school is so constant a presence, so all-pervasive an eye, that many people have come to believe that children would actually not develop without it. But an oak tree does not re...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Students are proud of the effort they have put in and excited that their work is valued. You see their confidence grow and their love for learning shine. —Gillian Berard growbeyondgrades.org/blog/student...

growbeyondgrades.orgStudent-led Conferences: The Key to Going Gradeless — Grow Beyond GradesWith student-led conferences, families hear how students are progressing, more than any number or letter could tell them. Families become a part of the process, learning about their child’s interests ...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

With student-led conferences, families hear how their child is progressing, more than any number or letter could tell them. They become a part of the process, learning about their child’s interests and passions. —Gillian Berard growbeyondgrades.org/blog/student...

growbeyondgrades.orgStudent-led Conferences: The Key to Going Gradeless — Grow Beyond GradesWith student-led conferences, families hear how students are progressing, more than any number or letter could tell them. Families become a part of the process, learning about their child’s interests ...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Notably, there was less anxiety on and around assessment days and more in-class conversations about actual learning, rather than scores, afterward. @natebowling.com growbeyondgrades.org/blog/taking-...

growbeyondgrades.orgTaking Unneeded Anxiety Out of Assessment — Grow Beyond GradesTo counteract the anxiety caused by high-stakes assessments and grades, Nate Bowling invites students to focus on feedback and learning. Life is hard enough for students; assessment practices should n...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Underserved students may have learned to get by with as little time in class as possible—to protect themselves and their mental health. Though you promise your classroom will be different, they may be hesitant to believe you. @karismjones.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/stuck-i...

growbeyondgrades.orgGoing Gradeless with Students Stuck in the Old System — Grow Beyond GradesOn the first day of class, your introduction to the gradeless classroom doesn’t go as expected. As you field students’ questions and concerns, you feel hurt and frustrated. Going gradeless is supposed...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

As you field students' questions and concerns, you feel hurt and frustrated: this gradeless system is supposed to relieve anxiety, not cause it! What is going on? @karismjones.bsky.social www.growbeyondgrades.org/blog/stuck-i...

growbeyondgrades.orgGoing Gradeless with Students Stuck in the Old System — Grow Beyond GradesOn the first day of class, your introduction to the gradeless classroom doesn’t go as expected. As you field students’ questions and concerns, you feel hurt and frustrated. Going gradeless is supposed...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Achieving a student-centered instructional model may be challenging, but it is well within the reach of teachers who are dedicated to elevating a culture of shared responsibility for learning. @mirplo.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/hover-f...

growbeyondgrades.orgGetting Started With "Hover-Free" Teaching — Grow Beyond GradesAchieving a student-centered instructional model may be challenging. Miriam Plotinsky, author of the book Hover-Free Teaching , offers ways that teachers can foster a culture of shared responsibility...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Removing grades from the general discussion throughout the quarter and placing the focus on feedback, reworking, retrying, and understanding moves students towards 'I understand this!' —Andrew Burnett growbeyondgrades.org/blog/bad-que...

growbeyondgrades.orgYes, There is Such a Thing as a Bad Question — Grow Beyond GradesDon’t get me wrong, answering questions and helping students is one of my favorite parts of being a teacher. The problem is that not all questions are created equal and some questions inhibit learning...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

Don’t get me wrong, answering questions and helping students is one of my favorite parts of being a teacher. The problem is that not all questions are created equal and some questions inhibit learning. —Andrew Burnett growbeyondgrades.org/blog/bad-que...

growbeyondgrades.orgYes, There is Such a Thing as a Bad Question — Grow Beyond GradesDon’t get me wrong, answering questions and helping students is one of my favorite parts of being a teacher. The problem is that not all questions are created equal and some questions inhibit learning...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

I would take just a second in the middle of those conferences and look around and say, 'This is it. This is the learning that is happening in the school.' —Jay Percell growbeyondgrades.org/blog/2022-09...

growbeyondgrades.orgGo Out on the Branch w/Jay Percell — Grow Beyond GradesJay Percell is an Associate Professor of Teaching and Learning at Illinois State University, an author of several academic essays, and a TEDx speaker. Michelle Cottrell-Williams hosts as Jay shares hi...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

The presence of grades takes psychological safety away from students, putting them into states of anxiety or apathy, neither of which allow for learning. @csarkonak.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/the-ung...

growbeyondgrades.orgThe (Un)grading Spectrum — Grow Beyond GradesUngrading is more of a philosophy than a single model that says “do this and your students will learn.” Chris Sarkonak explores ungrading as a spectrum of possibilities that moves us away from the har...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

When we focus on assessment as a means of communication with and alongside our learners, it leaves space for their inner stories to be told and included. @edifiedlistener.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/im-a-le...

growbeyondgrades.orgI’m a Learning Booster! — Grow Beyond GradesWhen we focus on assessment as a means of communication with and alongside our learners, it leaves space for their inner stories to be told and included. We are building the foundation for student-to-...
Grow Beyond Grades
@growbeyondgrades.org

How interesting life becomes when we can see ourselves from a distance and take in all the details of the surrounding context! @edifiedlistener.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/im-a-learning-booster

growbeyondgrades.orgI’m a Learning Booster! — Grow Beyond GradesWhen we focus on assessment as a means of communication with and alongside our learners, it leaves space for their inner stories to be told and included. We are building the foundation for student-to-...