First Reports Card are Major Milestones
The first major milestone of the new school year is the first report card. While parents worry and wonder, they don’t need to get too stressed about the first school report card.
The first report card of the school year is like a check-up on how your child is adjusting to the new grade. The thing to keep in mind is that this report card is not the final word on grades—it is more about how your child is doing so far this school year.
If there are poor grades, read the teacher’s comments for more insight into your child’s classroom behavior. Sometimes a bad math or English grade can be linked to being too talkative, or daydreaming.
These types of behaviors—and others—can mask a skill gap that is often the root of poor report card grades. Cognitive and academic assessment can pinpoint learning strengths and weaknesses and help parents get a better understanding of the causes at the root of their child’s poor grades.
Aside from professional testing, there is much that parents can do at home to help themselves see the bigger picture. The best recommendation is to sit down with your child and go over the report card as a simple way to get extra insight into your child’s grades and classroom performance. A report card discussion is an important step in becoming an active participant in your child’s education.
Five Tips To Talk to Kids About Their Report Card
These report card tips from Grade Power Learning help parents and children have an effective report card discussion.
- Sit down and review together. Make sure that there are no distractions so you can focus on one another and the conversation.
- Don’t get upset. If you are upset or angry about grades, hold the discussion until you can speak calmly and rationally.
- Start with empathetic and positive comments. Highlight something positive about the report card, no matter how trivial. For instance, “we are pleased with your spelling grade.”
- Listen to your child. Recognize your child’s struggles. School can be tough. It is helpful to students to know that someone is listening to their concerns and complaints.
- End with a plan. Be optimistic and identify any next steps before you leave the table.
Typically, report cards are upheld as the ultimate indicator of student progress—but they do have their limitations. The report card is a single snapshot of a child’s progress up to a given point and is not a complete picture of a child’s potential. Parents should consider the first report card of the year as warning sign; if there are any issues with poor grades, take action now.
Parents need to remember that there is still plenty of time to get back on track. It’s a key thing to remember and it can greatly reduce report card stress.
If you have questions about your child’s report card, contact Reza Farahani at [email protected]
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