"I want class to feel empowering, and I want learning to feel like a journey, not a series of disconnected tasks." Check out the shifts that helped T Chris Sarkonak put his vision into practice:

Join us on Mon, Mar. 2 for another engaging conversation. This session will focus on student self-reflection. What works in your setting? How do we get students to go deeper in their thinking? Visit cafln.ca for registration information. This will be a good one!

If anyone is looking for some amazing PD that focuses on evidence-based, student-centered practices, then check out LearningInspirED's Student Power Summit in LA, March 9-10! I had the opportunity to take part last year and it's easily the best PD in my career! www.learninspired.org/events

The presence of grades takes psychological safety away from students, putting them into states of anxiety or apathy, neither of which allow for learning. @csarkonak.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/the-ung...

With the phrase going gradeless, we hope to express the idea of moving—gradually or rapidly—away from the pernicious influence of grades, and toward more humane and effective methods of assessment and feedback. growbeyondgrades.org/start

If standard-based grading is to progress beyond the real difficulties that beset it, it must espouse curiosity over defensiveness, openness over dogmatism, empathy over insularity. @achiaravalli.bsky.social www.growbeyondgrades.org/blog/we-need...

It was a joy to talk going gradeless with the O.G. @mssackstein.bsky.social & @crystalfrommert.bsky.social for Learner-Centered Spaces. www.teachbetterpodcastnetwork.com/show/learner...

Our second Growth, Not Grades winner is Sharlyn Barrett 🎉 Sharlyn writes how chasing perfection — whether pounds on a scale or letters on a page — left her ready to give up. She imagines an education that values growth and self-acceptance. Read and share! growbeyondgrades.org/blog/degradi...

I am too exhausted to care about other standards of perfection, like grades. Insecure in my personal life, I give up trying at school because I can’t bear being judged anymore. @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/degradi...

I want my learning to be measured by how much I’ve grown, how deeply I’ve understood, and how boldly I’ve tried, not just by the shape of the letter at the top of the page. @GBGEdu @growbeyondgrades.org growbeyondgrades.org/blog/a-lette...

I'm inspired by some amazing teachers doing #teach180 and thought I'd give it a try this year... but I'm already 2 days behind so I'll start by catching up! This semester I have 2 sections of 11 Physics, 1 class of 12 Physics, and 1 class of 9 Science (which will be my 3rd time in 17 years!) 🎢

“Why focus on how to improve when the verdict has already been delivered?” 📫 High school senior, Subhiksha Sreeram, describes the way grades cut off real learning. Her essay A Letter to Letters is the first of three winners in our Growth, Not Grades contest. growbeyondgrades.org/blog/a-lette...

I truly believe traditional grades (already problematic) only exacerbates the transactional problem of education when coupled with AI.

The Summer Institute has been such an amazing event, with so much more great learning ahead. #assessment

Today we gather on Treaty 1 territory to begin our @caflnetwork.bsky.social Summer Institute. We look forward to rich, engaging conversations. #assessment #teacherpd

Mistakes are where the learning happens! Here's how T @csarkonak.bsky.social encourages learners to embrace them:

Looking to build a more S-centered classroom practice? T @csarkonak.bsky.social offers these three strategies that have transformed his classroom: buff.ly/dSWMFnd #EduSky

This was such an influential book in my #ungrading journey! It was some of the best PD and at just the right time! Now, inspired by those that contributed to this book, I try to share what I can about my journey and where I’m at so others may find something helpful from my story.

A4: assessment: @achiaravalli.bsky.social @humanrestorationproject.org @covingtonedu.bsky.social @leeannjung.bsky.social @mssackstein.bsky.social @davefrangiosa.bsky.social @stacieoliver.bsky.social @jessifer.bsky.social 🎢: @cossettej.bsky.social @joemilliano.bsky.social #T2Tchat #EduSky

A3: For me, #ungrading has been transformative! All that I’ve learned has been huge in helping me be successful in creating a far more equitable classroom that is focused on students! #T2Tchat #EduSky

A2: I love learning about their thoughts and perspectives as it helps me think more deeply about my own practice. I’m also always on the lookout for new physics ideas to give Ss the best experiences I can! #T2Tchat #EduSky

A1: I’m Chris, a high school Physics teacher in Manitoba, Canada! This summer I’m going back to being a student again! 🌻📕 #T2Tchat #EduSky

How T @csarkonak.bsky.social is building a #GrowthMindset classroom culture: 🍎 Talk about mistakes together 🍏 Create a collaborative culture 🍎 Keep the focus on real learning

If the only feedback is a grade, why bother putting effort into the process? Students learn the game fast. Grades need to go.

Facilitated a gr8 session with admin about assessment practices and how they shape the culture of a school. Blue = assessment of Yellow=assessment for Pink=assessment as Y-axis=Student identity X-axis=school culture What do you notice? #EduSky #EduSkyChat #educoach #edchat #mtbos

Such a great opportunity for students to share their voice and have their experiences impact education in the future!! #ungrading

🕐 ONE WEEK LEFT! Students: How have grades—or the lack of them—shaped your learning or growth? All genres & formats welcome ✍️ Cash prizes 💸 Chance to be published 📚 growbeyondgrades.org/contest #gradeless #ungrading #growbeyondgrades @humanrestorationproject.org @gotlearning.bsky.social

Traditional grading systems do a terrible job of measuring learning and discourage students from reaching their full potential. This week, we're exploring a different model that is gaining traction in hundreds of schools: competency-based learning. www.cultofpedagogy.com/competency-b...

