This week, we are digging into the WHY of ungrading. In part 1 of this 2 part series, we are talking about our observations around assessment and evaluation as well as why we think ungrading is a conversation that needs to happen in education.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/70**

Our Big Why:

• Grades close down conversations and feedback - feels too final
• Shifting the focus away from grades towards learning
• Emotion is tied to grades
• Grades are not good feedback, they are just a single number and doesn’t reflect the entire learning process
• Grades encourage competitiveness over collaboration
• Can negatively affect your classroom community
• Looking at previous grades can change your perspective and builds in bias 
• Previous grades can be affected by so many extenuating circumstances
• Previous grades can make you highly suspicious of your students
• Get to know your students first, don’t look at previous grades
• Ungrading helps students to be more open to feedback and improving
• Consider a feedback first approach with reflection via Google Forms BEFORE releasing grades
• Grades provide finality. Without grades, the learning continues
• Language matters - how are you talking about your students?
• Students who learn how to play the game of school well are rewarded with good grades but are they actually learning?
• Self-paced, mastery-based grading approaches work well with ungrading by minimizing the grading scale
• Needs to begin with a shift in mindset - you want your students to succeed and get good grades
• What is the purpose of a unit test? What does it achieve?
• Start by trusting your students
• Talk to your admin to make sure they are onboard
• Promotes student metacognition - more reflective about their own learning
• Podcasting is great for reflection and learning!
• How equitable are grades and grading policies?
  • Learning skills in Ontario are Eurocentric - how equitable are they for all of our students?
  • Learning skills are a good place for self-assessment (Google Forms is helpful here)
  • Learning skills leak into grades - are you grading compliance or learning?
• Start by learning,  reading and sharing about ungrading

Resources Mentioned:

• Jesse Stommel - How to Ungrade: A Workshop
• When Report Cards Go Out On Fridays
• Ungrading: Why Rating Undermines Learni

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This week, we are discussing new and innovative approaches to professional learning. During COVID, professional learning has taken quite a backseat. So we'll go over our current struggles we're experiencing as well as possible ideas and solutions to bring back and reimagine what professional learning could look like going forward.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/69**

Struggles:

• TIME! Everything is outside of school hours or during lunch
• Availability of supply teachers is an issue
• Lunches are taken up by so many meetings, other commitments
• Modified semester format is not helping - everyone is exhausted!
• Teaching Loss is real - Tom Schimmer Podcast episode with Pav Wander
• Equity of access to professional learning
• Balance between work and life (our time is valuable)

Ideas/Solutions:

• Use your board staff - coaches, instructional program leaders, itinerant teachers, etc
• Ask for release time from your admin (most schools have $$ for PD)
• Keep learning sessions short, 30 minutes maximum
• Sharing resources online such as community building activities
• Timing of learning sessions - finding a time that works for everyone is tough!
• Record the sessions as an option (be careful with this if you want discussion)
• Record a recap/summary video after the session instead as a workaround
• Rachel's bite-sized learning plan with Katie's input:
  • Create one-pagers with an instructional video, exemplars, practice, extra resources, optional feedback/collaborative database
  • Modern Classrooms Project approach
  • Must Do's - Learn and Explore; Should Do's - Try and Share; and Aspire To Do's - Dive Deeper
  • Lots of choice and entry points for educators
  • Tracking & Collaboration - EdPuzzle open class, Google Form, Interactive Questions in Screencastify
  • Interactive questions in EdPuzzle - audio responses for open-ended responses, keep questions to a minimum
  • Google Form submission - add a teaching resource to our database, get feedback, optional further support
  • Add lots of options for feedback, collaboration, support for teachers
  • Open office hours drop in sessions or Twitter chats (Tweet from @ESL_Fairy)
  • Connect educators with each other (Tweet from Brian Aspinall)
  • Optional Teaching Sprints

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This week, we are exploring 10 EdTech tools for curating any instructional videos that you might have created for the classroom. We'll go through pros and cons of each tool as well as the variety of ways that you can use the tools to get your instructional videos organized.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/68**

