Keeping track of students through PowerTeacher Notes features.

Keeping track of students through PowerTeacher Notes features.

There is so much data that we should keep on each student in order to capture the whole picture and understand the needs of our kiddos.  Grades, standardized tests,  intelligence tests, hearing and vision screenings, special needs assessments, free and reduced lunch status, behavior issues, attendance count-all of these help teachers, counselors and administrators have a better understanding of the whole child.  However, the task of keeping up with all this data can be daunting and without a common place to store all the information, data can be fragmented.

Fortunately, PowerSchool and PowerTeacher have built in features that help teachers keep track of additional information on students performance.

Comments on Grades
(public to parents and students)

Sometimes we need to add additional information to a student's grade.  Comments such as "grades affected by attendance" or "incomplete work" offer data to parents and students as to why a student received a particular grade-especially a poor one.  This information proves useful during parent meetings.

To add grade comments:
  • In the ScoreSheet pane

    right click on a student's grade.  A box will pop up with several options.

    Choose Show Score Inspector.

  • The score inspector allows you to choose different options for the score, like marking it late.  It also allows for you to add teacher comments.

    Remember, anything you add here can be seen by parents and students.  Comments should be short and to the point.  No words of judgement here.  Comments can be edited and even deleted later if a score or situation changes.

Teacher Personal Note
(can only be seen by the teacher)

It is important for us as teachers to keep track of student behaviors.  Often we are one of the first to notice or hear that there might be an issue.  Keeping private logs also helps us track any parent phone calls we make or conferences with have with or about the student.

To access Teacher Personal Note:

  • In the Student Info pane 

    Double click on a student's name.  This will open a window offering additional information on a student-Email, Birthday, Parent Contact.

     
  • Click on the Teacher Personal Note tab


    This opens up an area for teachers to put comments that are private only to the teacher.  However, it should be noted that any information placed in here is subpoenable by a court.  Therefore, this isn't a place to type a major concern.  This is a venue for teachers to track behaviors and such.  If a pattern or red flag develop, it is then time to contact the student's counselor, the school nurse or the resource officer.
Teacher comments are useful and can aid when the school team is trying to identify our struggling students.  It is often the classroom teacher that is the first to notice that a student is in trouble.  Without data like that help in these PT tools, a student in need might just slip through.

How else do you use PowerTeacher in your classrooms?

What features are your favorites?


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