Episodes
Sept. 8, 2025
18 - Assessing Creativity Without Killing It
Creativity isn’t a bonus skill for a lucky few — it’s a core competency every student needs to thrive in an unpredictable future. In this episode, Tom and Nat break down why creativity deserves a place in your assessment plan...
Aug. 29, 2025
🍁 BONUS - The Canadian Assessment Centre
In this bonus episode of Assess THAT with Tom & Nat , we’re excited to introduce the Canadian Assessment Centre (CAC) — a new national hub dedicated to helping schools modernize their assessment and grading practices with cla...
Aug. 25, 2025
17 - Grade Expectations: Resetting the Rules for a New Year
As a new school year begins, it’s the perfect time to revisit the grading habits we’ve carried forward, sometimes without question. In this episode, Tom and Nat unpack five common grading “rules” that may be doing more harm t...
Aug. 11, 2025
16 - First Impressions, Lasting Impact: Designing Your Assessment Culture from Day One
In this back-to-school episode, Tom and Nat dive into the often-overlooked reality that your first assessments and grading decisions send powerful messages to students that can shape the classroom culture for the entire year....
June 16, 2025
15 - Year-End Assessment Audit
As the school year winds down, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and refine. In this episode, Tom and Nat walk you through five powerful questions to guide an end-of-year assessment audit—no data deep dives or complian...
May 19, 2025
14 - Rehumanizing Assessment (Pt. 2)
In this episode, Tom and Nat continue the discussion about their new book, "Rehumanizing Assessment: Gathering Evidence of Student Learning through Storytelling." This episode takes a deeper dive into how, through various sto...
May 5, 2025
13 - Rehumanizing Assessment (Pt. 1)
In this episode, Tom and Nat introduce listeners to their new book, "Rehumanizing Assessment: Gathering Evidence of Student Learning through Storytelling." While subsequent episodes will focus on specific aspects and strategies, this episode is an overview of why they wrote the book and who the tar…
April 21, 2025
12 - Assessment & UDL
In this episode, Tom and Nat explore the intersection between assessment and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Specifically, they highlight five important connections: UDL means designing assessments from the start with fl...
April 7, 2025
11 - Would You Rather? (Assessment Edition)
In this episode, Tom and Nat play the game "Would You Rather," exploring five assessment dilemmas that teachers and schools often face: Would You Rather: #1: Allow students to redo assessments right up to report card deadline...
March 10, 2025
10 - Assessing PBL & Inquiry
Tom and Nat explore some important reminders about how to ensure that the assessment of both Project- and Inquiry-Based Learning are meaningful, cognitively complex, and substantive. Just "doing" PBL or Inquiry is not enough....
Feb. 24, 2025
BONUS [TSP Classic] - Gholdy Muhammad (July 2022)
In this Tom Schimmer Podcast classic, Tom is joined by Gholdy Muhammad to discuss her book, "Cultivating Genius, an Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy." Gholdy on X: @GholdyM Gholdy on Instag...
Feb. 10, 2025
EP9: 3 Year Checklist for Implementing Standards-Based Grading
In this episode, Tom and Nat share a three-year checklist for implementing standards-based grading. Of course, every checklist must be checked" against the culture and nuances of each specific situation. but generally, this c...
Jan. 27, 2025
EP8: The Secrets to Self-Assessment
In this episode, Tom and Nat discuss the "Secrets to Self-Assessment." Having students competent in self-assessment is the ultimate outcome of teachers' assessment literacy; teachers need to teach students how to do it. Tom a...
Dec. 2, 2024
EP7: The Grading Trap!
In this episode, Tom and Natalie discuss the "Grading Trap," which inadvertently occurs when traditional grading practices - things like zeros for missing work, late penalties, and mixing behavior with academic performance - ...
Nov. 18, 2024
EP6: Three Quick Assessment Wins
In this episode, Tom and Natalie discuss three quick assessment wins. Each "win" falls within a specific aspect of assessment. Formative: Engineer conversations Summative: Reorganize the gradebook. Student Agency: Feedback th...
Nov. 4, 2024
EP5: The Anatomy of a Good Rubric
In this episode, Tom and Natalie discuss what makes a good rubric. They discuss the art and science of rubrics and what constitutes a high-quality rubric. They also discuss the differences between analytic, holistic, and sing...
Oct. 21, 2024
EP4: Are Common Assessments Worth It?
In this episode, Tom and Natalie ask, "Are Common Assessments Worth It?" Spoiler alert: they are, as long as certain fundamentals and conditions are adhered to. In particular, when common assessments are used formatively they...
Oct. 7, 2024
EP3: Feedback - Simple & Complex
In this episode, Tom and Natalie explore the topic of feedback. They discuss it as both simple and complex. It's simple because there is unanimous agreement in academia about the role feedback plays in increasing student lear...
Sept. 23, 2024
EP2: Quieting the Grading Noise
In this episode of Assess THAT, Tom and Nat discuss how educators can quiet the grading noise. Whether it be the traditional graders on one side or the undgraders on the other, many educators can find themselves feeling uncer...
Sept. 9, 2024
EP1: Five Reasons we're still "doing" Assessment
In this first episode of Assess THAT, Tom & Nat discuss the five reasons assessment must still be an essential part of every educator's professional learning plan. UPCOMING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Sep. 23-24: GFIO 2-Day (Tom) M...
Sept. 2, 2024
TRAILER - Introducing Assess THAT with Tom & Nat (Assessment, Grading,
Introducing Assess THAT with Tom & Nat! Tom Schimmer and Natalie Vardabasso will be your go-to podcast for everything assessment. From formative assessment to feedback to grading, Tom and Natalie will share their expertise an...
Aug. 29, 2024
[TSP Classic] Ken Williams (March 2022)
MARCH 2022: Tom was joined by Ken Williams, author of Ruthless Equity and Starting a Movement Ken on X: @unfoldthesoul Ken on Instagram: @unfoldthesoul Ken on Facebook: Unfold The Soul Ken on LinkedIn: Kenneth C. Williams Ken...
Aug. 14, 2024
[TSP Classic] John Hattie (October 2022)
OCTOBER 2022: Tom was joined by Dr. John Hattie for a conversation about his Visible Learning research. Visible Learning Website: www.visible-learning.org Hattie Foundation Website: www.hattieff.org UYES PODCAST UYES podcast ...
July 15, 2024
[TSP Classic] Yvette Jackson (May 2021)
MAY 2021: Tom was joined by Dr. Yvette Jackson, author of Pedagogy of Confidence, to discuss the equity issue surrounding Special Education and Gifted programs. Yvette Jackson does not have an active social media presence. Em...