I had planned to write about something completely different this weekend, however, I have spent most of my time reading report cards, so they seem to foremost in my mind. Report Cards are an interesting thing, as they attempt to encapsulate an entire term's worth of learning into a couple of pages and a few symbols or numbers. This is a difficult task as there is so much that goes on during the course of a term's worth of instruction. Generally speaking, each report should contain a statement of achievement in key subject areas (e.g. approaching, meeting, etc), a few examples of what the student has done well and what could be improved upon. In addition, teachers are required to describe ways to support the student's learning both at home and at school. Each of the reports I have read shows a depth of understanding and knowledge about each student.
As I sit here and read through these reports, each one is different and seems to carry the essence of that teacher. Comments seem to be an extension of what goes on in classrooms on a daily basis. I can almost hear the teacher's voice, providing feedback and encouragement to each one of the students on those pieces of paper. The "feel" of the classroom and the relationships that have been established come through in the "voice" of the writing. It is a comforting feeling to hear the empathy behind the words, even when the words are sometimes hard for us to accept. So, when report cards come home this Friday, read them carefully, think about what the teacher is saying and what we can do collectively to ensure a successful year for each of our students.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The importance of questions
The original intent of school was to learn answers. Teachers were to be the dispensers of knowledge and students were to soak up the information. This was the "empty vessel" theory. Students brains were empty, waiting to be filled by the teacher. Andy Hargreaves, a world renowned education researcher from Canada, calls this time "BG", before Google. Students are now able to find the answer to any question they have, quickly and easily, using a simple computer search. He suggests that our role now has to switch to teaching students how to ask questions, to inquire, to wonder.
As Dale and I sat through Dr. Hargreave's session and listened to his thoughts on how classroom instruction is evolving, we began thinking about David Cameron School and what we would want for our students. We began to think about the notion of David Cameron as a "School of Inquiry". The idea would be that we encourage students, teachers, and parents to ask questions. This would allow learning for deeper understanding. The more we thought about this, the more it began to make sense for us, we saw the fit with some things already underway, most notably our Inquiry Question that a group of staff members are working to answer. Our Inquiry is related to the effect that using Literature Study Circles will have on students' ability to become more sophisticated and strong readers.
Students who are willing to ask questions and be open to feedback begin to generate a "growth mindset" that opens them up to learning as an active experience rather than a passive one.
As Dale and I sat through Dr. Hargreave's session and listened to his thoughts on how classroom instruction is evolving, we began thinking about David Cameron School and what we would want for our students. We began to think about the notion of David Cameron as a "School of Inquiry". The idea would be that we encourage students, teachers, and parents to ask questions. This would allow learning for deeper understanding. The more we thought about this, the more it began to make sense for us, we saw the fit with some things already underway, most notably our Inquiry Question that a group of staff members are working to answer. Our Inquiry is related to the effect that using Literature Study Circles will have on students' ability to become more sophisticated and strong readers.
Students who are willing to ask questions and be open to feedback begin to generate a "growth mindset" that opens them up to learning as an active experience rather than a passive one.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Remembrance Day
This week marks Veteran's Week as well as Remembrance Day on November 11. Our school will hold a special assembly on Tuesday, November 10 beginning at 10:30.
I must admit, Remembrance Day has a certain resonance for me that dates back to an assignment I was given in grade 9. At that time, my teacher set a task for us to interview veterans that lived in the local community and then write about their experiences. I had the privilege of interviewing a World War II veteran who described his time in the European Theatre. It was not a grandiose description, it was more matter of fact, including the descriptions of friends lost along the way. The thing that struck me though, was the pride in his voice about being able to live in a place like Canada and that his efforts may have played a small role in allowing me ( a skinny 14 year old) to have the freedoms I have.
Years later I was reminded of this interview when I was visiting friends in the southern part of The Netherlands. They were teaching at an Allied Forces Base and we happened to be there around Remembrance Day. We were invited to join the Canadian contingent of Forces members, teachers, etc, to attend remembrance ceremonies in Nijmegan. What an incredible feeling to be standing in the Canadian cemetary between the many headstones. As the speeches carried on, we were able to wander between the graves and read the names and ages of the soldiers killed in that area.
