Elk Island Public Schools Elementary Report Card

1
Elk Island Public SchoolsElementary Report Card
Instructional Services August 2007
2
Implementation Schedule

• 2006 - 07 Grades 1, 2, 3
• 2007 - 08 ECS, Grades 4, 5, 6
• 2008 - 09 Junior High pilot

3
Home-School Communication

• A report card is one of many ways in which
  teachers and parents communicate about a
  students learning. Other ways may include

4
Home-School Communication
The purpose of a report card
is to confirm with parents their childs level
of achievement relative to provincial
expectations for the grade
is to describe for parents their childs
achievement and other aspects of their learning
in a way that will help parents support their
childs learning
5
Home-School Communication
The purpose of a report card is not
to compare a childs achievement to the
achievement of other students in the class or
grade
6
Home-School Communication
How the student behaves at school
How much effort the student invests in learning
Important things to communicate about a student
and his or her learning
How the students achievement compares to
expectations
How the student has progressed
How the student could improve his or her learning
7
Home-School Communication
How the report card communicates
?
?
8
Key Features of the Report Card

• outcomes-based
• standards-based

9
What are Outcomes?

• Outcomes, or learning outcomes, are statements
  that describe what students are expected to know
  and be able to do.
• Outcomes come from the Alberta curriculum
  (Program of Studies) for each subject.

10
Examples of Key Learning Outcomes for Albertas
Students
Gr 1 Language Arts retells or represents
favourite stories
Gr 2 Social Studies examines how the community
being studied has changed
Gr 3 Health demonstrates practices that provide
safety for self and others
Gr 4 Science designs and constructs devices and
vehicles that move or have moving parts
Gr 5 Mathematics measures and relates the
perimeter and area of regular and irregular shapes
Gr 6 Physical Education demonstrates a variety of
dances alone and with others
11
Examples of Outcomes for Accountants
12
Examples of Outcomes for Accountants

• performs capital budgeting
• evaluates capital investments
• compares lease vs. purchase

13
Examples of Outcomes for Nurses
14
Examples of Outcomes for Nurses

• demonstrates critical thinking in collecting and
  interpreting data, planning, implementing and
  evaluating all aspects of nursing care
• exercises reasonable judgement and sets
  justifiable priorities in practice

15
Examples of Outcomes for Electricians
16
Examples of Outcomes for Electricians
17
Examples of Outcomes for Hairstylists
18
Examples of Outcomes for Hairstylists
19
Examples of Outcomes for Teachers
Ministerial Order (016/97) Teaching Quality
Standard Applicable to the Provision of Basic
Education in Alberta

• Teachers gather and use information about
  students learning needs and progress.
• Teachers monitor students actions on an ongoing
  basis to determine and respond to their learning
  needs. They use a variety of diagnostic methods
  that include observing students activities,
  analysing students learning difficulties and
  strengths, and interpreting the results of
  assessments and information provided by students,
  their parents, colleagues and other
  professionals.
• Teachers select and develop a variety of
  classroom assessment strategies and instruments
  to assess the full range of learning objectives.
  They differentiate between classroom and
  large-scale instruments such as provincial
  achievement tests, administer both and use the
  results for the ultimate benefit of students.
  They record, interpret and use the results of
  their assessments to modify their teaching
  practices and students learning activities.
• Teachers help students, parents and other
  educators interpret and understand the results of
  diagnoses and assessments, and the implications
  for students. They also help students develop the
  ability to diagnose their own learning needs and
  to assess their progress toward learning goals.
• Teachers use their interpretations of diagnoses
  and assessments as well as students work and
  results to guide their own professional growth.
  They assist school councils and members of the
  community to understand the purposes, meanings,
  outcomes and implications of assessments.

20
Examples of Outcomes for Teachers

• selects and develops a variety of classroom
  assessment strategies and instruments to assess
  the full range of learning objectives
• assists school councils and members of the
  community to understand the purposes, meanings,
  outcomes and implications of assessments

21
Outcomes in the Report Card
22
What are Standards?

• Standards are achievement levels.
• Standards help teachers describe how well a
  student has achieved a learning outcome.