• 1. YouTube
  • Easy to use, linked to your Google account
  • Can't be used for students under 13
  • Changes to under 18 education accounts
    • Students under 18 can no longer embed videos from YouTube in Slides?
    • Students can no longer create a channel and upload videos
    • Access to playlists? Can they be embedded and still work?
  • Help Center
• 2. EdPuzzle
  • Search YouTube, use YouTube link, use Chrome extension to add
  • Upload your own video, record videos with extension
  • Direct connection with Screencastify
  • Share preview link with students to protect privacy or assign it to an open class
  • Consider different open classes for each unit
  • Freemium tool - share your referral link!
• 3. Wakelet
  • E036 - Riding the Wakelet Wave
  • Add all your links here, not just videos to create HyperDoc lessons
  • Organization of lessons can be tricky! Consider spaces, embedding wakes inside wakes
• 4. Google Slides and 5. Google Docs
  • Embed videos directly into slides or use smart chips in Docs
• 6. Genial.ly
  • Interactive presentation tool, embed videos into various places
  • Freemium tool, lots of options available in free account
• 7. Learning Management System (LMS)
  • Embed directly into your LMS
  • Brightspace - direct embed of Screencastify can have issues, works best with YouTube
  • Google sites does not embed into most LMS platforms
• 8. Google Sites
  • Organize and embed videos into various lessons
• 9. Google Drive
  • Create nested folders, use consistent naming convention for videos (00, 01, etc.)

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This week, we are discussing the why and how of creating effective instructional videos for your classroom. We'll share some considerations for creating videos, as well as tools you might want to use and tips and tricks to help you along the way.

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• Personal not professional!
• Why?
  • Learning in a mastery-based classroom
  • Create a clone of yourself
  • Frees up your time in the classroom to help your students
  • Access to videos anytime, anywhere
  • Helps with absences
• Considerations
  • Determine your learning goal BEFORE hitting record
  • Keep it targeted to a single learning goal
  • Use your curriculum docs to help with planning - Unit Planning Template
  • Use lots of purposeful visuals and minimize text on your slides
  • Add interactivity - questions, pause and connect -  Screencastify interactive questions in E064
  • Notes - differentiated for support levels needed (freehand, scaffolds, sentence starters, sentence frames, cloze, etc)
  • Provide guiding questions BEFORE watching the video
  • Retrieval practice for note taking
  • Make it personal, include your face and your personality
  • Keep recording time short, 6-9 minutes is ideal and less for elementary
  • Try out animations to control the flow of information
  • Include the big picture and progression
• Recording Process
  • Create your slides, docs, and plan it all out
  • Collaborate with others and create slide decks as a course team
  • Create an outline for your recording (use speaker notes in Slides)
  • Go for done, not perfect - mistakes are okay!
• EdTech Tools
  • Presentation Tools: Google Slides, Explain Everything, Prezi, Powerpoint, Keynote, Genial.ly
  • Recording Tools: Meet, Teams, Zoom, Screencastify, Screencast-o-matic, Loom, Flipgrid Shorts (use your screen as your virtual background), Explain Everything, OBS Studio, Quick Time Player
  • Learn the keyboard shortcuts!
  • iPad & Apple pencil - use an external microphone or headset with microphone
  • Above all else, use tools that meet your specific needs!

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This week, we are talking all about grading in a mastery-based learning classroom. We'll share our learning as well as guiding principles to keep in mind as you consider grading practices in your mastery-based structured classroom.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/66**

• There is no one right answer... flexibility and knowing your students is key!
• Modern Classrooms Project
• Grades will depend on your style, curriculum, goals, colleagues, reporting guidelines
• Progress reports - mastery can be helpful for this
• Still need pacing and structure; target dates are needed
• What are we including for grades?
  • Use soft zeroes where students have not yet mastered the skill
  • Include other evaluations in your gradebook as well, not just mastery checks
• Summative Tests
  • Set goal date, all students write on the same day
  • Set a window (3 days) and students can choose which day to write on
• What do you do with grading categories? This is tricky!
• Only grade what has been specifically taught
• Backwards design - start with the mastery check, and work backwards to create your supporting/learning materials
• Ask your students for feedback
  • Mid-unit and end of unit are good times
  • Use Google forms
• Add in metacognition - reflection questions in mastery checks
• Grading Principles:
  • Be intentional
  • Focus on growth and revision
  • Focus on feedback
• Ungrading - Jesse Stommel: @Jessifer on Twitter
• Book: Ungrading: Why Rating Students Undermines Learning and What To Do Instead by Susan D. Blum
• Tracking:
  • Google Sheets (Auto-Updating Tracker and Grid System Tracker)
  • Display in classroom for collaboration (consider using code names)
  • No grades!
• Rubrics:
  • Standards-Based Grading (4, 3, 2, 1 levels OR mastered, getting there, not yet)
  • Single Point Rubrics
  • Add to your mastery checks
  • Use "I can..." statements
  • Make sure the language is clear and easy for students to understand
  • Leverage tech - Google Docs/Slides with Mote/Screencastify
• Mastery is not just for content, consi

