It’s that time of year when the third marking period ends and students and teachers are gearing up for the “final stretch” of the school year. Report card time generates many emotions (from teachers, parents and students)! Feelings of accomplishment and pride to anxiety and disappointment surface when the reports are sent home. As someone who taught elementary school for 7 years, worked with middle and high school students during summer programs and has run a tutoring company over 10 years, I have been privy to many conversations about grades. Here are some of my thoughts on how to digest and share the information teachers give you about your child’s success in the classroom.
During these years you may or may not choose to share report card grades with your child. At this age, children should enjoy school and adults should help foster a positive attitude about learning. In whatever way you choose to have a conversation about their progress in school, keep it simple.
- Share the positive comments to help build self esteem. (“Your teacher told me you are becoming a great reader!”)
- Use the grades and/or comments for the basis of a dinner or car ride conversation (“Tell me more about how you learned about addition in math…” etc)
- Focus on the “work study skills” … is your child a good listener? cooperates with others? organizes materials? Takes turns? Respectful? Have conversations with the teacher if any of these areas are concerning. The earlier you make an intervention, the faster progress will be made.
- Listen and trust the teacher. They know this grade level and the expectations better than anyone. They see your child in a different light than you do at home. If there are glaring gaps in the foundations of learning (phonological awareness, number sense, etc), seek help from the teachers.
- If foundational skills need to be reinforced at home, play educational games, use apps/online games to keep learning fun and engaging. Learning and practicing skills should not be seen as a chore!
Late Elementary Years (3rd-5th grade)
This is the age when most students become very aware that the teacher is “grading them” and/or what “level” they are working at compared to their peers. Again, I stress keeping the learning process as positive as possible and keeping students enjoying school even when the content becomes challenging.
- Always start with the positive remarks and grades from the report. Let your child know how proud you are of their progress.
- Work study skills are crucial at this age. This is the time to understand what it takes to be a student. Discuss their marks in this area. If they are having trouble with organizing themselves, forgetting homework, or having a hard time staying focused, make sure to speak with a teacher about how to help reinforce good executive functioning skills at home and at school.
- Curricular expectations are high at this age. If a child shows signs of falling behind grade level, seek assistance from the classroom teacher about how best you can help.
- Refrain from punishment over grades. Your child wants to succeed and make you proud. They are still so young but are held to high expectations. Remain supportive and keep conversations about grades as positive as possible.
The Middle School Years
Your middle school child wants to be independent and show you they no longer need your help in school. However, most kids this age still need guidance, reassurance and most importantly unconditional love in this preteen hormonal phase! Most middle schools have on-line grade portals, so by the time report cards are seen, there should be no surprises. But, remember this:
- Grading changes a lot between elementary school and middle school. In elementary school, the general classroom teacher is usually responsible for all grades. The grades consist of test and quiz scores, homework and participation with a lot of teacher input for the final grade. Middle school grades are more “black and white”. Usually homework, classwork and assessments are weighted and their is no room for “personal feelings” when it comes to grades.
- Where a student might have been soaring through elementary school with the highest grades possible, it may appear they are slipping in middle school because each subject is taught by a different teacher. For many middle school students, it is the first time having a dedicated period for several core subjects. They are not accustomed to taking routine formal assessments in these areas (world studies, science, etc) and may take time to adjust to the new system.
- Work with your middle school child to set up after school routines so they can independently and successfully complete homework and take ownership over their learning.
- Empower your child to email teachers and set up meetings when they are having trouble with the content.
- Again, stay positive and refrain from punishment. These grades (unless they are taking a high school level math or foreign language) are not going to be seen by any college admissions team. This is the time to figure out systems that work before they get to high school!
High School Students:
Grades really matter at this point, especially if your child is college bound. The more successful they are in their classes, the more choices they will have after graduation. Keep your child and their strengths in mind when discussing grades. Listen to them and what their hopes and desires are for their future and help guide them to success. Again, on-line grade portals should have prepared you for report card grades.
- If your high school child is college bound, start looking at colleges early. Make sure she is aware of the admissions statistics and what grades she needs to earn in order to be considered by her top choices.
- Give your child the space to be independent with their learning and guide them with ideas on how to seek help if needed.
- Have your child set reachable goals. If he wants a 4.0 G.P.A., have him write down tangible steps to follow .
- Refrain from contacting teachers if possible. High school students need to learn to take ownership over their learning and accept consequences. Self-advocacy is a life long skill students should practice.
The staff at LS Tutors is here to help students at any grade and level. We work with students who are struggling with letter recognition in kindergarten to students who are studying for the AP chemistry exam. Tutors help keep the learning process positive and help to build self-esteem and responsibility. It’s never too early or late to give your child the extra support he or she needs in order to be a life long learner. Contact us today if we can help you!
Regards,
Lori Solovey
Owner, LS Tutors