Dr. Thomas R. Guskey is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. He is known throughout the world for his work on student assessment, grading and reporting, professional learning, and educational research.

Guskey is author/editor of thirty books, including his latest, Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reforms (Corwin).

We discuss:

• What is the purpose of grading?
• “Is my purpose as a teacher to select talent or develop talent?”
• The state of grading practices in US schools
• Communicating grading — what families want to know
• Connotations around the phrase “grading reform”
• What do families oppose?
• Purposefully engaging families: understanding roles and making it authentic
• What leaders get wrong about the change process
• Examples of successful grading reform in school districts

Find Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reforms from Corwin or wherever you get your books. Learn more at www.tguskey.com.

About today’s guest

Thomas R. Guskey, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. A graduate of the University of Chicago’s renowned Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistical Analysis (MESA) program, he began his career in education as a middle school teacher, served as an administrator in the Chicago Public Schools, and was the first Director of the Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, a national educational research center. Dr. Guskey served on the Policy Research Team of the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, and on the task force to develop the National Standards for Professional Development. He was named a Fellow in the American Educational Research Association and was awarded the Association’s prestigious Relating Research to Practice Award. He is author/editor of thirty books and over three hundred published articles and book chapters on educational assessment, program evaluation, and grading and reporting. He may be contacted by email at guskey@uky.edu, Twitter at @tguskey, or at www.tguskey.com.

About the host

Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano or https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossromano

Ross also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.

This is a continuation of our coaching calls with Eric Makelky. Please check our previous episodes 532, 527, 523 519 514, 510, 506, and 501

In this episode, we talk about onboarding new staff.

• What Eric has done that has been helpful.
• District duties and Principal duties.
• How do we make people stick around?
• New Teacher Academy - in-house teachers come in and model, share, and showcase practices from their classroom.
• In-house people leading these things.
• Half-day around the building - basic information.
• Make a list, and trickle in during the summer.
• And what do they really need to be ready for the first day of school?
• Resources, curriculum, plan, classroom management.
• Big Picture vs. Details.
• How do you do that?
• Trello Board about onboarding
• How do you avoid overwhelming them?
• Identify what is really valuable and what is extra
• Mentoring new teachers
• How do you not force mentoring on teachers?
• Collaborative teams within PLCs.
  1. Solid mentor
  2. Mentorship is done according to the needs of the mentee
  3. It’s about mentoring culture not just pedagogy.
• Have retired teachers come and be mentors when appropriate.

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.

Do you ever doubt your decisions as a principal. As a principal myself, I understand the constant second-guessing and the toll it can take on confidence.

Discover the symptoms of self-doubt, from questioning every decision to hesitancy in sharing innovative ideas. Understand the root cause of self-doubt and why it can hinder leadership effectiveness.

Learn what doesn't work when trying to combat self-doubt and uncover practical strategies to stop it in its tracks. From remembering your value to setting realistic expectations and developing a support system, we've got you covered.

Enhance your job satisfaction and stop doubting your decisions by tuning in and taking action. If you're ready to take the next step, check out the free workshop on How to Stop Doubting Your Decisions as a School Leader. Click HERE to take the workshop.

After you finish listening, I would love to hear your most significant takeaway from today's episode. Take a screenshot of yourself listening on your device, share it on your Instagram stories, and tag me, @BarbFlowersCoaching.

While you're there, please ensure you follow me on Instagram so you can get a behind-the-scenes look at how I assist educators in reducing stress, preventing burnout, and how you can benefit as well.

Connect with Barb:
Website

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL and MyFlexLearning.

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you simplify and streamline technology, reliably meet Tier 1 standards, improve assessment performance, and more. Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

MyFlexLearning is the scheduling platform that helps middle and high schools meet the individual needs of all students. Create and manage time for flex blocks, WIN time, activity periods, RTI, counselor and teacher appointments and much more. And with a built-in accountability tool and reporting features, solve your challenges around getting kids where they need to be and understanding how flex time is spent. Make your flex time work for you. Visit myflexlearning.com/BE to learn more and receive $500 off the first year.