Assessment: Report cards and student led conferences
1.
2. Agenda
• A little about me (5 minutes)
• Placemat: What’s important about communicating with
families? (20 minutes)
• Share the essentials: policy (15 minutes)
• Million dollar article: read- pick out big ideas, what was
interesting (30 minutes)
• BREAK/walk and talk- be back at 9:50am
• Sharing big ideas from article (5 minutes)
• Set criteria for report card comment (5 minutes)
• Work on report card comment (45 minutes) :
• BREAK: be back at 10:55am
• Student Conferencing – introduction (20 minutes)
• Role play- student led conferences (45 minutes) with work
• Reminder: comment to mentor
• Ticket out the door
3. LEARNING INTENTIONS
I can identify strategies
and resources that can
help with formal reporting
I can identify key
elements of formal
reporting in BC
I can effectively
communicate
with families
about student
achievement
I can use
collaboration to help
me clarify strengths
and challenges, and
determine ‘next
steps’ for a learner
4. BIG IDEA
BIG IDEA
Grading and reporting student
achievement is a caring sensitive
process that requires teachers’
professional judgment.
5. Imagine:
“….. schools are fear free places
where children don't need to have
to worry about competition, failure
or performance…”
Who said this?
7. Your brain is like a muscle.
It can grow…and will with
practice
8. Planning
How will I communicate the
learning?
What do I want students to
learn?
Where should we go next?
Reflect, set goals
Assessment of
learning
(summative)
ASSESSMENT/
TEACHING &
LEARNING CYCLES
What have the
students learned?
Initial/ Diagnostic
assessment (formative)
What do they already
know?
How can I support learning?
Assessment for learning (formative)
(Adapted from Cooper, 2007)
9. Placemat:
What’s important about communicating with parents?
In groups of 4 1. Individually: each person fills in their thoughts on “what’s important about
communicating with parents/guardians?” Write in your box.
2. Select scribe to jot down overlap of ideas in center when individuals share out
3. Each member of group shares their thoughts while scribe records commonalities
4. As a group decide of the 3 most important things about communicating with
parents.
5. Share out to larger group
11. POLICY
• During the school year, Boards of Education will
provide parents of students with at least five
reports describing students' school progress.
Three of the reports will be formal written
reports and two will be informal reports.
• Informal reports to parents may include:
telephone calls, student-led conferences, parentteacher conferences, and the use of journals.
Schools and teachers determine how they will
informally communicate with parents - we will
get to this later.
12. formal
written report cards
• the formal written report
must be on a form approved
by the Minister or school
board and must follow the
requirements for the specific
grade and program as stated
in legislation and policy.
• One formal report shall be
made at the end of the
school year.
• Formal reports identify
student progress and are
placed in the Permanent
Student Record file.
13. Formal Reports
Formal reports
Formal reports communicate to parents and
students significant aspects of the students’
progress in the areas of
intellectual, social, human and career
development.
Performance Scale
The performance scale for Primary students
indicates, in words or as a graph, the student’s
level of performance in relation to the
expected learning outcomes set out in the
provincial curriculum for each subject and
grade.
14. For Kindergarten, performance is described as
one of the following:
• Approaching Expectations
• Meeting Expectations
• Exceeding Expectations
For Grade 1 – 3:
Not Yet Meeting Expectations
Approaching Expectations
Meeting Expectations
Exceeding Expectations
15. Kindergarten to grade 3 reports
Student progress reports for students in kindergarten through grade 3 must
be in writing and, in relation to expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum,
(a) must contain written reporting comments and a performance scale to report on
each of the following subjects,
(i) English Language Arts, or in the case of a student enrolled in a francophone
educational program or a French immersion student, French Language Arts,
(ii) Mathematics,
(iii) Science, and
(iv) Social Studies;
(b) must contain written reporting comments and, in addition, may contain a
performance scale to report on each of the following subjects,
(i) Fine Arts,
(ii) Health and Career Education, and
(iii) Physical Education; and
(c) must contain written reporting comments for daily physical activity; and
(d) must include a separate description of the student’s social responsibility.