✍️ PLEASE SHARE WITH HS & COLLEGE-AGE STUDENTS! How have grades—or the experience of learning without them—influenced your learning, growth, or personal journey? All genres and formats welcome! @humrespro.bsky.social @gotlearning.bsky.social #gradeless #growbeyondgrades growbeyondgrades.org/contest

I hear Ss say this almost every semester! Developing a system WITH them and honoring their voice builds a culture of learning. This is a human connection that AI can never replace and it’s only through this connection that Ss truly learn best. Eliminating grades clears the path for this to work!

I really need to go to bed but I just keep coming back to the utter and abject failure of imagination that exists in this particular discourse about learning & schooling. My god, people, schooling and learning can look like ten thousand different things and all be good and right and effective!

A new teacher group is promoting the benefits of “ungrading” and how professionals across the province can tweak their classroom evaluations to better serve students.

Where the construction of school contradicts what we know about healthy human development, psychology, motivation, and learning, we have an obligation to reconstruct schooling rather than attempt to change human beings.

Amazing Student Power Summit in Ohio! I’ve learned so much the last couple days and was honored to be a presenter! It was great to meet a couple of huge inspirations on my #ungrading journey, @johannabrown.bsky.social and @achiaravalli.bsky.social! I wouldn’t be where I am w/o @growbeyondgrades.org!

Another great STEM for Girls week wrapped up and I am so proud of our amazing team, the week we put together, and the great turnout! This program is something very special to me since we started it 6 years ago and so much more so now that I have a daughter! #internationalwomensday

Grades are an extrinsic motivator, they’ve never been good at motivating Ss or getting them to care about learning. They are good for compliance with some, put most into anxiety, and undermine risk-taking. Give Ss agency and put them in the drivers seat of their learning. Trust your Ss #sunchat

Very excited that it's just 1.5 months until the Student Power Summit in Ohio! I feel very honored to be presenting alongside @achiaravalli.bsky.social, @covingtonedu.bsky.social, @johannabrown.bsky.social, and so many more that I've learned so much from over the years! Can't wait to learn and grow!

What are you up to tonight, teachers? We hope you'll join our first #T2Tchat on Bluesky, all about your mid-year reflections, goals and fresh starts. We're looking forward to a lively conversation moderated by @iheart6ela.bsky.social and @cheycheney.bsky.social #EduSky

I’m finally doing what I always should have been doing in the classroom: giving students an opportunity to take risks, find success, explore their interests, and learn how to work with those around them. @csarkonak.bsky.social growbeyondgrades.org/blog/the-ungrading-spectrum

I wanted students to master the skills; why shouldn’t it be a question of ‘either they can or not yet’? —Chris Sarkonak growbeyondgrades.org/blog/dont-co...

Sometimes you make something just to prove that you can. Behold, a 3D printed physical model of double slit wave interactions! 😅 #iteachphysics 🎢

A2. Worries about post-sec readiness. 2 years ago I gave a trad final exam to my #ungrading classes. Despite larger numbers, far wider socioeconomic and academic backgrounds, and a pandemic between last using that exam, Ss did better. We’re also taking on AP Phys and Ss are successful #UngradingChat

A1. I do this with Ss as part of @btcthinks.bsky.social non-curr tasks to start the course. They learn about scientific thinking and what it means to do science. We then have a couple days of discussions around what they’ve liked/not liked in previous science classes… #UngradingChat

There’s no such thing as fair grading. I needed to convince myself of this before starting into #ungrading. You can have a S produce certain work and, depending only on how the T enters it into the gradebook, create a 30% spread. Assess standards and how do agree what each is worth? #sunchat

A5. Get them involved everywhere! They looked at the outcomes and realized/decided skills were more important than content. They develop the grading guidelines. They choose what’s in their portfolio and use it to justify their grade. They need Ts that facilitate ownership and agency! #UngradingChat

A4. I created a mock student in a trad gradebook and showed that, depending only on how the gradebook is setup, there can be a HUGE variation in grades. To start, I had to prove that trad grades had no validity whatsoever and that no matter what I did, I really couldn't do worse #UngradingChat

Hey #EduSky, I need some help. Chemistry is not my wheelhouse, and I'd love some examples of enticing quick performance tasks that such learners might engage with.

A3. I’ve been hosting PDs for those that want to learn and Ss have been advocating for change, which then brings some Ts to see me wanting to learn. Ss understand the need for change very quickly bc they know what they do to game the trad system (and are very open about it!) #UngradingChat

A2. Started with SBG years ago, gamification, then skills-based grading. Finally read @susandblum.bsky.social’s Ungrading and @mssackstein.bsky.social’s Hacking Assessment and dived in! Huge support from @achiaravalli.bsky.social’s @growbeyondgrades.org community made it a success! #UngradingChat

Was cleaning up some files, came across this interesting graphic: “The flaw in the educational system, as far as I can see it, is that you live your life—the teacher and the student—in quest of A’s. Yet later in life, the A is irrelevant.” —Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist #UngradingChat