Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Sample report cards

    Posted 01-07-2023 12:01 PM

    Hello! Our faculty are looking at our report cards, the indicators we use to measure progress, etc. and we would love to see examples of reports from other schools.  

    I have attached samples of our PreK (3s), Junior Kindergarten (4s) and Senior Kindergarten (5s). Our current reports are broken into sections by area of development/learning, each with a checklist of benchmarks ("indicators") that get marked "beginning", "developing" or "achieving". A short narrative about that area of the child's development is included in each section.

    What are others using? If anyone has samples they might share, that would be so helpful!  



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    Karen Watson
    Director, Cranbrook Early Childhood Center
    Cranbrook Schools
    Detroit MI
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    Attachment(s)

    pdf
    PK_blank.pdf   28 KB 1 version
    pdf
    SK_blank.pdf   29 KB 1 version
    pdf
    JK_blank.pdf   28 KB 1 version


  • 2.  RE: Sample report cards

    Posted 01-08-2023 10:49 AM
    Why are you doing this? Why are you mimicking elementary school? Why not, instead, use portfolios to save children's work that show each child's progress and then meet with parents to discuss their development. Teachers could write up a short narrative to go along with samples in the portfolios, describing the child's growth in various areas. Early childhood development is variable across children and uneven - parents often don't understand that and compare their children to other children the same age as their child. Using documentation and portfolios is a more parent "friendly" and helpful way to communicate a child's growth and support families in their efforts to promote healthy development in their child. You could also do something similar to what NAEYC does in their DAP books - share descriptions of what to expect in terms of development at different ages. They also point out that we should look at development through 3 lens: the individual child, the group, and the child's culture.

    Checklists do not tell you how the child learns or where they may be confused or what they need in order to further their development academically and emotionally.  Please take a look at Margaret Carr and Wendy Lee's work on learning stories or how documentation is used in the Reggio Emilia schools in Italy and in schools inspired by Reggio Emilia. Looking for ideas closer to home on sharing children's progress through documentation to demonstrate children's learning and share that learning with families, look at Susan Stacey's books, Diane Kashin's books, and many of Deb Curtis, Margie Carter, and Ann Pelo's books and articles.

    Good luck. I would seriously reconsider the direction of your approach to measuring children's progress for the age groups that you have in your attached documents.

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    Nora Krieger, PhD
    Associate Professor Emerita/Past Chair NJEEPRE
    Bloomfield College/NJ Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia
    Highland Park, NJ
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  • 3.  RE: Sample report cards

    Posted 01-08-2023 12:04 PM
    I agree with Nora that this type of approach is really not developmentally appropriate at these age  brackets.  This is not  because teachers should not be observing for  growth in these skills in a format of thinking about that growth which says "the skill is developing, where is the child with it now and how can we all encourage further growth." This is  because a report card format is necessarily very either/or in communicating with parents and makes it very hard for many parents who are reading and meeting in that context to look at children's development in any other way than "My child either has it or he/she doesn't." 

    This makes effective parent/teacher communication quite difficult with many parents who have plenty of personal history themselves with "report cards" and don't need to struggle with those feelings when their children are aged 3 to 5.  The portfolios of children's work is a very effective way to show and discuss various areas of children's development with parents, to target areas where growth is needed and some activities and approaches that can help the child to grow.  
    Thank you also to Nora for mentioning the many helpful resources in developing a different approach.  Good luck with starting the process of working in that direction.

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    Monica O'Gara
    Woodbine MD
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  • 4.  RE: Sample report cards

    Posted 01-09-2023 11:30 AM
    I agree with both Monica and Nora. I'm actually a bit shocked that this is happening in 2023 when we know so much about observing, documenting, and assessing young children's growth, development, and learning in developmentally appropriate ways. NAEYC has so many resources to assist you.

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    Cathy McAuliffe, PhD
    *Children's Coalition of Aransas County Executive Board Vice-President
    *Coast Bend Chapter of TXAEYC Leader
    *NorthWest Arkansas Community College Adjunct Professor
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  • 5.  RE: Sample report cards

    Posted 01-10-2023 10:30 AM
    Report cards are inappropriate for young children.  Lots of more suitable tools for observing/assessing child progress and communicating with parents about their child's development.

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    Kelly Rosenleaf
    Exectuive Director
    Child Care Resources, Inc.
    Missoula MT
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