You may be thinking, 'Why haven't we heard about Derek making the honor roll?' It's not that he has turned to the Dark Side of education. He is in the Lower School and that school does not do grades, thus no honor roll. The Primary Years Program (PYP) is explained like so on the school website:
The essential skills developed include the ability to conduct research, communicate effectively, function successfully in different social contexts, manage health and life, and think critically and creatively. Students have many opportunities to grow beyond the classroom in social service and through action, stemming from positive attitudes such as tolerance, respect and responsibility fostered in school.
So, Derek's 'report card' included detailed comments under research, communicates effectively, functions sucessfully...you get the idea. No grades, just comments. Homework, tests, and projects are kept at school in his portfolio. It's different for us as parents. Maybe frustrating is the word. How can we gauge our child's progress based essentially on smiley faces? (OK, he's never gotten a smiley face. He's never gotten anything.)
Next year they're both in the Upper School where we can see graded papers and tests and Derek will get an actual report card. And thus concludes my complaining.
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