December11,2013

TOWHOMITMAYCONCERN: Re:Newformatforreportingstudentprogress

Iamwritingthislettertogiveyousomefeedbackonmyexperiencewiththe newformatforreportingstudentprogress. WhenIfirstlearnedofthenewformatIwasquiteconcernedabouttheideaof removinglettergradesfortheintermediatestudentshowever,havinggonetoschool inthisdistrictmyselfandnothavinglettergradesissuedwhenIwasinelementary school,IdecidedthatIwouldtrytobeopenmindedaboutthenewprocessandgive itachance. Ireadupontheinformationthatwasprovidedbytheschoolandwhatwason thedistrictwebsite.Isawthattherewastalkofprovidingportfoliostoshowcase theworkdonebythestudentsandthatthestudentsweregoingtobeaskedto reflectontheirownfeelingsabouttheirlearning.Isawthatthetimeframe mentionedfortheconferenceswassuggestedtobeahalfanhourinduration.Isaw commentsaboutparentsbeingabletoseetheprogressofthestudentslearning overtime.ThisallsoundedfairlyreasonableandIwentintotheconferencewithan expectationthatIwouldleavewithagoodlevelofunderstandingaboutmy daughterslearningfortheterm. DuetomyworkscheduleImetwiththeteacherattheendofaschoolday. Whilewewerewaitingforthestudentstoleavetheclassroom,theteacher suggestedtomydaughterthatsheshowmeacoupleofthenotebooksfromher desk.Shehappenedtopulloutherspellingtestbookandhertimestablebook. Sheshowedmethatforthemajorityofthequizzesshehadobtained100%.Next sheshowedmeherartportfoliowhichhad3picturesinit.Whilestillwaitingforthe classtoempty,theteacherdirectedmydaughtertoshowmethedisplayofphotos thatwereinthehall.Iaskedmydaughterwhichofthephotoswerehers.Shetold methatshedidntthinkanyofherswereposted,althoughitwashardtotellbecause manyofthestudentsphotographedthesamesubjects. 1

Aftertheclassroomwasemptywesatdownfortheconference.Basically theteacherexplainedhowtheformwasstructuredandhowhedhadmydaughter fillinthecheckboxesforthecompetencies.Hethenwhenthrougheachcategory andtoldmewhatmydaughterhadcheckedoffandthatheagreedwithher assessment.Hegaveafewexamplessuchasforcommunicationheindicatedthat shealwaysraisedherhandandwaitedforherturntospeak.Mydaughterisin grade5thisyearsoIfoundthatcommentoutofplace.Icouldseeitifshewasin kindergartenorgrade1,butbygrade5Idontthinkitsnecessarytotellmeshe raisesherhandtospeak.Healsomentionedthathewasbasingtheassessment forcreativityontheircurrentscienceprojectbutherscienceprojecthadntbeen handedinatthatpointasitwasntyetdue. Hethenwentontotheliteracyandnumeracypartoftheformandagainjust outlinedwhatwasontheform.Atonepointhesaidshegenerallyusesgood grammarandpunctuationandthathecircleshererrorswhensheswritinginher journal.Iwasnot,however,shownherjournalsoIcouldntseehowwellorhow poorlyshewasdoing.Heaskedherwhatshefeltshedimproveduponduringthe term,towhichsheansweredPEbecauseshewasabletoparticipatemore.Asto whatshewouldhavelikedtoimproveupon,shesaidherphotographysession becauseallherphotosthathadbeendownloadedandcroppedhaddisappeared andshehadtodoallofthedownloadingandcroppingagaininalimitedamountof time.Thispromptedanoteinthediscussionnotessectionthatshedhadmany technicaldifficultieswithcomputersthroughouttheterm. Thelastsectionwasthesectionforgoalsandwaystoachievethem.When heaskedherwhatagoalforthenexttermcouldbesheansweredtoalways remembertohavehergymstripinclasssoshedidnthavetorunextralaps.She couldntcomeupwithasecondgoalsoIsuggestedtoalwaystrytorememberto bringhomethenecessarybookstocompletethehomeworkassignments.Atthat point,Icouldtellthattheteacherwaswantingtocompletetheconferencebecause therewasanothersetofparentswaitingoutside. Duringthisconference,otherthanliteracyandnumeracy,therewasno mentionofindividualsubjectssuchassocialstudies,French,art,orHACEandonly avaguementionofsciencewhenhemadethecommentaboutthescienceproject beingusedforthecreativitysection.Ididnthearanythingaboutwhat

