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Reporting
At Stratford Hall, we present you with several important pieces of information about your child’s performance. None of what you see in the report card should ever be a surprise to your child; he or she should be fully aware of the term’s performance. For each subject there will be a teacher comment. It will relate to the material covered, the summative assessment, and the formative assessment. Teachers will include strategies to help the student become a better learner.
Learner Profile
The IB features this profile as a key strand through all three programmes (see page 6). The intent is to provide focus as we develop global citizens. We ask that you, as parents, use the elements of the Learner Profile as you discuss any issues with your children. We provide you with a descriptor of what the profile item means, and then indicate your child’s mastery in one of four areas. Students who are leading are seen to demonstrate the particular trait at all times, and in ways that influence the behaviour of other students. Students who are practicing are also demonstrating the trait at all times, or nearly so. The prime difference between practicing and leading is that the latter, either directly or indirectly, is influencing others in a positive way. Students who are developing a particular trait are not always demonstrating it, but are being guided to do so by teachers and others. In all cases we want to move students from developing to practicing. Finally, a student who does not meet expectations is experiencing significant difficulty, and remediation beyond classroom help may be required. In cases where either of the latter two categories is checked there will be some explanation in the comment.
The comment is intended to give you an overview of your child’s term, with an emphasis on the behaviour and attitude that he or she displays. In the case of the lower MYP grades, the homeroom teacher/advisor is the prime source of information. In the upper MYP, the comments are the result of the input from several teachers.
Subjects
All academic subjects are fully reported each term.
Every course has a brief description of what was covered during the term. If a summative assessment has occurred, it will be described in the course description. Following the course description, there is an overall level of achievement for each of the four subject criteria that have been assessed as well as a PAWER/ATL descriptor. A final MYP grade of 1-7 for each subject will be awarded in June.
The summative levels of achievement tell you about the level of your child’s performance. It is based on one or more very specific assessments of the IB MYP subject criteria (see pages 12-21). Each subject has several criteria that are measured over the course of the year. At the end of each term, the levels of all the criteria are added together at the end of the year. The total is then translated into a 1-7 mark.
The summative level of achievement is never an average of all of the work for the term. This is a departure from how most people consider generating grades. Our view, supported by the IB, is that an average does not tell you much at all. It is much more informative to measure specific activities and give feedback on them.
It is the summative level of achievement that determines the academic progress of each student. At the end of the year the teachers look at the opportunities that each student had to demonstrate accomplishment in each of the criteria, and an overall mark is created. The school does not average the subject grades to create an overall mark. Students who are achieving 4s and 5s are in the range of being successful in the IB. Students who are achieving 5s and 6s, on the other hand, are in the direction of multiple offers of university admission and scholarships. Students achieving 6s and 7s are demonstrating superior achievement and have truly extended their learning. Students with 6s and 7s in the Diploma Programme would be in a favourable position with any university in the world.
Formative Assessment (Process of Learning)
Formative assessment results are not recorded in mark books and are never used to create a final summative grade. This has a double-sided consequence. On one hand, it means that stress levels are reduced. Students know that formative work will not directly impact final grades. But on the other hand, it can create a situation where the student feels that the formative assessment is not important. Nothing could be further from the truth: Strong work on formative assessments and tasks will directly impact the final summative results. It is much like being an athlete or performer: Without serious attention to practice, ultimate success is difficult to achieve, if not impossible.
In the MYP, all summative assessments align with the rubrics for each subject. A summative assessment might test one, or more than one, rubric element. Much preparation and formative work is done before a summative assignment is done. During the marking period (half the year in MYP) teachers will assign at least one summative assessment on each criteria, and possibly two. These summatives will be used to give the student mark on the report cards.
If the summative level is a snapshot of student achievement, and if formative feedback, ongoing and frequent, is to help learning, how do we evaluate the process of learning? At Stratford Hall, this is the fundamental question, for if the process of learning for a student is positive then he or she will perform at his or her best on summative tasks.
The PAWER Rubric
The IB generally considers the process of learning in Approaches to Learning (AtL). At Stratford Hall we are using the IB rubrics to assess AtL for Diploma students (Grade 11 and 12). By the time students enter Grade 11, we expect that they are focused, motivated, organized, and are working at capacity. Most importantly, we expect that students understand, and meet, deadlines.
In order to prepare students for the rigour of the IB Diploma, we have created our own Stratford Hall version of AtL. This is our PAWER scale. This is a complex set of rubrics that uses ideas from the IB’s AtL, but also from what is known as ‘executive functioning’. The acronym stands for Preparation, Attitude, Work habits, Effort (or Engagement in Grade 8 to 10), and selfRegulation. Students are introduced to PAWER in the PYP and are encouraged to reflect on their performance. In the MYP they begin to self-assess based on PAWER; this builds responsibility for learning.