23
Standards or Achievement Levels
24
Standards or Achievement Levels
This level describes achievement that is
commendable. The student demonstrates an
in-depth and broad understanding of a subject
outcome at this grade.
This level describes achievement that is
competent. The student demonstrates a
well-developed and consistent understanding of a
subject outcome at this grade.
This level describes achievement that is
adequate. The student demonstrates a basic
and/or inconsistent understanding of a subject
outcome at this grade.
This level describes achievement that is not yet
at an acceptable level. The student demonstrates
inadequate understanding of a subject outcome at
this grade.
25
Achievement
26
Typical Achievement
In a typical mixed ability class in Elk Island
Public Schools, the achievement pattern tends to
be Excellent.. some students Proficient. mos
t students Acceptablesome students Limited fe
w students The definitions of the four
achievement levels are an attempt to reflect this
reality.
27
Effort
Effort is about how much energy a student invests
in his or her learning.

• The levels are
• Commendable
• Sufficient
• Inconsistent
• Insufficient

Effort is reported by levels and comments.
28
Achievement and Effort
29
How comments tell parents about their child

• Teachers uses comments to

• say more about a students learning
• make special mention of something the student
  achieved
• say more about a students effort
• describe a students progress
• make suggestions for next term

30
A Subject Report
31
Learner Attributes

• Learner attributes describe aspects of students
  work at school that are important for successful
  learning.

• The levels are
• Consistently
• Usually
• Inconsistently
• Infrequently

Learner attributes are reported by levels and
comments.
32
Learner Attributes

• Social Attributes
• respects the rights of others
• accepts personal responsibility
• respects the property of self and others
• cooperates with others
• follows school and classroom rules

• Work Study Attributes
• listens attentively
• participates in discussions
• applies learning strategies
• organizes materials and space
• strives for quality performance
• completes tasks

33
Learner Attributes
34
A Learner Attributes Report
35
Alberta teachers are required to

• assess students achievement across the full
  range of learning outcomes.

This means that teachers need to
use a variety of assessment strategies and
instruments,
since
students achievement of many outcomes cannot be
assessed using traditional tests or be recorded
in the form of numbers.
36
students achievement of many outcomes cannot be
assessed using traditional tests or recorded in
the form of numbers. For example

• demonstrates respect for places and objects of
  historical significance
• considers the needs and points of view of others
• Grade 4 Social Studies

• solves problems involving multiple steps and
  multiple operations, and accepts that other
  methods may be equally valid
• discusses the reasonableness of data and results
• Grade 5 Mathematics

• evaluates procedures used and identifies possible
  improvements
• observes a set of footprints, and infers the
  direction and speed of travel
• Grade 6 Science

37
Implications for Reporting

• Teacher Quality Standard
• assess the full range of learning outcomes
• use a variety of assessment strategies and
  instruments

• Collecting evidence
• observe students
• confer with students
• examine students work

Report through KLOs and achievement levels

• Recording evidence
• marks
• checklists
• levels
• written notes

Interpreting evidence
Report through comments
38
Numbers or percentages are not useful for
summarizing varied information
Weight 71 kg
Body temperature 38oC
Cholesterol 7
Blood pressure 120/60
Body Mass Index 25
39
Numbers or percentages are not useful for
summarizing varied information
Cholesterol 7
Your health is
82
Blood pressure 120/60
Weight 71 kg
Body temperature 38oC
Body Mass Index 25
40
Numbers or percentages are not useful for
summarizing varied information
Reading fluently 92
Reading with comprehension 47
Writing conventions 83
Writing content 54
41
Numbers or percentages are not useful for
summarizing varied information
Reading with comprehension 47
Reading fluently 92
Writing conventions 83
Writing content 54
Language Arts Grade 69
42
Parachute packing courseLearning Outcome packs
parachutes so that they open when used
Combining numbers into a final grade can lose
important meaning
Student marks on tests and quizzes during the
course
Marks were averaged to produce final course
grades
Students 1 and 2 passed the course
Student 3 failed the course
Which student would you prefer to have pack your
parachute?
based on Davies, A.
43
Advantages of Standards over Percent
Percentages and class averages can be
discouraging for many students, because

• the average is a moving target that may go up or
  down
• no matter how hard they work, and no matter how
  much they learn, up to half of all students are
  always below average
• judgements about a students achievement are
  based on the achievement of others

44
Advantages of Standards over Percent
Standards can be encouraging for most students,
because

• standards are targets that hold still
• standards are targets that can be described and
  worked toward by students
• the more a student learns, the closer he or she
  gets to the target

45
The elementary report card is an effective tool
because it

• provides information that supports students
  learning
• connects directly to the Program of Studies
• is integrated with best practices in assessment
  for, as and of learning