So, as we head towards our assembly this Tuesday and the many ceremonies around the Capital Region on Wednesday, it is with a sense of pride that I remember all that was done by so many so that I could live the life I have.
I must admit, Remembrance Day has a certain resonance for me that dates back to an assignment I was given in grade 9. At that time, my teacher set a task for us to interview veterans that lived in the local community and then write about their experiences. I had the privilege of interviewing a World War II veteran who described his time in the European Theatre. It was not a grandiose description, it was more matter of fact, including the descriptions of friends lost along the way. The thing that struck me though, was the pride in his voice about being able to live in a place like Canada and that his efforts may have played a small role in allowing me ( a skinny 14 year old) to have the freedoms I have.
Years later I was reminded of this interview when I was visiting friends in the southern part of The Netherlands. They were teaching at an Allied Forces Base and we happened to be there around Remembrance Day. We were invited to join the Canadian contingent of Forces members, teachers, etc, to attend remembrance ceremonies in Nijmegan. What an incredible feeling to be standing in the Canadian cemetary between the many headstones. As the speeches carried on, we were able to wander between the graves and read the names and ages of the soldiers killed in that area.
So, as we head towards our assembly this Tuesday and the many ceremonies around the Capital Region on Wednesday, it is with a sense of pride that I remember all that was done by so many so that I could live the life I have.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Now that we are in November our (school) mind begins to shift towards the reporting process. Later this month (November 25 and 26) we will be structuring our formal parent/teacher conferences. This is an opportunity to discuss your child's progress over the course of the first term and to help in setting some goals for the second term.
Reporting is an important part of our assessment, evaluation, and reporting cycle but sits slightly outside the regular use of assessment and evaluation. The true value of carefully selected assessments and professional evaluative judgements is to influence the teaching-learning cycle. That is, a teacher gathers information about student understanding, makes a judgement about where the student is in relation to the criteria selected for that unit or grade, teaches, and assesses again to see if the learning happened. This cycle is continuous throughout the year as teachers make decisions about re-teaching a concept or moving ahead to something new or deeper. The reporting part allows us to communicate beyond the classroom about a students progress at a particular point in time. A variety of assessments and evaluations are made over the course of the term that allow us to create a "picture" of student learning at that time. Because student learning is not static, by the time report cards come out students have continued to move forward with their learning. For some students a concept that they have been struggling with suddenly becomes clear later when it is re-visited in another way or at another time.
The assessment/evaluation cycle is important for students to know what they did well and what they can improve upon. Clear and descriptive feedback is important to assist with this. Letter grades or numerical scores present only a summary judgement at one time in their year. So when your child brings home their report card talk to them about what they can do well and areas that they could improve upon and focus less on numbers or letter grades.
Reporting is an important part of our assessment, evaluation, and reporting cycle but sits slightly outside the regular use of assessment and evaluation. The true value of carefully selected assessments and professional evaluative judgements is to influence the teaching-learning cycle. That is, a teacher gathers information about student understanding, makes a judgement about where the student is in relation to the criteria selected for that unit or grade, teaches, and assesses again to see if the learning happened. This cycle is continuous throughout the year as teachers make decisions about re-teaching a concept or moving ahead to something new or deeper. The reporting part allows us to communicate beyond the classroom about a students progress at a particular point in time. A variety of assessments and evaluations are made over the course of the term that allow us to create a "picture" of student learning at that time. Because student learning is not static, by the time report cards come out students have continued to move forward with their learning. For some students a concept that they have been struggling with suddenly becomes clear later when it is re-visited in another way or at another time.
The assessment/evaluation cycle is important for students to know what they did well and what they can improve upon. Clear and descriptive feedback is important to assist with this. Letter grades or numerical scores present only a summary judgement at one time in their year. So when your child brings home their report card talk to them about what they can do well and areas that they could improve upon and focus less on numbers or letter grades.
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