We score the PAWER scale as: leading, practicing, developing, and not-yet-meeting. In most cases, there will be a fairly strong correlation between the two marks. We usually see students who are “leading” scoring similarly on summative work; likewise, students who are “developing” on PAWER are often getting the same scores on summative tasks. Sometimes we see high summative scores and low PAWER scores. This usually means that the student finds the work quite easy and perhaps we need to increase our rigour. On the other hand, we occasionally see students with high PAWER scores and lower summative marks. This means that the student is working hard and efficiently, but may have particular difficulty with that specific subject, or has a learning difficulty.
We believe that the PAWER scale is the most important predictor of success in the IB Diploma. A student who is “emerging,” according to the PAWER scale, in a number of subjects is likely not a good candidate to proceed to the Diploma Programme. A student who is “leading” according to the PAWER scale should be very successful in the IB Diploma Programme.
We ask that parents become familiar with the PAWER rubrics and use it as a valuable tool in guiding your children’s learning. Focusing on one aspect of PAWER at a time will build the learning tools that are essential to learning.
At Stratford Hall, strong PAWER scores are the first criterion for promotion to the next grade and an indication of fit for the school. Where the PAWER scores remain low, it becomes clear that our environment is not the best for the child.
PLANNING
LEARNING SKILL:
Organizing work: paper and electronic
Managing personal belongingsl respecting others' belongings
Maintaining shared spaces and resources
Appropriate use of electronic tools
Time Management
Ready to start at the beginning of class
LEADING
Keep track of work effectively, always knowing where to find work: both on paper and in electronic files
Consistently keeps personal belongings in appropriate spaces and shows respect for others' belongings
PRACTICING
Keep track of work generally knowing where to find work: both on paper and in electronic files
Generally keeps personal belongings in appropriate spaces and shows respect for others' belongings
EMERGING
Keep track of work, knowing where to find work: both on paper and in electronic files
with support
Keeps personal belongings in appropriate spaces and shows respect for others' belongings, with support
Indepdently demonstrates care for shared spaces and resources; sets an example
for their peers to do the same
Demonstrates effective and principled use of electronic tools, both in and out of class
Consistently establishes and follows a timeline in order to complete tasks in an appropriate period of time
Is consistently prepared – both physically and mentally – when class begins Independently demonstrates care for shared spaces and resources Demonstrates some care for shared spaces and resources,
when prompted by the teacher
Uses electronic tools appropriately both in and out of class
Generally establishes and follows a timeline in order to complete tasks in an appropriate period of time
Is generally prepared – both phyiscally and mentally – when class begins Uses electronic tools appropriately, with support
Follows a timeline –
established with guidance
from a teacher – in order to complete tasks in an appropriate period of time
Is prepared – both physically and mentally – when classes begins, with reminders from
the teacher NOT YET MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Unable to keep track of work, even with support
Struggles to keep personal belongings in appropriate spaces and to show respect for others' belongings, even with support
Demonstrates little care for shared spaces and resources,
even when prompted by the teacher
Struggles to use electronic tools appropriately
Struggles to follow a timeline – established with guidance from a teacher – in order to complete tasks in an appropriate period of time
Is often unprepared when class begins, even with support from the teacher
ATTITUDE
LEARNING SKILL:
Empathy; considering multiple perspectives
Working in groups
Using an organizational system: agenda, Edmodo and/or similar
LEADING
Employs interpersonal strategies effectively to handle differences of opinion; promotes a safe environment for learning
When collaborating, models caring interactions and openmindedness, regardless of who is in the group; is able to recognize and accommodate the strengths and goals of the group members
Uses an organizational system to manage weekly deadlines in all subject areas,
including special situations
such as absence or early dismissal
PRACTICING
Employs interpersonal strategies to handle differences of opinion maintains a safe environment for learning
When collaborating, maintains caring interactions and open-mindedness, in the group assigned by the teacher; is able to consider the strengths of the group members when assigning roles
Uses an organizational system to manage weekly deadlines in all subject areas, within the classroom
routine EMERGING
Employs interpersonal strategies to handle differences of opinion, with
guidance
Collaborates in the group assigned by the teacher, with occasional support; is able to consider their own strengths when choosing a role
Uses an organizational system to manage weekly deadlines in all subject areas,
within support NOT YET MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Resists employing interpersonal strategies to handle differences of opinion, even with guidance
Struggles to collaborate in the group assigned by the teacher, even with support; struggles to choose a role that suits their strengths
Struggles to use an organizational system to manage weekly deadlines, even with support
WORK HABITS
LEARNING SKILL:
Meeting deadlines
Submitting work according to instructions
LEADING
Consistently completes work on time
Submits work in the required format at the appropriate time and place, even in
special situations PRACTICING
Generally completes work on time
Independently submits work in the required format at the appropriate time and place
EMERGING
Sometimes completes work on time
Submits work in the required format at the appropriate time and place, with support
NOT YET MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Requires teacher support to complete work on time
