An increasing number of teachers in the Sooke School District are jumping on board with technology as a way of updating parents on a childB次元官网网址檚 progress on an on-going basis.
ItB次元官网网址檚 called Fresh Grade and itB次元官网网址檚 a software program that allows teachers to post digital portfolios of a child, showing parents how theyB次元官网网址檙e progressing between the three report cards handed out between September and June. For example, teachers can walk around a classroom and use an iPad to record a child reading a story, learning to count or sort. It then gets uploaded to a website and parents can login to see how their child is doing in the classroom.
B次元官网网址淸Parents] can actually see what their child is doing in school as opposed to getting a three-times-a-year summary,B次元官网网址� said Jim Cambridge, SD62 superintendent.
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The initiative started roughly three years ago as a pilot project with 15 teachers throughout the district. But in recent years that number has ballooned to hundreds of teachers who have chosen to use the Fresh Grade software.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a tool thatB次元官网网址檚 become popular mainly in elementary school, while 20 to 30 per cent of teachers in middle school have shown interest in it, as well as some secondary school teachers. Cambridge said the districtB次元官网网址檚 Parent Advisory Council has received positive reviews from parents too.
He acknowledged that it may be difficult for parents to balance studentsB次元官网网址� priorities, but having a tool that allows them to track a childB次元官网网址檚 progress helps ensure they donB次元官网网址檛 fall behind.
B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e constantly aware of how your child is doing at school, you tend to not let it slip,B次元官网网址� Cambridge said.
B次元官网网址淚f you as a parent understand how your child is doing, then you can can be part of the equation of supporting them. If they need support in reading and youB次元官网网址檙e learning about that early on, then thereB次元官网网址檚 an opportunity for you to support whatB次元官网网址檚 happening in the classroom, perhaps by reading to your child or supporting them and making sure they have time to do homework in a quiet suitable place.B次元官网网址�
Find all of the stories that were in the fall West Shore Family publication .
