The Tom Schimmer Podcast
1) 25 - The Ghosts of Grading Past, Present & Future (Rethinking Assessment Through A Christmas Carol)
In this special holiday episode of Assess THAT with Tom & Nat, Tom and Natalie explore grading through the timeless lens of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Guided by the ghosts of grading past, pr...Show More
2) 24 - The 12 Days of Assessment: Small Teacher Moves with Big Impact
As the year winds down and classrooms settle into December’s quieter rhythm, Tom and Natalie invite you to pull up a chair for a fireside conversation about the small assessment moves that make a big ...Show More
3) 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 conc...Show More
4) 22 - Outcomes-Based Grading & Artificial Intelligence in Education with Danielle Paloposki
When it comes to transforming assessment, few educators bridge the gap between vision and practice quite like Danielle Paloposki. As a passionate advocate for outcomes-based learning, Danielle helps s...Show More
5) 21 - The 5 Nuances That Take Formative Assessment from Good to Great!
Formative assessment is one of education’s most powerful tools, but its real impact lies in the subtle, often-overlooked nuances that transform it from good to great. In this episode, Tom and Nat expl...Show More
6) 20 - Assessment Identity with Karley Alleyn
In this episode, Tom & Nat sit down with Karley Alleyn, a Canadian Assessment Centre consultant and a powerful voice helping educators rethink what assessment can be. Drawing on her graduate research ...Show More
7) 19 - Reimagining Final Exams
Exams have long been a fixture in schools, but too often they end up measuring memory and endurance more than deep learning. In this episode, we challenge the tradition of final exams and explore how ...Show More
8) 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 plac...Show More
9) 🍁 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 gr...Show More
10) 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...Show More