Monitoring & Evaluation
Testing Procedure
The PSI testing programme has been designed to monitor the progress and the strengths and weaknesses of each student in all academic areas.
The testing programme comprises of the following three stages
(a)Monthly Evaluation
Tests are held regularly during the month to gauge the students’ performance in all subjects. End of the month meetings between the teachers and the Principal take place to discuss the performance of each child. In case the child is not making good progress, his/her parents are informed.
At the end of three or four Assessments, result visuals are handed out at the subsequent Parent-Teacher Meeting. These indicate the consolidated scores of the child in comparison with the rest of the class.
(b)Mock Exams
A full-fledged Examination is held in March to make children familiar with examination procedure. This exercise is also meant to test the teaching skills of the faculty members and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the school syllabus.
After the Mock Exams, the examination papers, including the answer sheets and a report of percentage scores, are sent home for scrutiny by the parents. Although it is not mandatory, parents are encouraged to discuss their child’s/children’s performance in the Mocks with the Principal and teachers by appointment.
(c)Final Exams
The Finals include oral and written tests, as well as practicals for the senior classes. Prior to the written papers, the child’s reading skill is tested by a panel of teachers. This is followed by comprehension tests related to the major subjects.
The end of the year result is based on the aggregate of Monthly Assessments, Mocks and the Final Examinations. The objective is to test whether the student possesses the required ability and the necessary skills for promotion to the next class.
The minimum punishment for cheating or for assisting another student to cheat in an examination will be a mark of zero.
Home Work
Homework is not merely assigned to reinforce the daily lessons but more importantly as a means to monitor a child’s academic growth.
Homework is introduced from Transition.
The class teacher will sign the homework diary from Classes Transition to V. From Class VI onwards, nothing down the homework becomes the responsibility of the student. However in special cases, or on parent’s request, the diary will be signed by the class teacher. The parents must sign the homework diary daily and all class tests irrespective of the scores
In order to obtain the maximum benefit from PSI’s system of “all inclusive” education parents must allocate time for supervising children’s homework.
Parent Teacher Meeting
The school holds at least three Parent-Teacher Meetings during an academic session. These meetings are an opportunity for the parents and teachers to get to know one another and to adopt measures that can best meet the needs of the students. The strengths and weaknesses of the children are identified and worked upon. The post Mocks meetings provide yet another chance to parents to know more about their child’s weak areas.
It is mandatory for either or both parents to attend the Parent-Teacher Meetings. In case this is not possible, parents should nominate another person to attend such a meeting on their behalf. Parents are also required to sign their names, and their remarks are documented.
Individual meeting between parents and teachers are encouraged. Appointments should be made two days in advance. Such meetings are held in break, free periods or after school, thus not interfering with the teacher’s duties in class.
Special Coaching
It is the school’s policy to have two teachers per class of twenty-five children at the elementary and primary levels. On account of this high student-teacher ratio, students who are weak or lagging behind their peers are immediately noticed. Special attention is then paid to the slow ones through remedial class and, modified syllabus. In this way they are gradually brought at par with their class as PSI believes that the school, the parents and the pupils must work using a triangular approach towards academic progress.
After school tuition’s are discouraged. It is unfair to expect children to sit with private tutors for hours, when they have already put in a full day’s work at school and have a manageable load of home assignments.
