Assessment
Assessment is central to achieving our aim of catering for individual needs and helping students achieve their personal best. It helps teachers identify the point at which a student’s performance begins to break down. The information gathered is used to adapt future learning programs and to scaffold experiences that allow individuals to improve their performance.
In summary, there are two forms of assessment that we use and value at Kyoto International School.
• Formative assessment, which is interwoven with daily learning and helps teachers and students find out what the students already know in order to plan the next stage of learning. Formative assessment and learning activities are directly linked; neither can function effectively or purposefully without the other
• Summative assessment,
which occurs at the end of the teaching and learning process and provides students with opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned. It aims to give teachers and students a clear insight into students’ understanding
The main purposes of assessment are to:
- Determine what the student knows and understands about the world
- Inform and differentiate teaching and learning
- Monitor student progress in terms of the IB learner profile
- Provide feedback to teachers, students and parents
- Monitor the effectiveness of the program
ISA Testing
Students in Grade 3 and Grade 5 and Middle School participate in the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA). This assessment tool has been developed in order to allow comparison of student achievement in participating international schools against the performance of students in participating Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. This is done by benchmarking student achievement against results in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
The ISA provides standardized assessment in Mathematical Literacy, Reading, Narrative and Expository Writing. Using an 800-point scale, the ISA describes the band of achievement in schools in OECD countries and compares these with the achievement of each individual student at KIS. The ISA provides KIS with useful data about student achievement in comparison to other like international schools and assists teachers in reviewing and developing the effectiveness of the curriculum.
Reporting
KIS has an ongoing system of reporting student work and achievement.
Parent-teacher Conferences
There are 3 formal opportunities for parents to meet with teachers throughout the year, however additional meetings are encouraged as needed. The first meeting is to primarily gain information from the parents or caregivers about the child. The two subsequent meetings are used to share information and report to the parents how the child is doing at school as wall as to share any issues.
Student-led conferences
Student-led conferences allow students to share their learning with their parents, as well as reflect on their own development as learners.
Portfolios
Portfolios are kept by each student at KIS. It is a collection of student work throughout the course of a year. It tracks development in all learning areas, skills and reflections. It represents the process of learning and includes goals set by each student. The portfolio is developed throughout the year and is used at the student-led conference.
Classroom blogs
Blogs are updated weekly by classroom teachers and serve as the main communication tool between teachers are parents. Blogs update parents on learning engagements happening in the classroom and communicate special requests and announcements unique to the individual class. Specialist teachers also post updates to their blog based on events and learning engagements happening within the school.
Formal Written Reports
Written reports are sent home to parents both at the end of first term and the end of third term. Homeroom teachers make a general homeroom comment on the student as a learner with reference to the learner profile and attitudes. Homeroom teachers and specialist teachers assess each students against key performance indicators giving areas of strengths and weaknesses (areas for growth), for each area.
Exhibitions
An exhibition, that represents the culmination of the Primary Years Program is held during each students last year of the program. Students organize, research and complete a detailed inquiry project applying the 5 essential elements they have used throughout their time at Kyoto International School. Students, teachers, parents and others in the community visit the exhibition to celebrate each students learning.
Students in younger grades hold occasional exhibitions at the end of Units of Inquiry to develop the presentation skills in preparation for their final exhibition.
