Methods for Documenting Student Progress
Strategies for Assessing and Keeping Records in the Classroom
Documenting and keeping records of student progress through the use of rubrics, anecdotal records,
and portfolios ensures well rounded grading practices.
There are many methods for documenting student progress. There isn’t a single way that can be
used for all subjects. Each subject, each assignment warrants its own method of grading or
documentation depending on what the grade level expectation consists of.
Using traditional grading methods, rubrics, portfolios and anecdotal records make for a wellrounded assessment practice. Using these assessment practices in combination allows for a better
look at a student’s progress with standards. You will no doubt use traditional multiple choice, fill in
the blank, true or false type assessments but for those assessments that aren’t nearly as
straightforward, other methods are necessary.
Anecdotal Records
Anecdotal records are a great way to document student behaviours and academic progress over
time. They can be useful in diagnosing a student’s difficulty in a particular subject area or simply to
show mastering of a standard. Traditionally the teacher will take brief notes on a student’s
interactions within the classroom with subject matter and peers. By keeping such notes, the teacher
has a point of reference for the planning of how instruction as well as an additional tool for
communication to parents of their child's progress.
Maintaining a consistent system for taking anecdotal notes will ensure success when using this type
of informal assessment. One method of keeping anecdotal records is to create a clipboard or file
folder with note cards, one for each student, cascading down in an overlapping fashion. As you are
observing, simply flip to the child’s card that you are observing and jot down notes. As you fill up
cards, file them away into the students class file and place a new card in its place.
If you are interested in taking notes on students in multiple subject areas, create separate
folders/clipboards for each subject area. Consider using different colour note cards for each subject
area to simplify finding specific notes when conferencing with a parent.
Portfolios
Portfolios are files or binders which hold samples of individual student work As students master
specific standards, choose a sample that represents the student's progress and place it in the
portfolio. At different points during the year, this portfolio can be used to conference with students
regarding their progress as well as parents, administrators or other staff members providing services
for students.
Portfolios are an excellent communication tool between all interested parties. Consider keeping a
file just for student portfolios. This file should be separate from a file kept with additional students
information, communication with parents and graded work. The portfolio is a sample of standards
progress, it is not an all-inclusive file with all things pertaining to the student.
Methods for Documenting Student Progress
Three Types of Portfolios
The first type is the Working Portfolio. This portfolio is one that allows teacher and student to assess
and evaluate together, as a team. The student chooses samples that help to demonstrate his/her
growth, parents add comments and the teacher contributes other samples that he/she feels
portrays a realistic picture.
This type of portfolio works when a complete and accurate picture of the student’s progress is
needed to help the student obtain success. It tells the whole story of the child with process and
product samples showing daily progress. The weakness in the Working Portfolio lies in that it can be
easy for a teacher to dominate this type of portfolio and not allow the student any input. That is why
easy access to the portfolio is so important to ensure the student’s involvement and sense of
ownership.
The second type of portfolio is The Showcase Portfolio. This type of portfolio is reminiscence of an
artist’s portfolio. It should contain only the best work of the student. Process pieces would not be
included into a showcase portfolio. The advantage of this type of portfolio is the power it gives the
students to publish books, complete artwork, and develop projects that showcase his/her best work.
The student has total ownership and can be proud of the finished work. However a disadvantaged is
that it is difficult for the teacher to guide the students from information gathered from the portfolio.
Since the best is all that is included it is hard to spot what should be focused on and where
improvement is needed. Parents are usually very excited about this type of portfolio because they
see the best of the school year. They might find it difficult then to understand the needs of the child
because they have not been exposed to weak areas.
The final type of portfolio is a Record-Keeping Portfolio or Teacher Portfolio. In this portfolio
teachers keep necessary assessments and evaluations samples and records not chosen by the
student, also included in this portfolio would be certain tests that the districts may ask for and/or
testing documentation needed for assessments. These documents could provide information on
knowledge of the student’s strengths and information needed to guide instruction. The advantage of
this type of portfolio is that it often provides a wealth of information to help instruct the student.
While on the downside, it is often an overwhelming amount of information to gather and stay on top
of. Since it usually doesn’t focus on one aspect of the student’s day but rather the entire school year
the information can be excessive.
Assessment VS Evaluation
Portfolios should not add to the already document driven day of a teacher but instead should be
looked upon as an additional tool to help with documenting the weaknesses and strengths of each
individual student. Because in a balanced school day assessment and evaluation should part of the
structure a portfolio should be seen as another tool in helping the student reach his/her potential.
Assessment and evaluation are a large part of instruction and many educators may think of the
terms as interchangeable but they actually denote two different processes. Assessment refers to the
gathering of information, or data collecting while evaluation refers to the process of examining the
evidence and finding value in it. Information that is gathered that defines a student’s progress can
then be used to define and change the curriculum. It is important to understand how a portfolio will
help the teacher understand what each student needs to work on. A portfolio can provide a teacher
with a clearer vision of where each student is heading and how to provide each student with a way
to reach his/her goals for the year.
Methods for Documenting Student Progress
Rubrics
Rubrics are a great way to assess a student’s progress with standards in a detailed manner. For
assignments that require more than a simple selection of the correct answer or filling in the blank,
rubrics are the answer. Rubrics provide several focal points when grading subjective work. They also
provide the teacher with a tool to ensure that grading is fair and consistent for all students. Rubrics
provide a primary focus for otherwise ambiguous assignments.
Documenting student progress can be a daunting task due to the numerous options out there for
doing so. By choosing a few set practices such as anecdotal records, portfolios and the use of rubrics
in addition to standard, straightforward grading practices with multiple choice, fill in the blank, and
true false answering, you simplify the process of keeping records. Additionally, you provide the
parents and students with a consistent method of communicating progress when using a chosen few
grading practices.
Reference: http://www.suite101.com/content/methods-for-documenting-student-progress-a93300,
accessed 11/9/2011