Mastery Portfolio

Learner-Centered Spaces

Education EN ↓ 88 episodes

Welcome to Learner-Centered Spaces podcast produced by Mastery Portfolio. Our hosts are Starr Sackstein and Crystal Frommert. We are educators sharing our experiences of being the lone wolves of de-emphasizing grades in a traditional grades school. Starting the shift toward standards-based grading is no easy task when the community (colleagues, parents, students, and admin) is expecting a number grade on assignments and report cards.

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Mastery Portfolio

Episodes

Pam Zetterval inspires learners 01.03.2026 27:48

@PamZettervall- X and Insta, and LinkedIn @JetwithZet Hosted by Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Steve Martinez encourages educators to think differently. 15.02.2026 22:22

Linkedin Website: https://www.underhatpod.com/ Hosted by Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Amos Fodcuk says technology literacy breaks barriers 01.02.2026 26:08

ALP LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amos-fodchuk/ Hosted by Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Katie Mead re-learned what education could be 18.01.2026 17:27

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-mead-6a95888a/ Hosted by Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Sierra Holtzheuser says value results in buy-in. 04.01.2026 22:32

Growth Over Grades Podcast: ttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-growth-over-grades-podcast/id1760177088   https://open.spotify.com/show/2JujzaMu9vUiaCO8dj3eEO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sierraholtz/ Hosted by Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Tziri Lamm asks what we actually want students to know and do. 21.12.2025 17:28

tziralamm@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/tziri-lamm/ Hosted by Starr Sackstein & Crystal Frommert Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Arthur Chiaravalli grows beyond grading. 07.12.2025 26:01

https://growbeyondgrades.org/ LinkedIn On today’s episode, we’re joined by Arthur Chiaravalli , House Director at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg, Vermont. Over his career, Arthur has taught ELA, math, technology, and media arts, and also served as a dean of students—experience that gives him a whole-school lens on teaching and learning. Arthur’s purpose is clear: to change how we...

Tom Guskey never lets his expectations be limited by what he thought was possible. 23.11.2025 23:20

Tom Guskey never lets his expectations be limited by what he thought was possible. https://tguskey.com/ LinkedIn  Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Frank Shaw promotes change with teacher collaboration 09.11.2025 23:03

Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Rosalia Tierno coaches with support, modeling, and resources 19.10.2025 14:29

LinkedIn Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

SL Rao designs better systems for learning 05.10.2025 24:21

Contact SL @ Optimistic.design/contact Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Elaine Roberts teaches AI as a tool. 21.09.2025 23:50

linktr.ee/ejroberts Bluesky: @ejroberts.bsky.social Threads: @elainejroberts Elaine Roberts: Adjunct Professor, Dept of Communications (writing and gen ed literature) and Division of Education (Children’s and Adolescent Literature); independent consultant as instructional and leadership coach Past role(s): Systems analyst/programmer (abt 12 yrs for companies including Harris Government Communicati...

Stephanie Dinnen and Peter Siner ask teachers what they need 07.09.2025 24:00

https://www.teachsmarteredu.com/ Teach Smarter LinkedIn Stephanie's LinkedIn Peter's LinkedIn Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Mark Erlenwein says to assign less and engage more 24.08.2025 25:57

www.markerlenwein.com Instagram: @Merlenwein Twitter: @Erlenwein Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/ Contact us: Starr@masteryportfolio.com crystal@masteryportfolio.com

Joey Brewer values local history 10.08.2025 26:29

Forgottoniaproject.com (Oral History of Forgottonia section in particular is where student projects live) Email - joeybrewer8989@gmail.com Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Rob Baier and Chris Luzniak says we can teach math with debate 27.07.2025 25:09

BlueSky Debate Math  Podcast  Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Toni Rose Deanon helps educators personalize learning 13.07.2025 23:54

Modern classrooms free course: https://learn.modernclassrooms.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/modernclassproj/ FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/modernclassrooms Instagram @ClassroomFlex: https://www.instagram.com/classroomflex/ LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonirosedeanon/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Eric Walters says teaching is real-world storytelling 29.06.2025 22:10

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ewaltersscience/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Dana Goodier encourages educators to take care of themselves 15.06.2025 19:19

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-goodier-edd-98815815/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outoftrenchespc/?hl=en FB, X, BlueSky @danagoodier  Threads: @outoftrenchespc YouTube: @outoftrenchespc Website: www.danagoodier.com Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Devon Houghton says trust must come first 01.06.2025 20:28

Connect with Devon: dhoughton@plainville.k12.ma.us  Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Don Buckley reflects on "I like, I wish, what if..." 18.05.2025 18:32

Links Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Todd Bloomer says assessment is a flashlight, not a hammer. 04.05.2025 27:03

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-bloomer-2bb167168/ Website: https://www.toddmbloomer.com/ Twitter https://roadtoawesome.net/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Joshua Stamper helps educators #teachbetter 20.04.2025 25:20

Twitter: https://x.com/Joshua__Stamper/status/1856845829254124032   BlueSky:   https://bsky.app/profile/joshuastamper.bsky.social Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper/ Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Justin Orschlen & Ronnie Lathrop say small shifts can change the dynamic 14.04.2025 26:17

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thinkpairswear.bsky.social Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/think-pair-swear/id1694928236 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkPairSwear Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/

Jessica Lander invites students' voices to the space 06.04.2025 29:43

https://www.jessicalander.com/ Books Instagram LinkedIn Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/