7/29/2019 Progress Report Quick-write Feedback Feb 1

1/3

ProgressReportquick-writesharedinformation

Feb.1,2013

Bright spots from current practices in progress reporting: What are some positivesabout our current progress reports?

A current positive is that parents are able to get a clearer perspective on the progress of their

children. In addition, there are able to juxtapose a percentage grade with a narrative that maygive insight into strengths and weaknesses.

We have to know our children very well in order to successfully write a Trinity progress report. Ihave also learned how to be a very specific, detailed, and more succinct (although still ratherwordy) writer. I have also learned how to better assess my children, especially in terms of theirown views/opinions of their learning because of writing Trinity progress reports.

- lots of information about what weve been teaching is given. Lots of room to report what wereseeing, how the child has grown, challenges for coming trimesters

I like that they are done only three times a year (other than every six weeks) because it createsa bigger picture.I like that there is a narrative portion, instead of just a letter grade.I like that you can see the trimesters prior and what other teachers have said.

- wonderful place to gather ideas about students.

-helps me to see the "big picture" about each kid rather than focusing in on small, day-to-daydetails.- progress reports give great information to parents, administrators, and future teachers- provide an ongoing record of what is going on with each kid- it's important to give feedback on how kids are doing, what they need to do, etc.

I love the opportunity to share positive information with parents. I am intentional to provideinstructional feedback before the progress report goes home, but this is a great time to give theneeded positive and affirming communication to parents.

The narrative portion of progress reports allows us to frame our notion of each learner in anindividual way while the checklist portion gives us (parents, and learners) an exact assessmentof skill and performance level. I like the current format because it allows me to assess each childobjectively, but also highlight some of the more nuanced progress I see developing before myeyes.

-They make you think about every child as an individual and make you realize you know moreabout them than you think.-Is a form of thoughtful assessment (might not be related to grades)-Like the social comments

Wish list for progress reporting: What changes would make the progress report more

personalized and put the child at the center?

-clear and concise skill expectations-concepts and skills are represented vertically (vertical alignment)-the use of terminology and lingo that both students and parents can interpret

I wish that I did not have to spend so much time working on progress reports. I know that I couldsay similar things about children without having to work so long and detailed. I wish that skillsmatched up with what we are doing in the classroom.

- less pressure to fill up those big blank spaces. Less fluff

I don't believe the checklist of skills is beneficial. I would rather have a guide of checkpoints thatI can use to make comments on but not need to evaluate each one each time for each child.

I would prefer to write one overall narrative comment instead of one for each subject area. Ihave common themes in each of them and feel I am saying the same things over and overagain.

7/29/2019 Progress Report Quick-write Feedback Feb 1

2/3

I don't think the length of the reports is reasonable. They are too long and overwhelming andmany parents don't read them. Then I feel like I put in a lot of time and effort for something theydidn't read.

I feel if we are going to continue with the length and depth of the reports, then we should get ridof mandatory conferences and make them optional.

- progress reports are unwieldy! I find myself taking so much time to plan, gather information,and write. While I understand that sharing information is essential, I feel like i am a worseteacher during progress report writing time.- if they are going to be this extensive, I need more time! The vast majority of time that I spendwriting progress reports is on my weekend or in the evenings. It's exhausting.

Students could write their own progress reports that teachers then elaborate on theirperspectives.Should we spend 40 hours writing and then 20 hours on student-led conferences eachtrimester?

Time to write individually AND time (outside of the classroom) to collaborate with my partner.

A way to more clearly communicate with parents that the progress report is about PROGRESSand not about a finite expression about a child's trajectory in life! I feel like we spend a greatportion of our parent conferences assuaging parent concerns because they place more weighton letters (B,D,S) instead of looking at the report as a stop on a journey of learning versus aruling on the value of the child's entire life as a learner.

-change how time consuming they are-need more expectations-includes pictures, samples of kids work, kids voice too, video of a kid talking-change the academic part, because we already give grades and checklists-we already check in with parents on struggling kids, so why put it in PR's again?-Lots of extra work to make it sound "pretty" or "fluffy"-can end up being fluffy-wish it was only twice (2nd trimester only social) or the other way around.-PRs in fall and spring, then do winter conferences instead of PR's, or you have conferences asyou need them, but you have to do it so many times a year so it is more flexible-Instead of skill checklist, use the I Can statements we come up with and let them know if the kid

meets, exceeds, etc.(or something) They may change every year, but then kids and parents cansee.-Expand the verbiage and grade scale for the skills list so parents and kids know it is ok to bedeveloping.-Parents and kids should know the expectation at every grade level so they know-Write one narrative, instead of one for every subject,-Tell parents we live in a rapidly changing time and these may change every year because wewant to evolve with the times.-They should look different for every grade, special, etc. Why should we look the same-Conferences: open house with small groups (students and parents) a couple of times a year

Anything else? Knowing that progress reports are an important connection between

home and school, what would be in a progress report that is a joy to report (for teachers)and read (for families) rather than a stress?

A standards-based report card where both parents and students can understand what academicmastery looks like

Progress Reports could look different/have different sections for different grade levels. A three-year-old progress report needs to look different than a fourth grade progress report.

I would feel more joy if I could report less, more meaningful info.

- there doesnt seem to be a place to appropriately share how the child is growing as a learner/

7/29/2019 Progress Report Quick-write Feedback Feb 1

3/3

friend, yes we have the personal growth and responsibility check marks, but seriously? Checkmarks? That doesnt accurately convey that information

They are reflective, for the parent, teacher and student. But I believe we need to involve thechildren more in the reports - both writing it and processing it.

I'd love more checklists.

I'd love to know what parents look for in progress reports. Some parents tell me that they onlyreally read the social comments and then look at skills checklists.

~I hate the waste of paper~I'm glad we are no longer sending home Rosetta Stone reports~Each trimester I write about 40 pages of single spaced print on 2 grades- that is the equivalentof a short novel over the school year~I spend an average of 40 hours on progress reports each trimester

More time, quite frankly. Even though a whole writing day is comparatively generous. It isstressful to compile thoughts, anecdotes and synthesize what has happened in 3 months/9months in one day. I often wonder if the reports sound too similar child to child simply because Iam composing the majority of them in the same space and time. The pressure also comesbefore the report, as you are pressed to assess a child's progress by testing skills during theweeks leading up to progress reports.

In addition, since we are talking about the child, how cool would it be to hear a report fromhome! What if parents reported to us about the growth and development and change they see intheir child on the home front.

social comments, brags, goals, improvement,