Skyward Student: Adding Events in the Gradebook (Elementary)

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive tutorial on adding events in Skyward, a platform for educational management. It covers gradebook navigation, event display customization, and the process of adding and grading events across multiple subjects and skills. The script emphasizes the ease of using mass assignment features for grading, and the flexibility of entering grades for cross-curricular projects. It also highlights the importance of saving changes and provides insights into managing grades for different standards within a single event.

Takeaways

• 📘 The video discusses adding an event in Skyward, which is a significant feature for managing grades.
• 🔍 In the gradebook, 'events' are used to record assessments, and they are consistent across all subjects in Skyward.
• 👀 The display options in Skyward allow customization of how events are shown, including sorting order and the format of skill headings.
• 🎓 For elementary education, the 'multiple skill event display' feature simplifies grading when an event covers more than one subject or skill.
• 📝 When adding an event, it's necessary to select a subject and corresponding standards, then provide a description, and set dates if needed.
• 📆 The default dates for an event are the day it's entered, but they can be adjusted to reflect different assignment and due dates.
• 💼 The 'Mass Assign' feature in Skyward allows teachers to quickly assign grades to multiple students, which is especially useful for large classes.
• 🔄 The 'overwrite' option can be used with caution to replace existing grades with new ones across multiple standards or events.
• 📊 Skyward's color coding helps visualize data trends and mastery levels, with green indicating new or edited information.
• 🔄 The 'Quick Grading' button provides an efficient way to edit grades across all standards and events without going into each one individually.
• 🔒 Privacy is considered, with options to hide student names and manage what information is accessible to families and students.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video?

The main topic discussed in the video is adding an event in the Skyward Gradebook system.

What is one key feature mentioned for making event display easier in Skyward?

One key feature mentioned is the 'multiple skill event display' option, which allows teachers to grade events that cover more than one subject or skill.

What does the speaker suggest about the 'max default points' setting?

The speaker mentions that the 'max default points' setting doesn't matter for their use because they are doing Mastery grading.

What does the speaker say about using Canvas with Skyward in elementary settings?

The speaker explains that Canvas does not integrate with Skyward for elementary settings because Canvas uses straight scores while Skyward uses Mastery grading.

How does the speaker recommend handling event dates in Skyward?

The speaker recommends keeping the event dates as the day they are entered, especially in elementary settings, where the specific assigned and due dates are not as critical.

What is the purpose of the 'mass assign' option in Skyward?

The 'mass assign' option allows teachers to quickly assign the same grade to multiple students at once, saving time when most students received the same grade.

What does the speaker say about using the 'missing' code in Skyward?

The speaker notes that the 'missing' code is frequently used to indicate that a student did not complete an event or was absent, and it's helpful for tracking assignments that need to be made up.

What does the 'save and grade' option do in the event entry screen?

The 'save and grade' option saves the event details and takes the teacher directly to the grading screen to enter grades for the event.

How can teachers use the 'quick grading' button effectively?

Teachers can use the 'quick grading' button to make every event and standard editable at once, allowing for faster grade entry, especially useful when completing report cards or making quick updates.

What does the speaker suggest about the 'overwrite' option in Skyward?

The speaker suggests that the 'overwrite' option can be helpful for mass assigning grades, but it's generally not used often as it can override already entered grades.