SD73 prepared for new progress reporting for students

“Not only what students know and understand, but what are their next steps and how will they go about being supported in the classroom,” Carson explains. “[That] gives you much more information than we were able to give by saying your student, your child has received a B.”

This model isn’t new. For the past five years, School District 73 has been part of a pilot project working to implement this in elementary schools.

Darcy Martin, president of the Kamloops-Thompson Teachers Association, believes it’s an adjustment that will benefit students.

“There’s always a little bit of adjustment in any process, but we do feel that proficiency scale better reflects the curriculum and the way people teach, and how we view learning as something that’s ongoing,” contends Martin.

Comments on report cards will be replaced with personalized messages that are meant to be ‘short and concise.’ That language creates some concerns for the Grade 8 and 9 teachers, who could be writing personalized messages for more than 100 students per semester.

“We are still concerned about the workload for some teachers, for the Grade 8 and 9s, because adding that written comment piece — it’s a little bit vague what ‘short and concise means,’” Martin says. “Teachers will be relying on the ministry and districts, and even administrators to make sure we stick to that to make sure it doesn’t impact workload.”

Students will also be more involved in the process, by reflecting on their progress and setting goals in areas they wish to improve.

“What we find in education is that when students set their own goals and can meet them, it’s a pretty great feeling to be successful,” Carson says. “It motivates students to continue that learning.”

by Adam Donnelly

SD73 prepared for new progress reporting for students

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