March Blog

Capturing Children's Learning- A New Take on the Report Card

"Evaluation in Kindergarten is the summarizing of evidence of a child's learning in relation to the overall expectations at a given point of time, in order to specify a child's key learning, growth in learning and next step in learning" (Growing Success). Based on the above mentioned reporting guidelines, the Ministry of Education had introduced a new tool to help formal communication with parents regarding their child's learning in the Full Day kindergarten Program. Last month a formal "communication of learning" (report card) was sent home. Educators documented their observations and assessment on each child's learning progress and growth through the lens of four frames, namely, Belonging and Contributing, Self Regulation and Well being, Demonstrating Literacy and Math Behaviors and finally Problem Solving and Innovating. Below, I have tried to define each lens individually, but you may find that some of these areas overlap, which is to be expected as that is part of the nature of how children learn and part of the learning process. 

In order to provide a meaningful learning experience for the children, Mrs Carroll and I regularly review pedagogical documentation by observing children at various learning centers or by watching  photos and videos that capture children's learning throughout the day. These observations then tell us the children's progress, and help us to determine where to go next in learning based on the children's interests, strengths and area of improvement.

Here is how we capture children's learning by looking through the lenses of the above mentioned 4 frames:

Belonging and Contributing: 

Arts provide a vehicle through which through which children can express their growing sense of self and their interpretations of the world. 

By collaborating with peers children are seen here to create and modify things, using their own ideas and building on the ideas of others.

Children have opportunities to collaborate with peers and educators in various ways and in various contexts through activities that promote their social, emotional and physical well being.

Self Regulation and Well Being:  

Children are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical well being; knowing what to eat, rest, and showing a sense of responsibility and independence.

Child trying to calm herself in a quiet place by reading a book  using strategies of self regulation.

Demonstrating Literacy and Math Behaviors:

Incorporating literacy materials in all areas of the class room helps the children see that reading and writing  are all meaningful aspects of their learning experience. 

Children communicate their mathematical thinking orally and visually using everyday language as well as mathematical vocabulary and a variety of representations.

While exploring shapes: "Look Mrs Singh, I made town houses with triangles and squares. I live in one of them!

 "I made cubes and pyramids with Plasticine"!- ' reflecting on the process of learning helps children to become clearer and more confident about what they know and understand.

Problem solving and Innovating Skills: 

Problem solving involves children designing and making tools for specific purposes and demonstrating innovative initiative and skills. 

In this instance, first the children researched winter birds and animals and now they are in the process of creating their corresponding habitats using innovative skills in the Art Center.

Hopefully, this would help our parents to get a glimpse of their child's life in school and understand how to connect their children's learning to the curriculum in a way that illustrates the "whole child". "Communication of Learning" is a novel and complex procedure, so it will be an ongoing process in learning for both the children and us. 

Until next time, 

Mrs. Singh