16. K, 1, 2, 3
With respect to reporting in Social Studies and Science, at least 2 student
progress reports in each school year must include separate reporting for
these two subjects.
With respect to reporting in Fine Arts, the student progress report must, in
relation to the expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum,
include reporting, at least once during the school year, in each of the
following specific areas of the curriculum:
(a) dance,
(b) drama,
(c) music, and
(d) visual arts.
In conjunction with the student progress reports parents of a student in
kindergarten through grade 3 must be provided with oral or written
comments on the student’s school progress with reference to the expected
developments for students in a similar age range.
17. With respect to reporting in English Language Arts, the
student progress report must, in relation to expected
learning outcomes set out in the curriculum, include
reporting using a performance scale in each of the following
specific areas of the curriculum:
(a) reading,
(b) writing, and
(c) speaking and listening.
18. Grades 4 to 5
reports
Student progress reports for students in
grade 4 through 5 must, in relation to
expected learning outcomes set out in the
curriculum, contain
(a) letter grades, unless the board provides
the letter grades to parents in a different
document, and
(b) written reporting comments.
19. Grades 6 to 7
reports
Student progress reports for students in
grades 6 through 7 must, in relation to
expected learning outcomes set out in the
curriculum, contain
(a) letter grades, and
(b) written reporting comments.
20. Students with Special Needs:
A letter grade may only be assigned for a
student with special needs or an ESL student
where that student is able to demonstrate his
or her learning in relation to the expected
learning outcomes in the curriculum for the
course or subject and grade.
21. Students with Special Needs:
“Unless a student with special needs is able to
demonstrate his or her learning in relation to the
expected learning outcomes set out in the
curriculum for the course or subject and grade, a
student progress report for that student must
contain written reporting comments in relation to
the expected learning outcomes set out in that
student’s IEP.”
22. Student progress reports referred to in subsection
(3 –Special Needs) must contain
(a) a statement that the progress of the student is in relation to the expected
learning outcomes for that student in his or her IEP and is not in relation
to the expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for the course
or subject and grade, and
(b) where deemed to be appropriate by the teacher or principal, vice principal
or director of instruction, written comments describing
(i) ways to enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning in
relation to expected learning outcomes set out in the curriculum for the
course or subject and grade, and
(ii) the time period required to enable the student to demonstrate his or
her learning under subparagraph
23. Until an ESL
student is able to
demonstrate his or
her learning in
relation to
expected learning
outcomes set out in
the curriculum for
the course or
subject and grade,
a student progress
report order for
that student must
contain written
reporting
comments.
24. Reporting Comments for
Daily Physical Activity
Kindergarten to Grade 9:
• When students are meeting the
Prescribed Learning Outcomes of
Daily Physical Activity, a
comment of
“Meeting requirement” will be
made on term and final reports.
• A comment of “Not meeting
requirement” will be made at
any time when students are not
meeting the Prescribed Learning
Outcomes of Daily Physical
Activity. Where a “Not meeting
requirement” comment is
made, it is recommended that a
further comment is added to
outline a plan for the student to
meet the requirement.
25. Million dollar article
• Read article on own
• When finished go for
a walk and talk with
a classmate
• Talk about the BIG
ideas and the things
that most tweaked
your interest
• Be prepared to
report out
27. Written reporting comments
• Write meaningful comments that refer specifically to the
student’s progress.
• Anticipate the questions parents may ask about their children’s
growth and progress.
• Recognize that parents vary widely in their educational
experiences and familiarity with educational terms.
• Write directly to parents about what their children are able to do
and areas that need development.
For example, instead of
“When writing, Jason often needs to be reminded to use correct
punctuation,” write “Jason needs to work on using punctuation
correctly.”
28. Written reporting comments
Kindergarten to Grade 3
• written reporting comments that clearly describe, in relation to
the learning outcomes:
−
what the student is able to do
−
areas in which the student requires further attention or
development
- ways of supporting the student in his or her learning
• written comments to describe student behaviour, including
– information on attitudes, work habits and effort
– a separate description of student social responsibility
• comments about student progress with reference to the expected
• development for students in a similar age range
29. Grade 4-7
• include written reporting comments that clearly describe, in
relation to the learning outcomes:
− what the student is able to do
− areas in which the student requires further attention or
development
− ways of supporting the student in his or her learning
• include written comments that describe student behaviour
• including information about attitudes, work habits, effort and
Social Responsibility
30. •
•
•
•
•
Use only as many words as necessary to make the message clear.
