Go to assessments that guide teaching: My igdy, tailoring instruction to students.

Dial four assessments, APES assessment 

How do you work smarter, not harder?: Systems, piece by piece your days to create routines within your routines. Students must be able to function independently at some times.

Incredible impact story: Intentionally look at students skills, told a student's parents that he was showing left-hand dominance. One-on-one data can change perspectives on assessment.

Greatest advice to a new teacher: Lean on the support of your community. TAKE THE HELP. You do not need to be in this alone to build relationships. 

Hot topic book: Easy to love difficult to discipline, any book that teaches you to address your own biases, How to Build an Equitable Classroom. 

How did you become an educator: Always wanted to help people, junior in HS went to teach Spanish to preschoolers and felt like she was watching a work of art. 

Why teach?: No job that you get the purpose of education. You get to wake up every morning and make a difference. What is a life without a purpose?  

Definition of assessment: “Assessment is simply a procedure for making inferences” There is no valid assessment, just valid interpretations. Inferences can only go as far as that assessment. Understanding the validity of your interpretation, the science of assessments

Go to assessments that guide teaching: Whiteboards, keep EPR high to keep engagement high. The organisms are always right, the ultimate assessment is can teacher assess. 

How do you work smarter, not harder?: Understanding what the goal is, strategic assessment can be more efficient. At risk vs proficient, not always great scores. Understanding the purpose of your assessments. Validity and reliability put eyes on our results.

Incredible impact story: As a student in geometry, not always the best kid in class and told the teacher he wasn't going to memorize the distance formula. The teacher let him focus on that idea until after the test, they had a conversation where they realized formulas were connected. This is the importance of relations through assessments. 

Greatest advice to a new teacher: Teach to the test, start with assessment, and design instruction to get there. Gauge if students have a level of relational knowledge so they know they have the tools to tackle certain problems or concepts. Know the end goals

Hot topic book: Teacher clarity playbook, Lots of practical examples. IES practice guides, John Peg solo taxonomy heavy and dry read. 

How did you become an educator: Became an educator to coach football, originally a high school math teacher. Coachings a blast, teachings whatever. Teachers are good coaches who reframe their teaching. 

Why teach?: You won't know why to teach till you meet your kids. You get into teaching for whatever reason, then you meet those kids and you never ask again. Kids need care, pour life into kids. 

What are your go-to assessments? Exit tickets for everything! Sticky notes or quick drawings, something short to show what they produced from the activity. Quick assessment is the best assessment. 

How do you work smarter, not harder?: MAKE THE KIDS DO IT! The more they do the less you have to do, have them work in pairs to assess each other. Sticky notes and dry-erase boards are your best friends, anything that tells you quickly that they have the information. 

Incredible impact story?: working at a summer school there were small assessments every single day. There were exit tickets every single day and it was the time she knew the most about her students. The assessments bonded the students, teachers, and coworkers. Relationships are everything!

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: 1. Relationships, of course, give nicknames! That is proof of interactions and connection. Reach out to family and parents. In the classroom, sit with them, and work with them. Have a little something with each of them, go to events create connections. Making students feel love keeps things moving smoothly. Talk about direction and procedures. Go slow to go fast! You cannot practice enough. When students know what to do they feel secure. 

What is a hot topic book?: Stuff you should know, creates random fun things to discuss in class. Share stories! Enders Game, children saving the world! 

How did you become an educator?: While traveling, randomly received an invitation to teach in China. What they thought was a joke became a reality after knowing NOTHING! Thrown right into it. Began to figure out what to do through love and excitement. Translators came and went, and from that moment on her perspective switched and she became a teacher. 

Why teach?: “Teaching things I've never thought about” Looking at kids knowing that they need people, you want to make sure they are ok. These kids are the future, when you come in and see their emotions, development, and personality pull you in. THATS THE MAGIC

Definition of assessment?: in elementary, kids are being assessed all the time. Pre assessments, where are we going, where are we at, how did you grow this year? All about seeing what they're learning, not about the content.

What are your go-to assessments?: learning map, sticky notes, their voice! Start with standards then move on, SMALL GROUPS, see them working and moving them where they need to go. KNOW YOUR KIDS

How do you work smarter, not harder?: collaborate, its not about me, learn from your team. Take ideas collaborate and hold your team close.

Incredible impact story?: BIG ON SMALL GROUPS, shaped the entire classroom, kids need to grow giving attention and learn something new, they get to ask questions and be personal.

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: Work with your team, don't walk alone you learn so much from other people.

What is a hot topic book?: twitter lol! Getting online, looking for new things. How do you hug a porcupine, behavior books shape her headspace.

How did you become an educator?: She was born with teacher on her forehead, came from a family of teachers. The constant value of education, she being around kids.

Why teach?: You go home with the stories and the love. You see so many stories and you make such an impact. You stick with students their entire life.

What are your go-to assessments?: Look at running records, FMP, and benchmark assessments. Listen to students read, skill means more than scores.

