Our podcast today features Dr. Astrid Poorthuis, an assistant professor at the developmental psychology program at Utrecht University, Netherlands, whose work focuses on performance, school, and its relationship to social/emotional learning. Dr. Poorthuis has researched and published a variety of works concerning grades, student/teacher emotional well-being, student/teacher relationships, and peer relationships.

Dr. Poorthuis and I talk about her research and its applications for the classroom, notably how ungrading and its benefits of engagement, well-being, and participation are backed by substantial amounts of research - referencing a variety of studies. It's incredibly interesting how universal these results are and the commonalities that US and Netherlands schools share. Attached in the show notes are the studies that Dr. Poorthuis has been involved with, as well as recommendations she makes during this episode.

GUESTS

Dr. Astrid Poorthuis, a leader in researching practices that demonstrate the importance and implementation of practices that bolster student social and emotional well-being, who serves as an assistant professor in the developmental psychology program at Utrecht University, Netherlands

RESOURCES

• Do grades shape students' school engagement? The psychological consequences of report card grades at the beginning of secondary school
• See me through my eyes: Adolescent–parent agreement in personality predicts later self-esteem development
• Dashed Hopes, Dashed Selves? A Sociometer Perspective on Self-esteem Change Across the Transition to Secondary School
• The Role of School in Adolescents’ Identity Development. A Literature Review
• Klapp: Does grading affect educational attainment? A longitudinal study
• Koenka et. al.: A meta-analysis on the impact of grades and comments on academic motivation and achievement: a case for written feedback

FURTHER LISTENING

• 28: Restoring Humanity: Gradeless Learning
• 54: Making the Switch to Ungrading (feat. Abigail French, Dr. Susan Blum, and Dr. Laura Gibbs)