Setting Goals, Sharing Learning, and Working Together
It is hard to believe that we are nearing two-thirds of the way through the school year. March marks the time when we pause in our classrooms to share student progress, growth, and achievements. This process is complex and detailed and looks a little different in each classroom; however, there are some common practices that we all share:
Assessment FOR Learning:
Teachers spend the majority of their time engaging students in this process. Frequent progress monitoring is an example of assessments for learning, where a student's academic performance is regularly assessed between benchmarks to determine if the current instruction and intervention are positively impacting student achievement or if adjustments need to be implemented.
Assessment for Learning is the ongoing practice of:
o Helping children understand what it is they are going to be learning.
Teachers take the Alberta Education Outcomes and put them into language that we can all understand.
Ex: I can write simple stories on my own (gr.1)
Ex: I can solve math problems using a variety of strategies (gr.4)
o Coaching students in their learning:
- Helping students set goals
- Giving feedback to your child
- Allowing your child to learn from his/her mistakes
- Creating opportunities to practice and improve
- Talking to your child about the next steps in learning
- Adapting his/her teaching to meet the learning needs of your child
- Revising student goals as they move forward in their learning
Assessment AS Learning:
o This occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and how to use assessment for new learning.
Assessment OF Learning:
Assessment is the process of gathering information that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the curriculum expectations in a grade or course. The primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Teachers use the following to identify where your child is performing:
o Products: These are the samples of student work and assessments that show you what your child is working on and what they have learned;
o Observations: Teachers observe your child each day in all of the different tasks and
activities they are involved in; and
o Conversations: Teachers listen and ask guiding questions to help your child share what they know and are able to do.
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences:
This is when we invite you to formally share the work your child has been involved in and your child’s progress.
We would like to thank all of you for your support and look forward to seeing you at our
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences on Tuesday, March 21st, and Thursday, March 23rd, from 5 to 7 pm.
Warmest regards,
Mrs. Diane Benoit
[email protected]