Collaboration Learning Skills Comments, Grades 1-3 (Ontario)

Collaboration covers working with others: taking a fair share and different roles in a group, responding respectfully to others' ideas and traditions, sharing resources, and working through disagreements, both in person and online.

Below are 13 sample sentences for Grades 1-3: two strengths and one next step for each of the 4 comment levels (Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Needs Improvement), plus a tip for families. They are a small selection from the 181 collaboration sentences in the full pack. Copy one, then add a detail only you know about the student.

Jump to: Excellent · Good · Satisfactory · Needs Improvement · Writing tips

Student name Pronouns

Fills in the name and pronouns on this page. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Excellent E

Strengths

[Name] uses kind words to solve small problems on the playground or at the carpet, such as suggesting turns or a fair way to share.
[Name] readily shares materials, ideas, and know-how with group members, making sure each person has what is needed to take part.

Next step

As a next step, [Name] can help [his/her/their] group choose a fair way to take turns, such as drawing names or counting turns.

Good G

Strengths

[Name] often uses kind words on the playground and at the carpet and helps resolve small disagreements with little support.
When classmates share traditions or beliefs, [Name] usually listens with interest and responds respectfully.

Next step

A next step is for [Name] to use a kind "I feel" sentence to solve small disagreements with a partner.

Satisfactory S

Strengths

[Name] occasionally solves small playground problems on [his/her/their] own and at other times needs an adult to help talk it through.
When conflicts arise, [Name] is developing the ability to stay calm and listen to the other person's point of view.

Next step

[Name] can practise using "Can I have a turn when you are done?" to ask for materials kindly.

Needs Improvement N

Strengths

When small problems come up at recess or at the carpet, [Name] is working toward using kind words with adult help.
With one-on-one guidance, [Name] is beginning to respond kindly when a classmate's idea is different from [his/her/their] own.

Next step

Using a problem-solving wheel with simple choices, like taking turns or asking for help, will help [Name] solve small conflicts.

Support at home

You can talk with [Name] about your family's traditions and those of friends and neighbours, celebrating what makes each one special.

How to write collaboration comments for Grades 1-3

Use play and centre moments as evidence: taking turns at a game, sharing materials at a table, or doing one clear job during group tidy-up. Say which one you saw rather than calling the child a good friend.
For conflict, describe the strategy the child uses or is learning, such as using words to say how they feel, a problem-solving wheel, or getting an adult when a game feels unfair.
Comment on listening during carpet talk or turn-and-talk: does the child let a partner finish and respond to what was said? That is what responding positively to others' ideas looks like at this age.

Watch out: Avoid comments that only say the student 'gets along well with others'. Social ease is not the same as collaboration; describe contributions to shared work, such as sharing resources or helping the group decide.

Match the verbs to the letter. Excellent comments use words like consistently, independently and without reminders; Good uses usually or with few reminders; Satisfactory uses sometimes or with reminders; Needs Improvement describes what the student does with adult support and what is beginning to emerge. Then add the evidence behind the rating rather than repeating the letter in words.

What Collaboration covers

Growing Success sample behaviours for collaboration:

accepts various roles and an equitable share of work in a group
responds positively to the ideas, opinions, values, and traditions of others
builds healthy peer-to-peer relationships through personal and media-assisted interactions
works with others to resolve conflicts and build consensus to achieve group goals
shares information, resources, and expertise and promotes critical thinking to solve problems and make decisions

More Ontario comments

How these sentences were made, and what has been checked: About these comments.