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Learning Skills - Ontario Provincial Report Card

10/31/2011

9 Comments

 
One thing I found particularly challenging as I worked through progress reports this weekend was arriving at a "mark" that accurately reflects student progress in the six different learning skills on page one of the report.

Organization, Independent Work, Collaboration, Responsibility, Initiative and Self-Regulation all have to be judged as "N-needs improvement", "S-satisfactory", "G-good" or "E-excellent" for every student.  At only 7 weeks into the school year...???!!!  One thing some of my colleagues and I have been working on is making the descriptors from the report card more "student friendly", in terms of language, in order that we might communicate the look-fors more effectively to students. 

Below are two examples, Independent Work and Collaboration, which we use with students as we are developing criteria by which they can self-assess.  These criteria are posted in the room and referred to throughout the year.  They also form the basis for a Learning Skill-specific activity we complete together as we discuss each Skill.
As we work with students throughout each day, many behaviours are observed that form the basis for anecdotal records.  But where to record these?  Until now, I have used a variety of recording locations and tools.  Working on progress reports this past weekend reminded me of the importance of having notes in one place, linked specifically to the learning skills as a whole, since we report on them as a group.  One of my colleagues sent me a draft of a template he had been working on, with multiple LS on one page.  This inspired me to create my own tool for use with LS.

Below is a tracking sheet I am going to try out for Term One reports. The descriptors are copied almost verbatim from the report card, with some fine-tuning (so they make more sense "at a glance"!)  As I move about my classroom taking note of the things students say or do that may link to a specific learning skill, I can jot these down in my binder, or even on a sticky note which I can then transfer to the appropriate spot on the record sheet.  Later, the anecdotals can be used to construct comments for the report card.

I am hopeful that this organizational tool will make accurate, descriptive comments more effective and efficent come January!
9 Comments
catherine
5/27/2012 04:08:06 am

Your comments are very helpful and avoid the teacher jargon.
I will finish my reports sooner, thanks to you! The Ontario gov't could save lots of money if they would simplify our process, which is cumbersome and not parent friendly. Many teachers take sick days just to get the job done.

Reply
Ivriniel
6/10/2012 01:47:04 pm

THANK YOU!

I have really struggled with making sense of the learning skills in the context of the primary division. So much of what they put in the Growing Success document doesn't seem appropriate to Grade 1's and it feels like so many of them overlap I never know what to say for each skill, especially given that my board wants two positive comments, and one next step for each learning skill.

This helps.

Reply
Colleen
6/13/2012 10:30:42 am

I am interested to know how your observation system worked. I have tried all kinds of systems and can't seem to make any of them last for me. I wish I could just audio record every conversation with every student so that I can play back just the most important parts when it really counts...

Reply
Vera
6/13/2012 11:07:11 am

Yep. Works ok. I just have to remember to joy stuff down regularly... Try to do a couple comments for a few kids each week. Or put on sticky notes as stuff happens, then stick in the right box at the end of the day.

Here are some more self assessments: http://www.verateschow.ca/1/post/2012/06/report-card-sos-part-2-more-learning-skills.html

Reply
Tyler
1/26/2013 01:24:42 pm

Very insightful and helpful. Thanks so much

Reply
Ying
8/10/2013 08:17:14 am

It is very helpful and student/parent friendly. Thank you!

Reply
colleen t
8/24/2013 05:39:05 am

I appreciate your work and thought I would add to it. i hope this is helpful.
Organization:
1. I am aware of the tools I need and bring them with me to class,everyday
2. I respect due dates.
3. I keep my area and common areas tidy.
4. I am prepared at the beginning of class in a timely manner. (coats away, papers delivered, agenda open bell work begun).
5. I keep my documents fastened and in order in the correct duo-tang.
That is all I have so far.


















Reply
Charlene
12/29/2013 02:54:21 am

I wish I had found this sooner. I am done my LTO now, and I would have loved to have the students fill out a self evaluation and also been keeping this as a tracking method for my students.

Have you thought about posting this on Teacher Pay Teachers?

I would also love to just copy and past this instead of having to write it out again. Anyway you can send me a copy that I can edit?

Thank you for your hard work... it will save others time!

Reply
keela
5/20/2014 11:56:36 pm

I was trying to read your comments but I cant see them please tell me how to see them. Thanks a lot, keela

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    About Vera...

    Vera & her Sons, April 2021
    After writing for several teacher and multiple birth publications, including ETFO's Voice Magazine, Multiple Moments, and the Bulletwin, Vera turned her written attention to prolific blogging for some years, including BiB,  "Learn to Fly with Vera!"  and SMARTbansho .  Homeschooling 4 was her travel blog in Argentina.  She now spends more time on her Instagram (@schalgzeug_usw)  than her blog (pictures are worth a thousand words?!) 
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Vera C. Teschow, OCT, M.Ed., MOT
Toronto, ON & St Peter's Harbour, PE
www.verateschow.ca 2021
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