Sharing Assessment Information with Parents Using Report Card Templates (ID 371)

EECERA 2007 Sharing Assessment Information with Parents Using Report Card Templates (ID 371) Dr. Sarah FitzPatricksarah.fitzpatrick@ncca.iewww.ncca.ie

Sharing assessment information with parents using Report Card TemplatesSchool-based developmental initiative Dr. Sarah FitzPatrick and NCCA colleagues 30 August 2007

Context Design Significance Who is the NCCA? • NCCA statutory remit (1998) • advise the Minister …curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools • Consultation and partnership • education partners • early childhood sector

Context Design Significance What are the different early years settings?

Context Design Significance What are the issues? • Towards a Framework for Early Learning: Consultation Report (2005) • Primary Curriculum Review (2005) • Information on assessment • Support for assessment practice • Advice on reporting • Suggestions for partnership with parents

Context Design Significance How is the NCCA responding?

Context Design Significance What are the RCTs? Report Card Templates… • Infants, first to sixth • Mid-year, end-of year • Common sections • Child as a learner: curriculum subjects/areas • Child’s approach to learning, social/personal development • Next steps in child’s learning and advice for parents • Range of reporting formats • Rating scales, blank boxes, etc. • Input from children, parents and teachers

Context Design Significance What are the mid-year RCTs? • Less detail than end-of-year RCTs • Emphasis on supporting progress • Key focus on role of parents For Infant classes… • Overview of learning (progress, special achievements) • Curriculum • Social and personal development • Areas of learning to focus on • Ways you can help your child learn

Context Design Significance What is the SBDI? • School-based developmental initiative • To gather information on • Accessibility • Usability • Feasibility of RCTs • Participants • 6 schools (mid-term RCTs) • 27 schools (end-of-term RCTs)

Context Design Significance One school’s experience… • Link to Video

Context Design Significance What did we learn (mid-year RCTs)? • Accessibility • Conciseness / language / graphics • Usability • Teachers and parents liked content headings • Information for parents / later reference • Manageability • Time / record-keeping

Context Design Significance What did we learn from teachers? Successes: • Valuable contribution to reporting practice • Structure and focus for parent / teacher meetings • Professional development opportunity for staff

Context Design Significance What did we learn from teachers? Challenges: • Shared language for reporting • Objectivity • Meaning of grades, scales, comments • Honesty/sensitivity • Accountability

Context Design Significance What did we learn from infant RCTs? • Qualitiative, descriptive reporting for younger children • Involvement of children in evaluating their own progress • This is me learning… • I am good at… • I would like to do better in… • Parents as participants, rather than partners

Context Design Significance What are our next steps? • Revise the RCTs • size/readability • additional space for reporting • where/how to record child’s personal details • clarity of headings • Report on the SBDI • Advise the Minister for Education and Science • Begin project on supporting transfer of children

Context Design Significance What are our next steps? • Develop ACTIONAssessment, Curriculum and Teaching Innovation on the Net • Showing rather than telling • Complement guidelines • Teaching scenarios, resources and solutions • Range of media - text, video, photos

Míle buíochas… A thousand thanks! Sarah FitzPatrick Deputy CEO National Council for Curriculum and Assessment Republic of Ireland sarah.fitzpatrick@ncca.ie www.ncca.ie

Sharing Assessment Information with Parents Using Report Card Templates (ID 371)