In this episode, long-time University of Kentucky professor Dr. Tom Guskey, an award-winning author on educational measurement, evaluation, assessment, grading, and professional learning, provides valuable insight into the harmful effects of traditional grading methods from his two most popular books, Get Set, Go! Creating Successful Grading and Reporting Systems (2020) and On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting (2015). Dr. Guskey also shares thoughts on why compliance continues to drive the use of letter grades in the classroom and offers solutions for change as he shares an innovative approach to grading in Canada. You can buy both books at www.tguskey.com and follow along on Twitter at @tguskey for more valuable resources on how to change classroom grading and assessment. 

Meet Dr. Tom Guskey

Dr. Thomas R. Guskey is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky where he served as Department Chair, Head of the Educational Psychology Area Committee, and President of the Faculty Council. He has been a Visiting Professor at ten other universities in the U.S. and a Visiting Scholar at universities in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. He began his career in education as a middle school teacher and earned his doctorate at the University of Chicago under the direction of Professor Benjamin S. Bloom. He served as an administrator in Chicago Public Schools before becoming the first director of the Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, a national research center.

Dr. Guskey is the author/editor of 25 award-winning books and more than 250 book chapters, articles, and professional papers on educational measurement, evaluation, assessment, grading, and professional learning. His articles have appeared in prominent research journals including the American Educational Research Journal, Educational Researcher, and Review of Educational Research, as well as practitioner publications such as Education Week, Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, The Learning Professional, and School Administrator. He served on the Policy Research Team of the National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future, on the task force to develop the National Standards for Professional Development, has been featured on the National Public Radio programs Talk of the Nation and Morning Edition.

About Dr. Greg Goins

As the Founder/Host of the Reimagine Schools Podcast, Dr. Greg Goins has emerged as one of the nation's leading voices on visionary leadership and the path to transforming our schools. He currently serves as the Director of the Educational Leadership Program at Georgetown College (KY) and previously spent 15 years as a school district superintendent in Illinois. Dr. Goins is a passionate keynote speaker and is available to speak at your next education conference or school PD day. To book Dr. Goins, please send inquiries to [email protected].  Twitter: @DrGregGoins.

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