Assessment Without Grades

Guided by Truth: Equipping Families to Vote with Wisdom

Discover how iVoterGuide empowers parents, students, and educators with in-depth, nonpartisan research on candidates and elections across the nation. Join Dr. Seann Dikkers as he talks to Debbie Wuthnow and Don Stroud of iVoterGuide about their resources that help families make informed voting decisions. As followers of Christ, we’re called to be good stewards of the influence God has given us, and that includes the way we engage in our nation’s elections. Let’s pray, prepare, and participate—because every vote matters, and every voice guided by truth can make a difference for our nation’s future.

Hands-On Homeschool: Nurturing Passion and Purpose in Learning

In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Cindy West—published author, speaker, teacher, and founder of Our Journey Westward. Cindy shares how frustrations with the traditional school system and a desire for family time led her to embrace homeschooling, inspired by the Charlotte Mason philosophy. Cindy and Seann discuss the value of shorter lessons, engaging literature, and project-based learning to foster higher order thinking and authentic engagement in children. Listen to this episode for practical ways that you can create a hands-on, flexible, and passion-driven approach to education that nurtures both academic and personal growth in your children.

Author Interview with Sharon Swan - Jungle Adventures, Lasting Lessons

In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers has a conversation with Sharon Swan—author of Jungle Prophet. You and your children can enjoy listening to this episode together as Sharon describes how she started writing and what advice she would give to aspiring authors. If you’re interested, you can even invite Sharon to do a video call with your family or homeschool co-op! Check out her website and grab a copy of Jungle Prophet today.

Assessment Without Grades

For a blink of history, government schools have experimented with institutional 'grading' and embedded it into our culture as 'essential' for learning. Yet, for thousands of years, educators have used other methods to evaluate learning that are more individualized and effective than testing and letter grades. Find out more about assessment options, fit, and appropriate use of a broader range of tools. Dr. Dikkers will provide context, examples, and cognitive science to support your move to 'project' and 'conversational' assessments so you can confidently recognize and document your child's learning.

Planning a Great Lesson

In this episode, Dr. Seann Dikkers talks with the Portals Lesson Planning team about the importance of creating effective lesson plans that go beyond merely covering content. They discuss their approach to designing lessons that are clear, engaging, and adaptable, and how you can assess your student (without testing) to ensure they are understanding and engaging with the material. This episode also offers practical tips on how you can craft meaningful learning experiences across various grade levels and subjects.