Assessment
I’ve created this page with the intention of providing parents with a better understanding of how I will be assessing their child’s academic progress this year. I hope the following information helps. Please, feel free to email any questions you may have, or pop by the classroom at any time.
Assessments of children have three components: First, observations of the student in class; second, conversations with them either one on one or listening to what they say in group situations and finally, products, those pieces of work the student produces. It is a combination of all three that lead the teacher to a comprehensive assessment of how well a student is doing.
First Reporting to Parents: (September to mid October) 
During this time we are assessing readiness skills for grade 4 through observation, conversation and what student’s can write about their learning. Can they work independently? Have they come into this year being able to read at grade level? Are they able to write complete thoughts? Do they interact well with others? Have they a sense for numbers and enjoy working with them? Is their writing organized? Will they contribute to a conversation and listen when others are speaking?
Language Arts: (Throughout the school year)
Reading:
Is my child reading at grade level? Is my child’s reading improving? This is probably the #1 question we get asked. So here is what we look for to assess reading level.
-Levelled reading: BES uses a program called PM Benchmarks. These are levelled books that let us know at what place in the grade 4 spectrum the students are reading at.
-Independent reading: what books are they choosing? Are they reflective of a grade 4 reading ability? That is: Are the books they choose becoming longer with more details? Can they sustain reading on their own for longer periods of time? Can they answer thoughtful questions about the story and make connections to their own life? To the world? To other books?
-Do they know phonic family patterns? Are they using their decoding skills to decode multi-syllable words?
-When reading/talking with the teacher, can they answer deep-thinking questions about the story to show they understand?
-Can students relate in their reading journal their understanding of what they read? (this will begin in October)
Writing:
Can my child express themselves? Here is what we look for to assess writing:
-Can the student write a complete thought with correction punctuation and capitalization? Can they write, at this point, 1-2 paragraphs on a particular topic? Can they think of their own topic or do they require that one is always provided for them?
-What is their spelling like? Are vocabulary words spelled correctly? Do harder more unfamiliar words contain enough correct letters to make them readable and demonstrate that they are using all they know about phonics to sound out words for spelling?
-Do they make use of their dictionary?
Mathematics
-Are they able to use math strategies taught in class and apply them to problems?
-Are they able to manipulate numbers in order to make them easier to work with?
-Can they recognize patterns in a variety of formats?
-Can they work independently or do they require support from the teacher to do their work? Do they exhibit confidence in their ability to do their math?
-Are they able to learn new concepts in math rapidly or only after many re-teachings?
-Are the errors they make in their work careless ones, or does it show a lack of understanding?
Social
-Do students understand what physical characteristics make up each of Alberta’s natural regions?
-Can students appreciate what makes each natural region unique?
Science
-Can students “think like a scientist” to ask thoughtful questions that can lead to new understandings?
-Do students appreciate learning about the environment?
-Do students see themselves as contributing positively to the environment?