Quarter 2 Report Cards (Elementary School)
This afternoon, the Quarter 2 Report Cards will be “published” on PowerSchool. This letter went out today to provide an explanation of some of the key elements of the reports. We ask that you spend some time discussing your child’s report comments with them, acknowledging progress, effort and achievement, as well as helping us to highlight areas of future growth and development. When doing this, please take the time to also discuss developing responsibility, respect for others and independence - all of which support your child’s ability to self-regulate and direct their own learning.
It was very common when I was in Elementary School for schools to issue report cards that consisted solely of letter grades, ranging from A to F. Even now, there are some elementary/primary schools and national school systems that continue to do this, although this is much less common these days. Report cards, regardless of how well-meaning, are strongly associated with the practice of grading. You might think that school and grading are meant to go hand-in-hand. However, research, going back decades, has repeatedly shown three things about grading:
- Grades tend to diminish students’ interest in whatever they’re learning;
- Grades create a preference for the easiest possible task or pathway;
- Grades tend to reduce the quality of students’ thinking.
Because we are a school that values the development of children who are lifelong learners that seek to challenge themselves, and who are prepared for the complexities and nuances of the real world, we must take these findings into consideration. It is why we don’t place inordinate emphasis on “grades” in the Elementary School; rather, we emphasise comprehensible and timely feedback, discussions about challenge and effort, and identifying next steps for continued growth. This also explains why the report cards that we issue at the end of Quarter 2 and Quarter 4 consist of narrative comments. The Quarter 1 and Quarter 3 progress reports are given additional context as they are issued in conjunction with our Parent-Teacher Conferences which afford us the opportunity to have face-to-face or virtual discussions about needs, successes and next steps.
Before being “published” on PowerSchool, I have had the opportunity to read these narrative reports. It is evident that our teachers have given consideration to the progress their students have made, using observations and evidence from class assignments, projects, home learning and more. The classroom teachers and specialists have also reflected on the extent to which children are achieving their full potential, in terms of the quality of their work. In addition, the comments reflect a personal view on how each student approaches their students and manages social interactions with their peers. There are numerous comments about what is known as executive functioning, including how well students are managing their time, regulating their emotions and behaviours, cooperating with others and demonstrating independence. In the classroom, please know that our teachers will follow up on the reports with continued observation, feedback and discussions with the students themselves.
Morio Kajiwara
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