How to use your child’s report card to support them to do their best

Academics

By engaging your child to be reflective and proactive about their report cards now, you assist them to develop important life habits.

By: Dr. Glenn Zederayko: Head of School

It’s not about where one’s been. It’s about where one is going.

Every student wants to achieve at a high level. Your response to their report card can be a key factor in assisting your child to realize this goal. Teachers put time and energy into preparing report cards not because they are a measure of how well a child is doing. Instead, teachers know report cards are a tool to inform plans to improve.

Listen to create understanding.

Taking time to hear and understand your child’s assessment of their current report card is paramount. Make it clear that you intend to hear clearly how you can support them to achieve their goal. Gently probe to assist your child to thoughtfully pinpoint one to three key areas on which they want to focus. Some areas to prompt your child to reflect upon include:

• Where do you feel you are doing well and why is this the case? Could you apply this approach to other areas?
• Are you satisfied that your focus in-class, asking questions, taking notes, and engaging in-class discussion supports you to do your best?
• Do you feel you are completing assignments and studying in a manner that allows you to realize your goals?
• Is your homework routine effective in ensuring you learn well and do effective work each day?
• How well are you using your agenda/calendar to keep organized and on top of your learning?
• Do you ask if you don’t understand and seek extra help if you need it?
• Is there anything else that is preventing you from achieving the goals you desire?

What happens next?

After hearing your child’s reflections, it can be helpful to encourage them to pick their top one – three concerns and their thoughts about how to address these.  Also, taking these reflections and thoughts to parent-teacher interviews can assist you both to make plans to support your child better.

Following interviews, there are two final considerations.

• Work with your child to encourage them to set 1-3 realistic goals. You may need to caution them that setting goals too high is problematic. Otherwise, at the first sign of not achieving a high goal, it is too easy to make the statement, “I am never going to make it now, so I may as well quit trying.” As a result, rather than letting your child say, “I am going to go up 15% in a subject,” it is more productive to guide them to say, “I will work to go up 3-5% in each term till the end of the year.”
• Set up regular weekly or biweekly check-ins where you hear your child’s assessment of their effort and progress. When something is out of sight, it is also out of mind. By gently encouraging regular reflection and accountability, you will assist your child to keep their goals front and centre.

By engaging your child to be reflective and proactive about their report cards now, you assist them to develop important life habits.

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