A Trip Down Report Card Memory Lane + Second Chances Policy Periscope

Hey everyone,

As I bear down for the upcoming hell that I like to call "report cards", I would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the changes that have taken place in the world of assessment/report cards/grading since I started teaching 25 years ago.

1. Years 1-16: 

• Each school developed their own report card and decided what was necessary to report. 
• Work habits were measured with E/VG/G... and academics were usually marked with similar grades or 1/2/3/4. (At the elementary level)
• Sometimes only checkmarks in columns were required.
• Scores and comments were handwritten.
• If numerous teachers taught the same class, the class set of report cards were passed from teacher to teacher.
• Duplicate/triplicate copies were often used. Just rip one off -give one to the parent, keep one and have one for a permanent file.
• Sometimes percentages were given in the upper elementary grades or middle school. High school was reported in percentages. (I don't think I have ever given letter grades.)

*Estimated Time Spent Marking and Writing Report Cards Per Term: 

Approximately 3 hours + marking time

2. Years 17-25:

• Standards-based grading (SBG) was explored and adopted by my present school. It was a huge shift, but at the onset, was a much needed change to our reporting practices.
• Each subject was now assessed separately by outcome (from the curriculum document).
• Achievement descriptors were in words to show achievement in each outcome. (Instead of a smushed up average)
• In ELA and SS there were 4 categories of outcomes in each subject so you were essentially preparing 4x the marks to report.
• Descriptors included: 4/3/2/1; Excelling/Meeting/Not Meeting (I think-I can't remember); Excelling/Meeting +/Meeting/Meeting-/Approaching/Limited; Excelling/Proficiency/Meeting/???/Emerging/Limited and our present system of Mastery/Advancing/Progressing/Emerging/Basic/Limited. 
• DO NOT ASK WHY SO MANY CHANGES OR IT WILL INVOLVE A LONG CONVERSATION AND LOTS OF DRINKING. You know what they say. Don't poke the bear...or the Sarcastic Teacher.
• Extensive commenting after each subject area and areas to improve/next steps were incorporated.

*Estimated Time Spent Marking and Writing Report Cards Per Term: 

Approximately 40 hours + marking time 

My Present School Report Card - Copyright RVSchools 

As you can see, the expectations have changed dramatically and I can honestly say that as a SBG teacher, I know my curriculum documents more thoroughly than I ever have previously. The learning curve was steep, but I think necessary. Along the way came many other changes to my grading philosophy whether I wanted them or not:

• Using Rubrics to Assess Achievement
• No-Zero Policies
• Formative/Summative Assessment Practices
• No Grades Given for Homework
• No Deducting Marks for Late Assignments
• Achievement Test Exams in Grades 3/6/9/12 (Which lead to "ranking of schools")
• Grade Level of Achievement (GLA) Indicators (At the end of each year in LA/Math
• Online Gradebooks (So parents/students could access marks anytime. Apparently, students have lost the ability to speak and tell their parents their marks) **BEEP BEEP TIME SUCKAGE ALERT!!** 
• Second Chances Policies for Assessments

Yep. I've seen and lived it all. I've gone from "You are the teacher, you must know something" to "You are the teacher, prove that you know something, and make sure you repeat it at least 3 times, report it in at least 3 places and be prepared for a beat-down because students don't have to be accountable, you do. " BREATHE. I'm good enough...I'm strong enough...and gosh darnit, people like me. (Thank you Stuart Smalley)

After 25 years, I've rolled with the punches. I jumped head first into policies I believed were based on strong pedagogical research and merely complied with other policies as much as I could, without throwing up. Or throwing a fit. Some of these policies have been good for kids and some of them have not. But the bottom line is I AM THE PROFESSIONAL and I need to be sure that my kids are always aware of what is expected of them and always aware of their progress and achievement in my classes.

One of the policies I have strongly embraced is the Second Chances Policy. I have spent a lot of time and energy compiling a policy that ensured that kids can SHOW ME THE MONEY so I can accurately assess them, but made sure to keep the their commitment to learning in place. Kids that really want to have a second chance get one and they work hard to get it. Those that don't want to put in the work, do not get a second chance or they don't even ask for one. 

I estimate less than 5% of my students apply for a second chance. So when parents say to me, "Why didn't I know that my child was struggling?" my reply is firmly, "I don't know why. It is his job to tell you. AND he didn't take advantage of my Second Chances Policy so obviously he/she is not as concerned about it as you and I are concerned." BOOM.

Below is a Periscope I recorded explaining the policy and a link to my policy is here. If you decide to adopt this philosophical shift in assessing student learning, it really puts the emphasis on the person that it should put the emphasis on - THE STUDENT. Any extra work for me, the teacher pales in comparison to the opportunity to teach a child that they are responsible for their own learning.

Okay, now I trudge back to my marking. I know, a little marking a day, keeps the excessive-drinking- during-report-card-time away.

Now, just in case you forget...

Cheers!

