Assess THAT with Tom & Nat! (Assessment, Feedback, Grading, and Learning)
Tom Schimmer
100 episodes
1 week ago
The Tom Schimmer Podcast is a show about learning, leadership, and life. Primarily, it’s a podcast that focuses on current topics in K-12 education. Each week, Tom Schimmer (a best-selling education author, keynote speaker, and consultant) will lean on his 30 years of experience to keep listeners informed and entertained on the prevailing stories dominating the conversations about teaching and learning. This podcast also focuses on educational leadership by exploring how leaders can truly engineer a culture of continued professional growth. Occasionally, this podcast will explore the pursuit of success and happiness as it relates to any walk of life. Through a mix of interviews, commentary, current news stories, questions from listeners, and other segments, listeners will be well-equipped to meet the needs of learners regardless of what role they serve.
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The Tom Schimmer Podcast is a show about learning, leadership, and life. Primarily, it’s a podcast that focuses on current topics in K-12 education. Each week, Tom Schimmer (a best-selling education author, keynote speaker, and consultant) will lean on his 30 years of experience to keep listeners informed and entertained on the prevailing stories dominating the conversations about teaching and learning. This podcast also focuses on educational leadership by exploring how leaders can truly engineer a culture of continued professional growth. Occasionally, this podcast will explore the pursuit of success and happiness as it relates to any walk of life. Through a mix of interviews, commentary, current news stories, questions from listeners, and other segments, listeners will be well-equipped to meet the needs of learners regardless of what role they serve.
23 - Trust the Teacher: Why Percentages Fail and Professional Judgment Prevails
Assess THAT with Tom & Nat! (Assessment, Feedback, Grading, and Learning)
37 minutes
1 week ago
23 - Trust the Teacher: Why Percentages Fail and Professional Judgment Prevails
In this episode, Tom & Nat tackle one of education’s biggest myths: that percentages make grading fair and objective. They break down how percentage systems create the illusion of precision while concealing the true story of student learning. Through real numerical examples and insights from researchers, they reveal how averaging can distort growth, penalize early learning, and undermine teacher professionalism.
But this isn’t just a critique, it’s a call to action. Tom and Nat show why professional judgment is not a flaw in the system but its foundation, even within outcome-based frameworks. They share practical strategies for strengthening confidence in teacher judgment, communicating clearly with parents, and helping schools shift toward more authentic measures of learning. It’s an empowering conversation for any educator ready to move beyond numbers and trust the human side of assessment.
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Assess THAT with Tom & Nat! (Assessment, Feedback, Grading, and Learning)
The Tom Schimmer Podcast is a show about learning, leadership, and life. Primarily, it’s a podcast that focuses on current topics in K-12 education. Each week, Tom Schimmer (a best-selling education author, keynote speaker, and consultant) will lean on his 30 years of experience to keep listeners informed and entertained on the prevailing stories dominating the conversations about teaching and learning. This podcast also focuses on educational leadership by exploring how leaders can truly engineer a culture of continued professional growth. Occasionally, this podcast will explore the pursuit of success and happiness as it relates to any walk of life. Through a mix of interviews, commentary, current news stories, questions from listeners, and other segments, listeners will be well-equipped to meet the needs of learners regardless of what role they serve.