Use simple words and short sentences.
Use plain language (see the suggestions provided in Policy and Practice).
Use point form.
Avoid unfamiliar expressions. For example, instead of “... Able
to decode words and use context clues” say “...able to figure out
unfamiliar words by using clues from the letters and surrounding
words.”
• Provide an explanation in parentheses if a word may be
unfamiliar to parents. For example, if you use “high-frequency spelling words”
add (words commonly used in writing) in parentheses
USE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE…..
Ministry Policy and Practice
Link to applicable website
See Cooper text 278-279
Writing Report Cards and Having a Life (your million dollar article)
31. Samples
• “_____ is exceeding expectations in Social Studies for this
term. ____ consistently makes insightful connections
between ancient civilizations such as Greece and Egypt and
the impacts of these civilizations to modern day. ___ created
a well-researched and very artistically appealing travel
brochure on interesting and important tourist attractions in
Egypt.”
• Good use of specific examples to support statements.
32. • “_______ is approaching expectations in
relation to the Language Arts learning
outcomes for Writing. He is consistently using
capitals and periods in his sentence
development.”
• Feedback
– Clear – good use of professional language
– Could you include a specific example here?
– Be sure to address issues beyond ‘surface level’
writing skills ( mechanics)
33. • “ ________ is an enthusiastic writer, who is happy to write a story or in
her journal. She has creative ideas and has created a couple of good tales
this year. What ____ now needs to focus on is her grammar and
punctuation, and I encourage her to take more time to proofread her
written work in order to make sure that she is understood.”
• Feedback:
– Nice blending of strength and challenge
– This will need to be addressed in Ways to Support
– Could you include a specific example of a story she created?
34. • “______ is fluently reading at grade level and
challenges himself with chapter books such as
‘The Adventures of…….’ . ____ enjoys reading
to his big buddy in the morning.”
• Feedback
– I like the reference to a specific book title
– The wording is clear, without using jargon
35. • Science is clearly one of _______’s favourite
subjects and it shows. In an experiment making ice
cream. ____ was able to identify and explain the
basic forces at work and present the steps and
variable involved it the process to the class clearly.
The next step for ___ is to begin to attempt to
evaluate the fairness in given experiments.
• Feedback
– excellent use of a specific example – this
clearly shows that you know this student’s
abilities
–
I like the inclusion of a ‘next step’
36. Report card notes
• Parents are the key audience
• Students who are doing well – what to do with areas requiring
further development
• If you indicate a challenge (Areas requiring further
development) you should indicate how you will support in
Ways to Support
• Ways to Support – include ways you will support at school and
suggestions ( not orders) for supporting at home
• School procedures
– Watch editing!
• Sharing some specific examples with feedback
37. Set criteria for report card
…portant when writing a report card?
Report card comments
Givens/must haves
Other important stuff
38. • Review the assignment
– Create a report card using one of the templates
provided, or the template in use in your district
– Use the criteria we have developed together to help
you
– If your district template does not include space for
written comments, you must create a paragraph of NO
MORE THAN 20 lines that highlights the required areas
for written reporting comments for this grade level ( K3 or 4-7) p. 8-10 in the Policy and Practice document
– Attach a writing sample with an appropriate
Performance Standard completed
39. Report card comments:
Learning/Working groups
• Meet with a partner who is teaching in the same grade or a
similar grade.
– Talk together about the student you have chosen to write a
report card for as an oral rehearsal for your written reporting
comments . What can you say about this child in regards to:
• ‘able to do’
• ‘areas for further support or development’
• ‘ways of supporting’ (what will you do, what can parents do)
–
Use the samples you have gathered as evidence to help you
discuss these items
• Use the group to help you determine some possible ‘next
steps’ and ‘ways to support’ this learner
• Use this time to take notes for your report card and
conferencing role play
40.