wasbeingtaughtintheindividualsubjects.Iwasntshownaportfolio demonstratingwhatshedbeenlearning.IdontfeelIreallylearnedanythingthatI didntalreadyknow. IfIlookatmydaughtersreportcardfromlastyear,Iseethateachindividual subjectislistedandinsomecasesbrokendownintosections.IseethatIwas givenabriefoutlineofthematerialstudiedduringtheterm.Forexample,inscience theylearnedaboutthewatercycle,ecosystems,conservation,pollutionand environmentalimpact.Thecommentsindicatewhatsheisabletodoi.e.isableto readandunderstandavarietyofGrade4materials.Thelettergradeprovided furthertellsmethatwhenshewastestedorcompletedprojects,thatshe demonstratedherunderstandingofthesubjectmattertoacertainleveldepending uponthegradeshewasgiven.Inotherwords,Iactuallyhaveanunderstandingof whatwasbeingtaughtandhowwellshewasdoing. Irecognizethattherewillbeissueswheneverchangesaremadeasevery onewillhavetheirowninterpretationofhowtodothingsbut,inmyopinion,thisnew formatisnotthewaytogo.Ivespokenwithseveralparentsfromvariousschools abouttheirexperiences.Thevastmajoritydidnotlikethenewformat.Some teachersallowedonly15minutesfortheconferences,someallowed20minutes, andIveonlycomeacrossoneparentwhosaidthattheteacherbooked30minute conferences.Itseemsportfoliosshowingthestudentsworkwasnotthenormas Iveonlycomeacrossoneparentwhosaidtheywereshownaportfolio.Fillingina checkboxaboutnumeracyorliteracythatsaysthechildisemerging,developing,or applyingdoesntgivemeimportantinformationsuchasishe/shehavingdifficulty understandingfractionsordecimals,ishe/shereadingatanappropriatelevelfor his/herage,oristhereanyotherissuethatI,asaparent,maybeabletoassistwith. IknowthesloganisFocusonthebigideas,nottheminutiaebutelementaryaged studentsdoneedtolearnthesocalledminutiaesothattheycanuseitasabuilding blocktomorecomplexwork.Also,formyself,thefactthatthedistrictisexpecting metohavetocomeintotheschoolforaconferenceatleasttwiceayearand possibly3times,iftherewasanintakemeetingaswell,createsgreatdifficulty.I workfrom8:00a.m.to4:45p.m.andIwork30minutesfromhome.Inorderto cometothesemeetingsIhavetouseupmyvacationtime.SinceIamonlyallowed theminimumvacationtimeallowedbylaw,Idonotgenerallyhavealotofdaysto spareandtheyhavetobeusedtocoverdayswhenmydaughterisillorthedaycare isclosedorwhensheneedstoseeherENTorwhensheshadheroperations.If thisformatisfollowed,therewillbetimesthatIwillnotbeabletotaketimeoffwork tocometotheschoolsounlessateacheriswillingtomeetintheevening,Iwillnot beabletocometoaconference.

Tosummarize,Ifindthatthisformatdoesnotprovidemewiththeinformation thatIhadwhentheoldreportingformatwasused.Thereistoomuchemphasison thecompetenciessectionoftheformandnotenoughonthecoresubjects. Thereisextremelylimitedinformationgivenonspecificsubjects.Addtothisthe expectationthatImustcometotheschoolinordertolearnaboutmydaughters studiesandIfindthatthisnewformatdoesnotmeetexpectations.

Regards,

BeverlySipos