How do I stay organized?
Proficiency-based grading rewards a little structure up front so you are not reconstructing expectations assignment by assignment.
Before the term
- Draft course objectives and map each major assignment to the objectives it measures.
- Write proficiency level descriptions for those objectives (even short bullets beat improvising mid-stream).
- Publish syllabus language for revision, excused work, and how benchmarks become letter grades.
During the term
- Grade objective by objective in TeachFront so comments stay tied to evidence.
- Batch similar assignments (all “Lab 2” submissions in one sitting) to reuse mental models.
- Review the course gradebook weekly for students stuck at Not Yet on the same objective—early outreach beats end-of-term surprises.
When workload spikes
- Narrow resubmission windows during heavy grading weeks.
- Use shorter feedback on low-stakes checks; reserve depth for summative work.
- Defer non-essential doc updates until after grades are posted.