41. Back to the informal part:
Reporting on Student
Progress: Policy and
Practice
Provincial regulations for reporting
student progress require that
parents or guardians* be provided
with a minimum of:
two informal reports
each school year.
At least two informal
reports must be provided to
parents each school year. Schools
determine how they will
communicate informally with
parents.
42.
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44.
45.
46. Informal Reports
(Ministry guidelines)
Each school year, teachers must provide parents with a minimum of two
informal reports.
In relation to curriculum, informal reports may describe:
– what the student is able to do
– the areas of learning that require further attention or development
– ways the teacher is supporting the student’s learning needs (and, where
appropriate, ways the student or the parents might support the
learning)
Informal reports are an important link between home and school and can take a
variety of forms, such as:
telephone calls
interim reports (written or oral)
conferences (parent-teacher, three-way, student-led, etc.)
Parents should have the opportunity to meet with teachers for a conference at
least once each school year. A record of each informal report should be
kept, noting the date, and type and topics(s) of discussion.
47. Parent communication
• Often! A ‘no surprises’ approach
• Not just for disciplinary purposes
• Formal/ Informal
– Chats, open house….ideas?
– Tracking communication is important
50. "...this practice is the biggest breakthrough in
communicating about student achievement in the last
century. When students are well prepared over an
extended period to tell the story of their own success (or
lack thereof), they seem to experience a fundamental
shift in their internal sense of responsibility for that
success. The pride in accomplishment that students feel
when they have positive story to tell and tell it well can be
immensely motivational. The sense of personal
responsibility that they feel when anticipating what it will
be like to face the music of having to tell their story of
poor achievement can also drive them to productive work."
Rich Stiggins, Phi Delta Kappan, November 1999.
51. Traditional vs. Student-Led
• Teacher Driven
• Short time frame - little
time for conversations
• Arena style or large
group setting
• Focus tends to be on
social and rather
Behavioursemotional
rather than academic
than academics
• Fragmented
• Student Driven
• Longer time conversation based
• High Accountability
• Opportunities for goal
setting
• Samples of work
• Authentic Assessment
52. Why?
• Increase in parent
involvement
• All teachers involved in the
conferences
• High Accountability
• Learning atmosphere
55. Preparing Teachers for the Conference
• What to teach
Best Choices: (focus on skills/process)
Writing pieces
-Including all drafts
Science experiments
-Including hypothesis, lab notes and findings
Mathematics problem-solving
-Including process, solution and proof
Applied mathematics
-Designing house plans
Book reviews
-Including summary as well as review of author’s style
Research projects
-Including notes and student created product
Physical Fitness summary
-Including pre and post skills and growth over time
56. Preparing Teachers for the Conference
• What to teach: con’t
Less Effective Work Samples:(focus on single skills)
•
•
•
•
Spelling tests
Answers to chapter questions
Mathematics timed test
Multiple choice tests
• Create Portfolios
•
•
Collection of Student Work
File folders to hanging crates to file cabinets
• Selecting Work to Present
•
•
How many pieces of work per subject area?
Who selects work?
•
•
•
Teacher Selected
Student Selected
Shared Decision
57. Suggestions for a Successful
Conference
•
•
•
From Ministry Policy and Practice
Talk About Assessment ( Cooper)
Knowing What Counts
–
•
Together is Better
–
•
Conferencing and Reporting ( Davies, Cameron, Gregory)
Collaborative Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting ( Davies, Cameron, Politano, Gregory)
Snapshot of the 3-way conferencing process
–
–
Davies
Cooper (video)
58. Before
- Be clear about purposes
• determine the key area or areas for discussion
– Review student files
• review background information and the student’s
permanent files
• Be sure to have notes, samples
– Prepare students (practice, choose samples, discuss
roles, rehearse)
– Prepare parents-see example pamphlet ( letter
home, portfolio/work samples home…)
• set up the conference area in a way that promotes
communication
• prepare a conference form for record keeping, to focus
the discussion, and to record follow-up
65. Tick off each place as you go.
Subject
Tick
(By child)
Rate the explanation from 1
to 5 (1 being the least) {By
parent}
English
Activity
Maths
Activity
Have a schedule to
help organize
students and parents
Kindergarten example
POI
Portfolio
Explanation
of soft
boards/
classroom
Courtesy
Time keeping
Name ___________ Class 1 ___ Start time ______
66.
