Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

I Zoomed into Joanna’s talk feeling like a 2 on the guinea pig scale, as I was at home sick, but left feeling like a hard 6! I absolutely loved her energy and enthusiasm, which radiated through my computer screen. I am someone who really values connections and this presentation was exactly what I was looking for to take my thoughts and ideas to the next level.

I thought that using jokes of the day or posting a funny video or meme each morning was a wonderful idea that I could easily see myself doing in my own classroom. Checking in with students is extremely important and also checking in with yourself as an educator on occasion is healthy and encouraged.

Morning schedules are useful for students of all ages! A set or reoccurring schedule lets students know what to expect and allows them to plan ahead. Morning reminders and announcements were also encouraged as a great way to start the day off on the right foot.

Joanna went over three types of assessment: assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning. Assessment for learning allows teachers to check in with students to see what they know and provide feedback to how education is being progressed. Assessment as learning allows students to practice their skills and reflect upon their performance. Assessment of learning allows students to provide evidence of learning to grade their achievements.

The transition from grades to a proficiency scale is a new one for me, but I like it overall. I find that the proficiency scale leads to less stress and more feedback opportunities for students. I really appreciate that Joanna includes her class in co-creating rubrics and discussing how and what good examples of proof of proficiency look like for each section of the scale.

I connected with Joanna’s entire presentation and did not want it to end! She will be a valuable resource moving forward in my teaching career as I plan to incorporate many of her fabulous ideas into my own teaching practices.