Drama Reports
So.
Here I am.
Holiday weekend.
Monday off work.
Gotta get away.
Busy term at school.
Stressful.
Escape to the country?
Catch up with friends?
Why not?
160 school reports.
Must be written.
This weekend.
That’s……
Why not.
100 Year 8 Drama students.
All doing an identical course.
Dozens with the same sets of grades.
Like cattle in a field.
25 in a class.
Individual?
Meaningful?
I’ve been trying.
All weekend.
Without much success.
Comment bank.
Generic.
Sterile.
Conscience.
Copy.
Name change.
Paste.
Tweak.
Ethical?
Sanity.
Frustration.
Something is wrong.
With this system.
How on earth?
Do I make.
160 school reports.
Individual.
Relevant.
Meaningful.
I’m not a machine.
Nor am I being asked to be one.
Or am I?
Flip to another report.
Year 12 Drama.
12 in the class.
Know them backwards.
Could write these reports on the spot.
Without warning.
In my sleep.
Under water!
I know their strengths.
Their weaknesses.
Their hopes for the future.
Their fears in Drama.
Rich.
Worthwhile.
Feedback.
For some.
But not for others.
The system is flawed.
Imperfect…
But repairable.
All of my students.
Are treated equally.
In all of my classrooms.
Every.
Single.
Day.
But not in my reports.
So true, Justin. We now only use comment banks which can be frustrating for those Year 12s who you can quickly write a thorough and meaningful comment, but when you have over 200 reports (as many elective teachers do) it does reduce the workload.
We’ve seen it as a challenge to write incredibly meaningful and diverse comment components…so far so good.