Do You Understand the Scores on Your Child’s Provincial Report Card?

Asks Joe Kingsley Eyiah, Teacher, Brookview Middle School, Toronto

Very soon parents will meet with their children’s teachers to discuss the details on students’ report cards for the second term of the current school year. Obviously most parents do not grasp the full meaning of the scores and teacher’s comments on the Provincial Report Card. There is a Ghanaian adage which reads in twi : ose obi nnim a obi kyere. This, literally translated means: if one does not know or understand another person shows the way or explains the meaning. I therefore use this column to briefly explain the Provincial Report Card.

Unlike the Terminal Report Card many Ghanaians are used to back home in Ghana, the Ontario Provincial Report Card is very detail with information other only the marks the student has scored as against the total marks for each subject reported on by the class teacher.

As could be seen from a copy of the first page of a completed Provincial Report Card shown below, it has information on the absences and the number of times that the student was from and to school. It also shows the promotion status of the student as a “flag” for discussion before the school year ends. The Card next classifies the levels of Achievement of the Provincial Curriculum Expectations according to marks. It must be noted here that marks between 70 and 79 classify the student at level 3 of the Grade Expectations. Thus, the student has demonstrated most of the required knowledge and skills in that particular subject taught. Student achievement meets provincial standard!

This is the standard that any teacher strives to bring the student to if not beyond! Parents must worry if their child’s achievement in any subject reported on is below this level. Any marks below 50 (level 1) shows that the student is falling at the Grade level in that subject. Thus, the student has not demonstrated the required knowledge and skills in that subject at the Grade level. Extensive remediation is required! Teachers and parents ought to put their heads together to help the student achieve at the Grade level.

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Subjects, Strengths/Weaknesses/Next Steps:

The next most importation section on the Provincial Report Card is the area designated for the various subjects where teachers score the marks and comment on the expectations for the term being reported with regards to student performance.

Each subject is provided with three columns. One column for a term. Most subjects have each column divided into two. This is where parents should be guided not to confuse the two divisions. The first division shows the marks the student has scored out of 100%. The second division is an automatic calculation of the average mark of the class of the student in that subject or strand of that subject. This is marked on the Card as the Grade Average. The Grade Average is an evidence of the average performance of the class. It could be higher or less than the marks the student scores in that subject. The Grade Average should not be confused with the marks classified under the Provincial Curriculum Expectations.

There is a big column for each subject/strand where the teacher comments on the curriculum expectation. Such comments should identify the strengths and weaknesses of the student in that area of study. Since the expectation comments are mostly general it is incumbent upon the teacher to indicate a NEXT STEP for the student. Parents must ensure that the student goes or is taken through that “prescribed” step by the teacher to achieve success. The Learning Skills section of the Provincial Report Card is more specific to the student and must be read carefully by all parents. This column where the teacher finds enough room to comment on the behavior of the student at school.

All said and done, the Ontario Provincial Report Card is a comprehensive report on student performance at school for a particular term. Though very technical if it is well understood by all parents it is a wonderful communication tool and concrete point for discussion between the teacher and the parent on student overall performance at school. However, the Card is very tedious and time consuming for the teacher to prepare and the debate still remains whether it should be prepared very term (i.e., three times) or twice in the school year.