Tracey

Image Sources:

Old Report Card 1- http://www.baka-raptor.com/Slacker/reportcard.JPG

Old Report Card 2 - https://bulgingbuttons.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/report_card_2_1.gif

Old Report Card 3 –

http://i52.tinypic.com/jahq2c.jpg

Rocky View Report Card - http://www.rockyview.ab.ca/21stC/assessing/reports_cards/read/rvs-g7-8-report-card/view

Jimmy’s a Shit - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/284852745157794524/ (original URL is 4 pages long)

Teacher IPP - https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSMHs3J_s_LmjJkFkVDvXu01UH-qlzhu_XtbqsHcnh9qrlygMV5

Drop the Mic 1: http://www.collegehumor.com/images/download.jpg

Gosling Fabulous: https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSeK3WtYJyozbetJnpFxVBESwERI4xwqruIaTmv77m3HYkQSNa7

How Am I Supposed to Know What $%*#n Reading Level My Kids Are At?-Part One-In-Book Assessments and School-Wide Screens

Hello my darlings,

*Have you ever asked a student, "Is that book at the right level for you?" and they say, "Yep"?
*Have you ever looked at a kid's work and said "Boy, that kid sure doesn't seem to understand what he's reading. I wonder what he was smokin'?"

Okay, test over. You're normal. It happens all the time in middle school. Either they don't enjoy reading so they pick the same book to read (excuse me "read") for the next 3 years (Do you know any kids that have been reading the Hunger Games for grades 6, 7 and 8? Honestly, it doesn't take that long to read!) OR they continuously read books below or above what they should be reading and aren't progressing as a reader.

I NEED to know what level kids are reading at just like I NEED to have a cup of coffee within 30 minutes of waking from my beauty sleep. I just don't have enough time to mess around, folks.

• Our kids need to read stuff that they like and can't wait to read.
• Our kids need to read text at their level both independently and instructionally.
• Our kids need to read text easier than their level once in awhile just to skim it, make meaning and say, "Damn, I'm fine!"
• Our kids need to read text harder than their level once in awhile to feel what "huh?" feels like, and use strategies to make sense of it.
• Our kids need to read text at their level regularly inside and outside of school to build stamina for the increased demands on them in the future.
• Our kids need to read text at, below and above their level because "galldarnit", reading is the bomb.com!

In middle school, whether we are teaching specifically ELA or in a content area, we realistically don't get to see our kids more than an hour or so a day. With those constraints, how do we know what level our kids are reading at so we can support them/prepare lessons that will be effective?

Well, since you asked...I made a little video. I am trying to get better at making instructional videos, so be patient with me, k? Before you watch the video ask yourself:

1. Why do I need to know what level my kids are reading at?

2. Do my kids know what level they are reading at so they can make suitable educational choices?

3. Do my students' parents know what level their child is reading at so they can support them appropriately?
4. Will Jon Hamm ever profess his undying love for Sarcastic Teacher even though Hot Husband already has stolen her heart?? (Okay, you don't have to ask this one if you don't want to...)

In the video below, I talked about 2 different things.

1. First - 2 tools (In-Book Assessments) that I use to see if their "choice text" is at their reading level. "Choice Text" is a term I use for a book to read that is always with them during workshop time, either recently read or read numerous times, to track their thinking.

NOTE: In case you didn't know, I like to make shit up sometimes. Like words and terms and stuff. Doesn't "Choice Text" sound like a term that Lucy Calkins would use? Maybe if we all use it, she'll start using it, too? Come on, Lucy. Everybody's doin' it.

Okay, I'm obviously a little delusional here, but this term has been helpful. The kids know what I want them to have handy, okay?? They usually have a choice text and another text with them if they have already read their choice text.

I also use the old stand-bys pictured below that many of us use, and 90% of the time work just fine.

 
2. Second-An introduction to our school-wide screening tool. Some people don't like them, but when I see my kids for only 50 minutes a day, I need to have some data on hand to see who I need to keep an eye on. Days turn into weeks and I need to stop them from falling behind before we even get going! I also use this data to help our grade teams determine RTI groups.

Ready...set...watch...

Do you think any of these would work with your students and help you teach your kids better? If so, let me know in the comments what you are going to try! If not, better luck next time. Sometimes people just don't pick up what I'm puttin' down. I hope you get back the last 15 minutes of your life you just spent reading this post and watching the video.

Coming up in Part Two of the "What Reading Level?" series, I will show what tools I use to screen all of my classes for their vocabulary and reading comprehension %ile levels in order to:

1. Verify any results from the school-wide screen.
2. Help them set appropriate reading goals.
3. Help me develop appropriate instructional resources.

Here is the link to the document that I referenced to in the video about determining reading levels:

Reading Level Assessments List

Please leave any questions or feedback in the comments or feel free to contact me on twitter (@sarcasticteachmusing) or email at sarcasticteachermusings at gmail.com. I will gladly get back to you! Find me on Periscope and Blab, too!!

Until next time,

T.

Image Sources:

Reading Level – Part 1:

Just Right: https://jh035.k12.sd.us/scans/justrightposter.jpg

5 Finger: https://jh035.k12.sd.us/scans/5_Finger_Test.jpg

Confused Woman: http://www.israelize.net/do-you-feel-like-this-while-reading-the-news-about-israel/

Baby Reading Shakespeare: http://www.quickmeme.com/user/roy.harper.58