🔥 Are we about tasks or learning?

🔥 How do our beliefs about assessment shape absolutely everything we do?

🔥 How has it become acceptable to do nothing in a classroom, and what can we do about it?

Join me for a conversation with Melissa Dean as we dig into these and other critical questions.

About this Guest: Melissa is a high school math, science and ELA teacher who is passionate about reforming assessment and reimagining mathematics education. She is a developing inquiry and design thinking teacher who is constantly in reflection about her teaching practice and the state of education. She’s also the author of Unravel School: Reimagine Classrooms, Reinvent Assessment and Revive Learning.

Timestamps from this conversation:

0:00:00 – Today’s guest is Melissa Dean, the Dean of Math

1:12 – A pivotal story of futility in the Math classroom

4:20 – Assessment is everything in education reform

10:37 – What’s the difference between grading and assessment?

13:44 – What’s the purpose of school?

20:03 – Small assessment changes to make in math and science classrooms

24:16 – What does inquiry-based learning look like in upper level Math?

30:31 – Why is it okay for students to do nothing in a classroom?

36:53 – Areas of learning for Melissa outside of the classroom

39:55 – Productivity hacks: waking early, walking

41:22 – Someone to follow: Natalie Vardabasso, Jessica Vance

42:31 – An edtech tool that Melissa favours right now

43:07 – A book pick: The Pi of Life by Sunil Singh

43:50 – A future guest recommendation: Monte Syrie

45:15 – Melissa talks about the mission of her book, Unravel School

47:06 – Where to connect with Melissa online