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This week, we are talking all about mastery-based grading and structures in your classroom. We'll go over what mastery-based learning can look like, how to implement it, and challenges you might experience along the way.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/65**

• Maya Angelou Quote: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."
• Webinar: Beyond the Bohr Model (for all the chemistry teachers!)
• Mastery-Based Learning: 
  • Students work on one small concept/skill at a time.
  • Students are working at the pace they need to and only moving onto the next concept or skill once they have demonstrated mastery.
  • Mastery can be defined by you - is it 75%, 100%, something else?
  • Self-pacing structures and using instructional videos are needed
  • Can be prep heavy at the beginning but totally worth it!
• Getting Started:
  • Start small
  • Try one unit, one week, one assignment/project
  • Decide on what your mastery checks will be first, and plan backwards from there
• Mastery Checks:
  • Skill based - do the skill and iterate until mastery is achieved
  • Knowledge based - short 1-2 question "quizzes"
  • Grading = Mastered or Not Yet Mastered
  • Consider creating a mastery check area in your classroom
  • Use different coloured paper for each lesson
  • Keep a tracker for pacing and collaboration
  • Works well with station-based learning
• Some simple ideas:
  • Create short quizzes in your LMS with random question pools and unlimited attempts, open for a certain time period
  • Unit or week with stations with flexibility
  • Specific lesson or skill (for example, chemical nomenclature)
• EdTech Tools:
  • Google Forms
  • Formative
  • Quizizz, Kahoot!, Blooket, Gimkit, etc in homework/solo mode
• Other considerations:
  • Strategic grouping - team up those ahead of pace with those behind
  • Grading will be more frequent, focus on feedback (written, oral, video) not grades
  • Multiple versions of mastery checks
  • Revision policy is needed
  • How might you incorporate mastery-based learning into traditional grading structures?

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This week, we are looking at the latest updates to Screencastify. We’ll cover the newest features of interactive questions, analytics, and the brand new watch page. We’ll also get into some ideas of how you might use these new features in your classroom.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/64**

• Screencastify new features announcement blog post
  • Interactive Questions
  • Analytics
  • New watch page
• Previous episodes on Screencastify:
  • E034 - Amplifying Student Learning With Screencastify
  • E002 - Remote Learning With Screencastify 
• Interactive Questions:
  • Navigate to time stamp, click on add question
  • Limited to multiple choice only - only one correct answer
  • Answers are limited to 25 characters each
  • Can have 2, 3, or 4 choices
  • Access/Edit your questions via the list view menu
  • Share your video with questions from the video management screen OR via the interactive questions page sharing tab
  • Nice integration with Google Classroom
• Video Management Page:
  • Watch page sharing options - default is different based on whether you added questions or not
  • Check sharing settings to ensure you are collecting the correct analytics data
  • Original video file - doesn’t include interactive questions or capture analytics
  • Cannot embed videos with interactive questions in LMS
• Analytics:
  • Access directly above the interactive questions button
  • Email, name, most recent view, number of views
  • Can access interactive questions responses from here
  • Interactive questions responses show email, responses, score
  • Two other tabs coming soon: Students, Questions
• Workshop from Jesse Stommel: Start By Trusting Students, Start By Trusting Teachers
• Ideas for Classroom Use:
  • Instructional Videos
  • Student feedback
  • Professional learning
  • Staff meeting information videos (reduces need for other tools)
  • Escape rooms or digital scavenger hunts
  • Virtual events for parents, families
  • Polling staff for feedback and input

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This week, we are discussing various types of negativity found in the education setting. We'll dive into the different sources of negativity and how to recognize them in your school and classroom communities. We reflect on our experiences and discuss some strategies and ways to deal with this type of negativity.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/63**

Sources of negativity and tips:

