My op-ed about Harvard and its new grade cap is out today in The Hill. I’d love to hear what you think. thehill.com/opinion/educ...

Harvard’s new cap on ‘A’ grades is doomed to fail

We know now from decades of research that grades are not scientific or objective measurements of student learning.

thehill.com

Apropos of nothing, if you think grades should reflect actual student learning rather than arbitrary institutional policies, I'd like to invite you to join us at the Grading Conference June 16--18

Yep, I've been trying to communicate in as many forums as possible that this is a terrible idea. Princeton tried it from 2004-14 and it failed horrendously. Faculty voted unanimously to revoke it. The A cap fails at every place it is tried.

Today on Grading for Growth, a guest post on Dave Musicant about how reframing his approach to alternative grading improved student perceptions.

Focus on opportunity, not cost

How some simple tweaks to alternative grading systems can significantly improve student perceptions

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth, I reflect on the past year of teaching (4 preps!): Some surprises, some learning, and some future directions.

Reflections on a year of alternative grading

A 3x3x3 reflection on what I did this year, how it went, and where I'm going next

gradingforgrowth.com

Today's Grading for Growth guest post is by a team of leading Chemistry education researchers. Working with a huge data set, they found a complex story about alternative grading, final grades, and opportunity gaps: gradingforgrowth.com/p/specificat...

Specifications Grading and Equity

A More Complicated Story Than We Hoped

gradingforgrowth.com

Today's Grading for Growth guest post is by a team of leading Chemistry education researchers. Working with a huge data set, they found a complex story about alternative grading, final grades, and opportunity gaps: gradingforgrowth.com/p/specificat...

Specifications Grading and Equity

A More Complicated Story Than We Hoped

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth, I talk about something new(-ish) I'm trying in an upper-level class.

Mastery Exams

A timed test of proof and logic without (as much) anxiety

gradingforgrowth.com

Everything is awful, so it's time for a Things In My Garden That Make Me Happy thread. Hope you enjoy it. Let's start with this Bloodroot, a native wildflower that volunteered in my (city!) shade garden. I think that's a sign that I'm doing it right.

Today on Grading for Growth, our guest poster Katie Baker reflects on the practice and meaning of grading while her college is in the midst of a merger.

Finding Meaningful Moments in a Merger

A Shift in Grading in a Smaller Classroom

gradingforgrowth.com

What would you like to see me write a blog post about? (Alternative-grading related, of course!) I'm at odd ends for my next post and would love to hear your ideas.

Today on Grading for Growth, an update on one of our oldest posts (from 2021): Rigor -- what is it, does it really mean anything, and how does alternative grading support it?

Throwback: Rigor

Seriously, what does that even mean? Anything?

gradingforgrowth.com

Want data about how well alternative grading works? Erin Coffman at Indiana University compares data from traditionally graded and alternatively graded sections of a coordinated business course.

A/B Testing Alternative Grading

Using data science to evaluate a new grading system

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth, I lead you through a week of grading in one of my classes. Philosophy and nitty-gritty details, together!

One week of grading

Thoughts, details, and philosophy of grading from one of my classes

gradingforgrowth.com

News! Grading for Growth is now available as an audiobook! If you prefer listening to case studies, advice, and history of grading, check it out!

Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices that Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education

Are you satisfied with your current and traditional grading system? Does it accurately reflect your students’ learning and progress? Can it be gamed? Does it lead to grade-grubbing and friction ...

audiobooks.com

If you ever want to read a paper for free and can't find it otherwise, email the lead author and politely ask for a copy. You will not be bothering the person. You will in fact make their whole entire day. I have had scientists get so excited I asked they sent me everything they ever published.

tomate 🍅@jascha.ohai.social.ap.brid.gy · 6mo ago

When someone says „Scientists do not want you to know“ you can dismiss everything from there on. Scientists want you to know. They are desperate that you know. They can’t shut up about what they found out and want you to know.

Today on Grading for Growth, Kerry Mandulak shares her path into alternative grading while considering the admissions process for a professional program. gradingforgrowth.com/p/building-c...

Building Community as a Catalyst

Advancing Alternative Grading in Speech-Language Pathology from the Ground Up

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth, I write about the importance of sending a consistent message throughout your course design. Here are some ways to support the message of alternative grading.

Pairs well with alternative grading

Supporting productive struggle by sending a consistent message

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth, a guest post by Ainsley Vergara about her path to using alternative grading in Speech Pathology. gradingforgrowth.com/p/removing-t...

Removing the Training Wheels

How I shifted toward student self-assessment and collaborative grading in a pre-professional program

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth, a guest post from Acacia Ackles about her own experience of teaching through trauma. gradingforgrowth.com/p/teaching-t...

Teaching through trauma

How Grading for Growth Helped Save my Sanity

gradingforgrowth.com

Today on Grading for Growth: Halley McCormick describes how she introduces students to the ideas of alternative grading and reinforces those ideas throughout the semester.

Communicating Effectively with Students about Alternative Grading

Helping students track their grade and understand its meaning

gradingforgrowth.com

It's a new year, and I'm in school planning today. Here are six bite-sized alternative grading ideas for the new year: gradingforgrowth.com/p/thoughts-f...

Thoughts for the new year

Bite-sized ideas on alternative grading in 2026

gradingforgrowth.com

I was thinking about writing something up about how I use "base groups" in classes. Turns out Sarah does almost exactly the same thing and has some excellent reflection on it.

Sarah Silverman@sarahesilverman.bsky.social · 8mo ago

A year-end post: reflecting on the use of sustained groups in collaborative activities (rather than switching up groups frequently). beyondthescope.substack.com/p/you-again-...

It's me! I wrote about how I use IBL, collaborative grading, and much more all together in my favorite course: Euclidean Geometry.

PRIMUS@readprimus.bsky.social · 9mo ago

"Do All the Things: Inquiry-Based Learning with Teams, Collaborative Grading, and Individual Goal Setting in Euclidean Geometry for Future Teachers" by David Clark about intentionally integrating pedagogical choices that appear separately in the literature. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

I finally did it: I wrote about AI! Mostly, small changes I made that had a good effect, and the results of a student survey. gradingforgrowth.com/p/small-chan...

Small changes to handle AI

What I did this semester to address AI use in one of my classes

gradingforgrowth.com

Excited to share a guest post on my blog this week by Jayme Dyer, Katie Mattaini, and Eden Tanner about alt grading in large classes. This is something I get asked about all the time, so I'm glad to have an opportunity to share their work on the topic! emilypittsdonahoe.substack.com/p/alternativ...

Alternative Grading in Large Classes

How to implement pedagogical values within logistical constraints

emilypittsdonahoe.substack.com

This is at least one of the more amusing cybersecurity trainings I've ever done.

Today on Grading for Growth: Alternative grading in a large multi-section coordinated Calculus course. A guest post by Lucas Quintero and Rebecca Swanson.

When Alternative Grading Meets Coordination

Lessons in scaling alternative grading to a multi-section, coordinated Calculus I course

gradingforgrowth.com

All I want for Christmas is for Santa to force every grad program to put a deadline in their emails. And maybe make the recommendation link clickable.

The two most important parts of Thanksgiving cooking are in progress. (Don't judge my carmelized onions and I won't judge yours!)