Category: Featured

Good afternoon campus community,

In our latest episode release, the SAFE Topics team had a conversation with faculty members on the topic of ungrading! We explore ideas like deconstructing traditional grading, assessment being a conversation, meeting resistance, and self-reflections. Join hosts Sean and curry alongside Joe Salamon (Physical Science), Chad Tsuyuki (English), Virginia “Gin” Schwarz (English & Literature), and James Garcia (Sociology) as we talk about the world of ungrading. This episode is one for the books! Keep an eye out for Part 2 coming in the Spring ‘22 semester!

Access the transcript for this episode.

And don’t forget to listen to the mini-series, “Hyflexing,” with hosts Sean and curry!

Ways to Listen!

1. Podbean – S.A.F.E. Topics
2. Google Podcasts
3. Spotify
4. Apple Podcasts
5. Amazon Music
6. Audible

What to Listen For

• How are we all thinking about assessment in our classrooms?
• Is ungrading a privilege reserved for full time faculty?
• Points, points, points!
• Deconstructing the years of high school grade trauma.
• The myths of the transactional relationship vs an authentic relationship.
• Ungrading isn’t a radical idea – it’s being used in other places too.
• “If you don’t do this, you won’t get that.”
• The self-worth tied to the grades.
• How the grade becomes the message.
• Having both flexibility and rigidity.
• Have you been met with resistance to ungrading?
• The importance of feedback.
• Grades still matter → We’re still working within a paradox.
• Thoughts on the affective, formative, and summative.
• Being way less stressed when you don’t have to be a policing person.
• Making sure we have these conversations and self-reflecting.

The S.A.F.E. Topics Team

curry mitchell – Faculty, Letters (Co-host)
Sean Davis – Faculty, Sociology (Co-host)
Mana Tadayon – Student (Co-host)
Kelly Barnett – Intern and Music Technology Student (Audio Editor)
James Garcia – Associate Faculty, Sociology (Show Notes, Online)

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