The Fundamental principles
1. Are fair, transparent and equitable for all students. What is evaluated is no secret, the criteria and topics are available for students to guide their learning. They are criteria and expectations that are accessible to each student in the class. For example, 'I can identify 5 interesting facts from France.' It is not specific how, because it is differentiated for children who are not comfortable to speak orally in class.
2. Consider all students, including those with special needs, those enrolled in the French language refresh program or the Newcomer Support Program, as well as students from First Communities Métis and Inuit nations. The assessment is done fairly for each student in the class. There are students who understand English a little more than others so we have to evaluate specific criteria that are possible with language proficiency levels. For example, 'I can identify 5 interesting facts of France in full sentences' becomes 'I can identify 5 important words that represent France.' Both criteria represent understanding, but at differing linguistic levels.
3. Are planned based on curriculum expectations, continued learning outcomes and take into account, where possible, the areas of interest, learning preferences, needs and experiences of all Students. When we create criteria, individually or with students, they have to link to the curriculum. You can't say 'I can cook apple pie' because there are no specific expectations. You can say 'I can follow steps on a recipe in French to create apple pie' because it is related to the curriculum. When the criteria are created, I want it to be interesting to everyone. If the criterion is: 'I can do a pirouette' it will have some students who like it, but if the criterion is: 'I can demonstrate body movements quickly' all students will have the opportunity to create something they love.
4. Lead the student to use the French language and appropriate French culture to consolidate his identity. French is unique for students in English schools, because in grade 4, their knowledge is much more advanced than their ability in French. For this reason, we must have criteria that can make them think, but also use the little French they know. For example: 'Identify what you can eat during dinner to get good nutrition.' They will think about what good nutrition is but can use the simple vocabularies they have learned.
5. Students and parents are clearly communicated the success criteria at the beginning of the course or school year and at any other appropriate time. The criteria will be on the website, on display in the class, on their 'Hub' and displayed when it's created before learning begins. They're going to be in English so most parents can understand it. Because there are parents who don't understand English, I'll ask at the beginning of the year for languages spoken at home so I can display expectations in those languages. For example: 'I can divide two numbers.' Is ‘يمكنني تقسيم رقمين’. Even if it doesn't translate perfectly, they will ask for clarification from their child. When parents are included in education, children will do much better.
6. Are diverse, continuous, time-limited and designed to give the student many opportunities to demonstrate the extent of their learning. It is important to have several opportunities to show learning in the classroom. Children have a lot of problems to deal with and sometimes they can't concentrate properly. Maybe they are concerned with problems with friends, or maybe they didn't eat breakfast in the morning. If we only have one assessment, maybe it is not the best day for the child. When we have a lot of assessment opportunities, there is less pressure and I can see student learning during a multitude of days.
7. Provide each student with continuous, clear, specific, meaningful and ad hoc descriptive feedback to help them improve. Feedback is the most important aspect of the evaluation. They guide students to achieve learning, allowing them to create their own learning paths. When students know what they need to improve, they will change their knowledge to be more open to what they need. If it is a history class for example, a feedback of 'thinking from an Aboriginal perspective in addition to the European' will shape and improve the critical thinking of the child. If feedback is not immediate, the teacher will not see if they have increased their learning using the advice given and it becomes useless.
8. Develop the student's ability to self-assess, set personal learning goals and determine next steps. Including early self-assessment and often students will develop the tools needed to transform their personal learning. By creating checklists like 'I used complete sentences', they can tick off all the things they've done correctly, and after modifying their thinking and their work to include all the appropriate things to achieve all the criteria. Through self-assessment, students become independent learners and can create their own next step toward achieving goals. Not just for the criteria in the classroom, but because we never stop learning, they will create next steps for life.