• Staff relationships
  • Tensions in course teams, workrooms etc
  • How full is your cup this year?
  • Be transparent, honest, and open
  • Go slowly with change, small steps are okay
  • Find ways to build community - eg: sharing funny jokes weekly
• Admin pressures
  • Running extracurriculars, not acknowledging struggles this year with COVID protocols
  • Get better at the art of saying NO (see this tweet from Amanda Hargreaves)
  • Beware of burnout, learn to recognize the signals
  • Recognize that admin are also under pressure too from higher ups, families, teachers etc
• Government/Societal Pressure/Opinions
  • Show the value of public education via social media
  • Shine a spotlight on what is going on in your classroom (both positive and negative)
  • Hybrid is tough! Find colleagues to collaborate with and consider the Modern Classrooms Project (MCP) framework
  • Collaboration is good - take the risk, it's totally worth it
  • Feedback and sharing is where the learning happens; push through and keep going
• Students and Parents
  • Tik Tok challenges are causing a lot of stress, mistrust
  • Virtual vs face-to-face learning - how do you make your course accessible for all?
  • Instructional videos can help - best if it's personal but use other videos if you don't have the time/capacity
  • Go for done, not perfect! Mistakes are okay!
• Social Media
  • Katie's best tip: log out
  • Curate a list of educators you find value from (your people who challenge your thinking and that you learn from) and set that list as your home screen
  • It can be healthy to vent and know that you aren't alone
• Toxic positivity
  • Gratitude Journal Search on Twitter 
  • Gratitude Journal Article (Toronto Star)

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This week, we are discussing various strategies, tips, and ideas for digital teacher organization. As we embark on a new school year, this is a great time for you to get organized and develop some systems to help keep you on track. We'll talk about digital planning, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Canva, Slides Mania, and Gmail.

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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/62**

• Paper planning - Happy Planner and Sharpie Pens
• Digital Planning
  • Using the Google Calendar created by Google Classroom
  • Canva planner templates, lesson plan templates, and desktop wallpapers
    • Download as an image and add it to Google Slides as a background image
    • Download as a PDF and use it with your iPad/tablet (Good Notes)
  • Slides Mania - Weekly planners, Yearly planners, Notebook Style, and Morning Meeting Layouts
  • The GRID Method webinar - Stephanie Howell
  • Consider creating a slide deck/doc as an overview with all resources hyperlinked (helps with Classroom organization)
• Google Calendar
  • Time blocking with Google Tasks, easy to move tasks/events but beware!
  • Hyperlink resources into your event
• Google Keep
  • Great for to-do lists, regular checklists
  • Google Keep headers blog post
• Gmail
  • Gmail tips for L1 exam blog post and Gmail podcast episode
  • Multiple aliases
• Google Drive
  • Naming conventions, starred folders, priority tab (workspaces), deal with orphaned docs
  • Google Drive podcast

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We are talking with a special guest this week, Caitlin Kemp, all about what to keep and what to ditch from virtual learning. Caitlin is an Ontario secondary educator with a wealth of experience from virtual teaching last year, and is starting this school year face-to-face again.

If you like what you hear, we would love it if you could share this episode with a colleague or friend. And make sure you subscribe so that you don’t miss out on any new content! And consider supporting the show by buying us a coffee or two!

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Featured Content
**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/61**

• Caitlin Kemp: ON Educator, Virtual Teacher last year
• What to keep from virtual learning:
  • Chunking
  • Google Jamboard activities
  • Connect with students (possible with larger time blocks) via mindfulness, fun Kahoots etc.
  • Headspace is great for mindfulness - free for educators!
  • Focus on key learnings, big ideas and relationships
  • Minds On: polls, check ins, with Google Forms, Jamboards etc.
  • Modern Classrooms Project mentorship program
• Advice to new teachers:
  • Ask for help, don't be afraid to ask! Share resources #BetterTogether
  • Find a mentor willing to help you
  • Learn how to best leverage your technology - figure out what works best for you or your learners
  • Fill your toolbox with your core set of tech tools and stick with routines
• Building connections virtually:
  • Provide help as much as possible
  • Make yourself visible
  • Check in often, provide opportunities for drop ins
• Recommended Tech Tools:
  • Google Jamboard as well as other Google Workspace tools
  • Kahoot
  • Breakout EDU
• What to ditch from virtual learning:
  • Go from virtual back to paper when it makes sense
  • What do you do with small group collaboration in person? Google Meet with breakout rooms solved this in virtual
    • Possible solutions: turn and talk, Google Chat, go outside
• Virtual schools going forward?
  • Yes - provides a safe space, alternative learning model
  • Need to consider accessibility, physical building, virtual learning hub for hands on learning
• Biggest Takeaway:
  • Make space for building community and wellness
  • Be a place and a safe person for your students

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