How do you work smarter, not harder?: Being K-5 is challenging, planning for her role is very different, using resources around you.

Incredible impact story?: Student has been through a lot, making students comfortable, and underestimated student she built a relationship with.

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: Be very careful who you surround yourself with. Hear the positive and love what you do.

What is a hot topic book?: Not so much about the resources, more about filtering out the bad. Reflect on why you are doing what you’re doing.

How did you become an educator?: originally a nursing major, always wanted to help people but it did not feel right! Got into SPED and immediately fell in love.

Why teach?: You will remember kids your entire life and they will remember you. You make an impact!! Make a student your success story, and get students to believe in themselves.

What are your go-to assessments? : Rubrics! It gives objectives and ties the standard, and it determines what goals and expectations match your role. Keep the end in mind! 

How do you work smarter, not harder? : Rubric helps, no guessing games! Don't overload assignments, use easier things to be able to tell how the students feel. Exit tickets, thumbs, and hands. 

Incredible impact story?: Made sure students had rubrics and made it possible for students to self-assess. Knowing the goals makes students reach goals or have them seem attainable. Reflective dialogue 

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: Have procedures and routines, so students won't fall back into routine. Take time to teach the expectations, and create safety.

What is a hot topic book?: Learning by doing, excellence in every classroom, teaching hierarchy of needs. Cult of pedagogy, leadership books, and podcasts. 

How did you become an educator? : Wanted to be a teacher since kindergarten, knew she could identify strong teaching, witnessed first grade then started talking about older students. 

Why teach?: Teach for the kids, care deeply about the connections, give children the opportunity. Wanting the best for all kids. 

What are your go-to assessments?: Hands-on fast and easy, based on standards, right away engagement. TOOL KIT!! 

How do you work smarter, not harder?: Set boundaries, plan every week on Tuesday, and work ahead! Work with teams, and find your genius. 

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher? Be nice to the staff! Listen to your Team and coworkers, and take risks! Don’t reinvent the wheel every day, stay off your phone! LEAVE HOME AT THE DOOR!!! My best day if you are here! Power of words!!! 

What is a hot topic book? : Out of my Mind 🤗Represent your students in books you read! Practice read aloud, and read everyday! 

How did you become an educator?: education was not the plan, went to college to be an accountant, transferred, and realized education was right for her. Anddddd met her husband!!!

Why teach?: Teaching is not for everyone, but everyone needs a great teacher!

How do you work smarter, not harder?: The goal is to take a piece that makes sense to you and master it, then repeat then it will become a routine! 

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: Parents care about their kids, they want to know YOU care. 

What is a hot topic book?: Culture Code Small bets

How did you become an educator?: Educator family, The respect father got inspired him.

Why teach? Time we need teachers most! People are scared and having stable and consistent people are necessary!

What are your go-to assessments?: Have small groups! Give good students attention! You need to maintain connections with all students. Reading groups boards, learn more from kids youll know their signals. 

How do you work smarter, not harder?: BE A TEAM! Divide and conquer! Use your skills and take on roles, compliment what you notice.  

Incredible impact story?: As a teacher you want to make an impact every day. 

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: Make relationships with everyoneeeee, students, parents, staff!

What is a hot topic book?: Morning meeting book, written for educators, Despite the best intentions! 

How did you become an educator?: Late starting educator, didn't feel fulfilled doing interior design. Called to teach! 

Why teach?: You'll find new joy each day!!

What are your go-to assessments?: MTSS assessment 

How do you work smarter, not harder?: Have a process your whole team is in on! Have a framework for each task. 

Incredible impact story?: Good faith and consider needs and assessment! 

What is your greatest advice to a new teacher?: Students are looking at you for their relationship, they need love its huge!

What is a hot topic book?: Thinking fast and slow

How did you become an educator?: Always enjoyed working with kids, school psychology

Why teach?: You will instantly changing a life, investing in the future!

The most common advice was to know your students well and use assessments to guide instruction, not just for grading. Many mentors emphasized flexibility and the importance of making assessments meaningful.

2. Commonly Heard Strategies

Use formative assessments frequently.

Give students voice and choice in demonstrating learning.

Reflect on your own teaching practices regularly.

3. Lessons for My Toolbox

I want to consistently use quick check-ins like exit tickets and think-pair-share to assess understanding.

4. Mentor I Connected With Most

I connected most with Natasha Roseberry who spoke about relationships being at the center of good assessment. It reminded me that assessments should feel like part of learning, not something to fear. Their warmth and student-centered mindset really stood out.

5. Surprising Insight

I was surprised when one mentor said assessment can be joyful—that it can help students feel proud and seen. I never thought of assessments in that light before.

6. Many of the resources given were either podcasts or advice books, the resources that stuck out to me were just regular classroom books that the mentors would recommend.

7. Questions I’d Ask a Mentor

How do you balance curriculum requirements with student-led learning?

What’s one assessment strategy you wish you had started using earlier in your career?