The Tom Schimmer Podcast
1) 30 - Assessment Literacy Is the Real "Teacher Shortage"
Across education, we hear constant concern about teacher shortages. On the surface, it seems like recruitment pipelines, retention rates, burnout, and workload are the issues. But beneath those very r...Show More
2) 29 - Lowering the Bar Isn’t Compassion: Rethinking Assessment and Care
In this episode, Tom and Nat explore a tension many educators are feeling right now: our deep desire to be compassionate in assessment and the unintended consequences that can arise when compassion ge...Show More
3) 28 - AI Didn’t Break Assessment; It Exposed It (and What That Means for Integrity)
AI has sparked fear, urgency, and a wave of reactionary policies in schools, but what if the real issue isn’t the technology itself? In this episode, Tom and Natalie argue that AI didn’t break assessm...Show More
4) 27 - The Hidden Cost of Implementation Errors in Assessment & Grading
When educators say, “We tried that… and it didn’t work,” the conversation often stops there. But what if the problem isn’t the idea itself (e.g., feedback, reassessment, rubrics, or standards-based gr...Show More
5) 26 - Motivation and Assessment: Designing the Conditions for Learning with Josh Ogilvie
In this episode, Tom & Natalie are joined by CAC consultant Josh Ogilvie for a thoughtful and energizing conversation about the relationship between student motivation and sound assessment practices. ...Show More
6) 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
7) 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
8) 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
23 - Trust the Teacher: Why Percentages Fail and Professional Judgment Prevails
37:24 | Nov 17th, 2025
9) 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
10) 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