The goal of every lesson is a transfer of knowledge from the lesson to application. The method we select for assessment defaults to the method of our content delivery. If we instruct with a slide presentation narrated by us and sprinkled with questions, then our students default to a multiple choice test and essay. There is risk in trying a new lesson, and a greater risk in trying a new assessment. Join the conversation as we learn from Jeff Hampson, a high school history teacher, and the concept of the "unessay."

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We close out 2020 and the first semester. A new year full of opportunities awaits us. Teacher work days are a time to reflect, catch up, and adjust to  what's next. Join the conversation as we discuss what works, what failed, and how we adjust for 2021 and the second semester.

When your bedroom is your classroom, it can be hard to find time for self-care. Self care is about finding a school/life balance.  Join our conversation about balancing the never-ending school day. Share your ideas about cookie recipes, can't miss reality shows, and ways you find balance through self-care at ask.itcs4all.com

Have you overheard your students discussing content and concepts with their peers? I know that can seem rare, but in these conversations, we have caught student mastery in its native habitat.  Live from ISTE20, Dan and Billy discuss podcasting as an assessment tool with students with special guest Ellaine Reyes. Listen and discover how we connect the the connect the content to our real life with podcasting. 

Learn more about podcasting at https://www.itcs4all.com/podcasting and http://iste.itcs4all.com 

Share your ideas and questions about podcasting in the classroom at http://ask.itcs4all.com

Education conferences offer opportunities for educators to share out and evolve our classroom practices. During the pandemic all education conferences have adopted a virtual experience, and while we will miss the networking and free swag, we also gain the luxury of on-demand professional development. 

Join us in this episode as we share strategies, tips, and takeaways to the conference experience. Have an idea for an episode, a comment about conferences, or want to share your tips and takeaways, drop up as a message at ask.itcs4all.com 

Over the last decade, digital citizenship is a recurring topic in education. The conversation has transitioned beyond rules for keeping kids safe online to being citizens of a global community because being a digital citizen is being a global citizen. Listen to Dan and Billy share their passion for inspiring teachers to be digital leaders and empowering students to leverage their voice online. 

Join the conversation around being citizens in this digital community at ask.itcs4all.com and learn more about digital citizenship in your classroom at www.itcs4all.com/digital-citizenship

The elementary classroom is built upon choice boards, small groups, and learning rotations. Teachers across all levels are adapting their classroom design to bring these elements of student choice into the virtual and concurrent environment. In this episode in our concurrent teaching series, we discuss the Flip Flop method of learning rotations inspired by Dr. Catlin Tucker, and how we can find success in our classrooms. Learn more about concurrent teaching at www.itcs4all.com

Enjoy Dr. Catlin Tucker’s blog on Flip Flop learning rotations at

https://catlintucker.com/2020/11/flip-flop-design-for-concurrent-classroom/

Share your ideas about learning rotations and the activities students can flip flop during class at http://ask.itcs4all.com

Stations rotation, flipped classroom, individualized playlist, live-streamed Zoom classes; these are the buzzwords behind concurrent teaching. We are entering month three of virtual instruction, and on the horizon is a new challenge: how to blend virtual and in-person instruction. The task seems daunting, and honestly terrifying, but what if this obstacle is really another 2020 opportunity. Join us in our series on concurrent teaching. We will share the good, the bad, and the possibilities from teachers and instructional coaches living concurrent teaching in real life.

What is an A? What is a zero? What is the purpose of an NHI? 

Educational practices, like grading, evolved from the industrial needs of the early 20th century. Four times a year, schools send home progress reports to students and families, similar to a job evaluation given by an employer. Today technology enables every student and family the opportunity to partner with their teacher in the learning feedback process, so in the year 2020, is it time to rethink the purpose of our grading system. 

Join our conversation around the motivation of grades and the opportunities to rethink the system. Learn more at itcs4all.com/blog

Share your ideas and comments at ask.itcs4all.com 

Teacher workdays are a buffer between the end of one quarter and the beginning of the next. After the whirlwind of entering grades, we reflect on the successes from the quarter one, and begin resetting our classroom for quarter two. Join our conversation as we share ideas for resetting our virtual classrooms and discuss tips for retakes in a digital classroom. Share your ideas for quarter two and retakes at itcs4all.com/blog. 

Special thanks to our episode guest, Catherine Smart.