67.
68. During the conference teachers
should:
Welcome the parents
Establish the conference parameters and the role of each
participant ( having a posted agenda helps)
Ask open-ended questions, listen closely, take notes and
paraphrase parents’ concerns
Avoid educational jargon
Be specific when illustrating what the child does or does not do
keep the focus of the conference on the student
Set goals and expectations for following the conference
Conclude the meeting by briefly summarizing its highlights, planning follow-up
actions and, if necessary, setting a date for
another conference
69. After…?
• Review teacher conference notes
– Be sure to follow up on actions you said you’d take
• Seek feedback from parents
• In class:
– Use the conferencing experience to support
students to achieve the goals set at the
conference and to make plans
– Continue goal-setting process with students
70. TEACHERS
Reflecting on 3-way conferencing….
• One staff met to share advice and concerns about
their conferences. This is what they suggest…
– Be well-prepared. Think out your ideas and be ready to
support or demonstrate them
– Have a collection of student work, samples that are chosen
by teacher and student to share
– Adjust to the parent/child style of interaction
– Have a program and a student goal to center on
71. Give students an
opportunity to
reflect too
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Name:___________________________________
Grade 5 Student-Led Conference Reflection
During the conference, I felt really proud when…
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What I liked about the conferences was…
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
I think it could be better if…
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
73. Possible wrinkles/solutions
• Parents don’t want child • Offer a separate
present
conference
• Parent is highly critical
and focus is lost
• Stop the direction of
the conversation and
redirect
74. Possible response…
• “I need to remind you that the purpose of this
conference is to focus on your child’s
strengths, look at concerns in a constructive
manner and set goals. This was all outlined in my
letter to you. It appears that you have some
issues outside this focus that you wish to
discuss, and I’d be pleased to set another time to
meet with you privately. In the meantime, I’d like
to continue. Would that be possible?”
( if parent is unable to cooperate, stop the
conference)
75. Wrinkles…
• Parents attack
teacher’s methods or
style
• Brainstorm phrases you
could use…(“I can see that
you are concerned about
this. Right now, since
Frederick is here, why don’t
we continue, and set a
private interview to discuss
your concerns.”)
76. General Guidelines
• Know your school context
• Be prepared for communication
• Know your purpose
• Think about what you want to say
• Review files, notes etc.
• Sandwich principle – strengths, needs, next steps
• Begin communication early with students who have
challenges
(academic/behavioural)
• LET THE CHILD LEAD if your intention is to allow for a
student led conference
• TRACK your communications
77. Conference Role Play
1. Prepare
Teacher – tell the student about themselves – review the work samples/give them some samples to
talk about
Child – make a conference guide for student to guide you in the conference
Parent – decide what kind of parent you are
–
–
–
–
Possibilities…. Child is nervous
Parent criticizes child, Parent criticizes teacher
Parent is nervous, Parent is defensive
Parent is high achiever and wants child to have top marks
2- Conference role play
Parent and child enter
– Teacher
• Greet parent/child ( make them feel at ease)
• Review time limit and purpose
ie “Hello ____ we have 10 minutes together to talk about ___’s
progress.
We will discuss strengths and challenges, and set a goal together. “
• Follow the student conference guide…. to discuss strengths, show examples, discuss
challenges
• Set goal together
• Decide how each participant can help towards the goal
• Close with an affirmative comment…
3. Discuss the conference and write yourself some notes. If you have time, go through a 2nd
conference role play and switch roles.
78. Agenda
•
•
•
•
Find yourself a space for conferencing
Take 15 min to enact a student-led conference
Take time to discuss the process
At the end, write a reflection on what you will
take away from the experience for your own
practice on the back of one of the conference
forms
• Do another one if time allows
• Take a break, and come back to class by 11:00
79. Report card comment to mentor by
Friday
• Ticket out the door:
What did I find most interesting/useful
What was the muddiest part
Editor's Notes
If you look at these 6, you might be thinking – I’m feeling super confident about this one – this one I will do more of, more often