Struggles to submit work at the appropriate time and place, even with support
ENGAGEMENT
LEARNING SKILL:
Participation in the intellectual stimulation
Applying feedback
Following instructions
Getting started on a task independently
Staying focused on a task
LEADING
Consistently contributes to and gains from the intellectual stimulation of the class
Independently sets or
revises goals to improve work and behaviour
Appropriately adapts instructions when unexpected situations arise
Begins tasks immediately after instructions are given
Persists with a task or activity the duration of the class; is able to resume the task independently the next time the class meets
PRACTICING
Generally contributes to and gains from the intellectual stimulation of the class
Applies constructive feedback to improve work and behaviour
Follows a series of instructions to the completion of a task
Begins tasks quickly after instructions are given
Persists with a task or activity the duration of the class; is able to resume the task the next time the class meets
when reminded by the teacher to do so EMERGING
Sometimes contributes to and gains from the intellectual stimulation of the class
Ignores constructive feedback
NOT YET MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Rarely contributes to and gains from the intellectual stimulation of the class
Resists constructive feedback
Follows one or two instructions at a time to the completion of a task
Begins tasks soon after instructions are given
Persists with a task or activity the duration of the class; but
struggles to resume the task
the next time the class meets
Struggles to follow
instructions to the completion of a task
Begins tasks after prompting
from the teacher
Struggles to persist with a task or activity during the duration of the class
SELF-REGULATION
LEARNING SKILL:
Problem-solving
On-task behaviour
Choice of collaborators
Waiting for appropriate opportunities to ask for help
Managing transitions
LEADING
Is resilient in dealing with challenges; readily tries a new approach
Remins on task at all times
PRACTICING
Employs problem-solving strategies before asking the teacher
Returns to on-task behaviour quickly and independently
Consistently makes wise choices about with whom to sit/work Generally makes wise choices about with whom to sit/work
Consistently waits for an appropriate moment to ask for help or contribute to class discussions
Makes efficient transitions between tasks, classes and activities Generally waits for an appropriate moment to ask for help or contribute to class discussions
Makes transitions between tasks, classes and activities in a reasonable time frame
EMERGING
Employs problem-solving strategies when prompted
to do so by the teacher
Returns to on-task behaviour
when prompted by the teacher
Makes wise choices about with whom to sit/work, with
support from the teacher
Struggles to wait for an appropriate moment to ask for help or contribute to class discussions
Makes transitions between tasks, classes and activities
with teacher support NOT YET MEETING EXPECTATIONS
Employs problem-solving strategies with guidance
from the teacher
Unable to return to on-task behaviour, even when prompted by the teacher
Struggles to make wise choices about with whom to sit/work even with support from the teacher
Unable to wait for an appropriate moment to ask for help or contribute to class discussions
Struggles to make transitions between tasks, classes and activities even with teacher support
The Personal Project
The Grade 10 Personal Project is the culminating project of the Middle Years Programme and represents a rite of passage at Stratford Hall from the MYP into the DP. The Personal Project is a product of the students’ own initiative; this is an excellent opportunity for students to produce a truly personal piece of work of their choice and to demonstrate the skills they have developed during the MYP. Students are paired with teacher supervisors who coach them one-on-one to develop and document their creative process. The Personal Project is a significant body of work produced over an extended period, between Spring of Grade 9 and April of Grade 10.
The Personal Project is a reflection of a student’s ability to manage and direct their own inquiry. Students complete their Personal Project using the design cycle that they are taught in MYP design. They investigate, design, plan, create, and evaluate their product. Examples of the Personal Project include creative writing, carpentry, music composition and production, photography, movie-making, architecture, cooking and recipes, visual art, and model-building.
Potential benefits of service learning for students: • • • a process journal; a final product; and a written report that explains and analyzes the choice and application of techniques in creating the product.
Entrance Policy: Stratford Hall IB Diploma Programme (Grade 10 into Grade 11)
Students who are currently registered at Stratford Hall must meet the following criteria in order to be admitted into Grade 11. The purpose of the standards is to avoid having unprepared students enter the programme, and then flounder. A key factor in success at the IB Diploma is motivation and organization.
Academic
Students in the IB Diploma must take six academic courses, three at higher level and three at standard. At the end of Grade 10, we expect an overall performance of 20 points, and no mark below three, in the final summative assessments. • • English Spanish/French (or a detailed plan, including literature list, for doing a self-taught Language A-1. This is reserved for students whose first language is not English) Social Studies Science Mathematics
If a student is below 20 points, and/or a mark of below 3, remedial work over the summer will be required and the student must have made the required improvements by the last Thursday in August.
Personal Project
In many ways, the Grade 10 Personal Project prepares students for the rigors of the Diploma Programme Extended Essay. Performance on the Personal Project may be a predictor for the Extended Essay. Therefore, in the final summative assessment, a mark of at least 4 must be achieved. If the student meets all other entrance requirements, the student may be given a second opportunity to submit a Personal Project.
PAWER
Students must demonstrate a PAWER level of ‘practicing’ across the board for entrance into the Diploma Programme.
