Growth Snapshot

[BookMuncher]

On my mind right now: assessment tools. Not particularly my favorite topic, but parent-teacher conferences are this week and I'm always looking for ways that I can concisely communicate each child's strengths and needs, while at the same time not wasting my time on something that I won't use myself. With that in mind, I created a new "snapshot" tool for parents (attached) that I think will also help me move instruction forward for each child.

I've shared another tool on Proteacher that is more of a rubric, where the same language arts indicators are listed under "almost always, usually, sometimes, rarely, and never." That tool allowed me to look at many more discrete skills, but it took me hours to fill out for the whole class. Also, I questioned myself a lot on different skills because they were so small and I didn't have evidence to back each one up.

This new version looks at much larger components of reading, writing, and math. This way, it's a little easier for me to consider that child in each area. At the same time, having 5 different levels can assist me when I look at these forms to set goals for children or guide my grouping.

I stuck with the metaphor of the flower, because I still think that it's a beautiful way to show the unique growth patterns of each child.

I hope someone else out there will benefit from this tool as well! (Click on comments to view it.)

PS: If you want, you can type right in the form and print them out for each child. The selection area is already set to Wingdings 2, so if you type in a capital "P", a check mark will pop up.​

 

[jerzgirl]

Love it!

Hi, Bookmuncher:
I got this just a little too late, as conferences have started, but will save it. I like the analogy to flowers. I'll have to tweak a bit for first grade, but really love it.
Thanks,
jerz

 

[benteach]

Awesome resource

I plan on tweaking it for third grade as well.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[KC2]

Great tool

I like the wording for each subheading. Are these the areas on the report card for the rest of the marking periods? We don't complete a report card for first marking period conferences. Instead, we have a conference form where we write the student's strengths and weaknesses for each subject matter. There is only 3 lines for each subject and reading/writing/word study is combined. It is not teacher or parent friendly at all. Your tool seems like it would work much better, especially with the explainations. We also have 3 indicators of progress- B- beginning, D- developing, S- secure. I find this is hard to use. There almost has to be an area between D and S like P for proficent and an H for high achievement.

 

[nicbeauty]

assessment tools

Thanks! Bookmuncher i plan to use it since my parent conferences are in two weeks, and i plan on sharing it with my second grade team! I love reading your blogs, i learn so much from them!

 

[liketeaching1]

Great

BookMuncher, what a great performance rubric. We have just finished conferences. However, we do a student learning plan for each student. With only a few minor changes this will be perfect for my first grade students. It will be a true visual of their standings in reading, writing, and math. You are so kind to share!

Also, I agree with your rubric (using the growth of a plant). That does show the way a child can grow and hopefully bloom!

 

[Margaret916]

Even awesome for 6th grade

I learn so much from you! I really mean that....

I plan to tweak this for 6th grade -- many of our parents have a hard time with our reading strategies and understanding how we grade. I'm going to change a few of your reading topics to resemble our strategies and move from there!

We're also departmentalized (middle school like) and I think it would be great for an interim-like note to parents if we take it to all the teachers (reading, math, ss, sci, writing) and that would give a good heads up!

I love when one idea sparks so many! Thanks for sharing!

 

[BookMuncher]

yay!

I'm so glad that it will help other people too... our district also has it's own way of communicating growth, but I don't think it goes in depth enough. The indicators I used are just ones that I personally care about and want the parents to care about. I think that if they just went by the report card, they'd have a whole different view of what I valued. You could easily change indicators so that they fit what you care about in your own classroom.

 

[liketeaching1]

Report Card descriptors

AS I sit here reading the PPs, I was wondering how many systems have gotten away from the letter grades A, B, etc. Our system still uses these (however the report card states that A means excellent growth, B aove average, C average, D below average, F not meeting standards.

I wish I had used a form like this with conferences last week. However, I WILL use it at each grading period and attach it to my newsletter (my way of changing the report cards) and also place it in their individual learning plan notebook.

What would you definitely add to a first grade performance? For me I think that the standards listed pertain to first as well as second.

It seems systems also give more time for conferences than mine. We set aside one day at the end of the second grading period and a half day at the end of the 4th grading period. It would be so much more beneficial if we had more than 15 minutes to discuss a student's progress and needs.

 

[BookMuncher]

Liketeaching... if I were writing this for first, I might add a habits of a reader section. (maybe even 2nd graders who I didn't loop with) This would be a space for how they spend their time during reader's workshop, how they view reading, how faithfully they fill out their home log, etc... I just felt as though I have my kids pretty well trained in that area so it didn't seem necessary.

Also, I would take off writing production-- at least for first grade first marking period. I might take off writing composition and make it into two categories: Writing content and writing organization. Because for young writers, I'm more looking for if they can add grade appropriate details and whether their stories have a beginning, middle, and end. That's just me, though!

 

[danateach93]

Wonderful form - I will tweak for 1st.

 

[staceylross12]

1st Grade alterations

Bookmuncher, love the form! For those of you planning on tweaking it for first, I would love some feedback on how you would alter it. Our next conferences are student-led, but I like to give the parents something to take away as well. Thanks!

 

[diluka]

Love it!!

Thanks for the form. Will you use a similiar form later in the year? If you do, will it be the same or do you change the wording? Thanks!!

 

[cathybev]

Thanks, Bookmuncher

I will be tweaking for first grade. It's great.

 

[kaycee1128]

opinions

I tried tweaking this for first grade so I was looking for input. I did change the scale from 1-4 instead of 1-5 since our district uses 1-4 on report cards. I would love any suggestions to make it better.

 

[BookMuncher]

diluka and kaycee

Diluka-- I think that I'll probably keep it the same for our March conferences since the purpose it to show growth. Most of my kids were in the growing range on average, so I'm going to keep it the same so that parents can see progress. Maybe I could even use an X instead of a check and put it right on top of the old one (saved on my computer) so that they can see changes.

Kaycee-- That looks really great! Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

 

[Trinia2]

Thanks, Bookmuncher

What a great tool! Thanks so much!