Report Cards

Post 212

Depending on your district, report cards should be coming out sometime in the next month or so. In mine, they are available in the next two weeks. If there is still a printed version, it will come home in your child’s folder in their backpack. If it is only online, your little one’s teacher or the district website will give instructions on how to access it. If you aren’t sure how to do that, ask by contacting the school, district office or teacher.

First of all, please read your student’s report card! I know that seems obvious but I have actually had parents who never looked at it. (One told me, “I figured you’d tell me if anything was wrong”.) Teachers put a lot of time and worry into each child’s report card. It’s a snapshot of where they are at this time in the school year. If there are any problems…academic or social, now is the time to address them. You don’t want to wait until they become bigger.

Most Primary report cards are divided onto two areas…social skills and academic skills. The social area covers things such as your child’s ability to listen in class, follow directions, and get along with others to name a few. Don’t take this area lightly. It’s an important picture of how your little one has adjusted to the school setting and how they interact with their teacher and classmates.

The academic area of a report card is just that. It is a record of how your child is progressing in the subjects taught and whether your little student is where they should be at this time of the year. In the Primary grades the main emphasis is on reading, writing and mathematics.

Hopefully your little one is “on grade level” or above in all areas. If so, relax and keep on doing what you are doing at home to encourage and support them. 😀 But if there is a problem, either academically or socially contact your child’s teacher now. Don’t wait to see if it improves on its own. I find a number of parents are afraid they will “bother” the teacher if they ask to discuss weaknesses. Nothing could be further from the truth! As teachers, our focus is to help each student in any way we can. We welcome parents who are concerned about their child and we will gladly work with you to help them. We are with your child for the better part of their day and, by now, know them very well. Your child’s teacher will best be able to recommend strategies for improvement or direct you to someone who can.

So, check when those report cards are coming out. Let your little one know you are interested in how they are doing in school. Also let them know you support them every step of the way. This is one more way you are building a strong foundation for them to do well for the rest of their school years.

Take Care. 🙂

Conferences

Post 204

Conferences ( meetings with your child’s teacher to discuss them) should be coming up this month unless they have already occurred. These are different from report cards. While academics are discussed usually at this first one the emphasis is on your child’s adjustment to Kindergarten. It gives both teachers and parents (caretakers) a chance to compare notes.

You will probably have a definite time for your conference. Try to be there a few minutes early if you can. Most conferences have a set amount of minutes and start right when they are scheduled. It’s crucial to keep to that schedule when trying to meet with 20 – 25 student families.

If at all possible, please don’t bring your little one. If you must bring them, have something to keep them occupied while you speak to their teacher. Five year olds take in everything that is said even if they don’t appear to be paying much attention. And it’s harder for the teacher (and you) to be candid when little ears are listening!

There is usually a format your child’s teacher will follow that will give you both a chance to talk. If you have a concern about your child’s behavior or academics or social adjustment this is the time to bring it up. If there isn’t enough time to go as deeply as you’d like, set up a phone call or another meeting time. No teacher ever minds talking with a concerned parent about their child.

A good idea is to write down any questions you may have beforehand so you don’t forget them. Be open to the teacher’s suggestions and really listen to them. And remember to relax. This is the person your little one spends most of their day with and it’s a great way to get to know them. Teachers feel the same way about meeting parents. It’s a perfect way to understand where each child is coming from and gives us new insights into how to better educate your child. Remember…you are both there for the same reason…to help your child have the best school experience possible. It really is a partnership!

Take Care. 😀

REPORT CARDS

Post 187

   Sometime this month your child should be receiving their report card or they already have. In my district, it is the second contact most families have with their child’s teacher about how they are doing in school. Usually schools have them online and may or may not hand out paper copies. So please read it! Your little one’s teacher has spent a lot of time and thought on it. It’s a snapshot of where each student is both academically and socially at this time of year.

   The first report card was mostly about how students have adjusted to school and are ready to learn. Now we are in the middle of the year and down to the nitty gritty, so to speak. If your child is “on grade level” or “above grade level” then everything is fine. They are right where they should be. Tell your little student how proud you are of them and keep doing whatever you are doing as far as homework and routines go. Obviously it’s working.👍

   If your little one has a “below grade level” or its equivalent, don’t panic. This is the time of year to make adjustments and help students so that at the end of school they are where they should be. Contact your child’s teacher to discuss exactly what that grade means and what adjustments can be made to help your child. Please don’t let it go until the next report card. Academics at this level are built upon previous learning so if your child is struggling in one area (reading or math), it’s very unlikely to improve without intervention. And no teacher will ever be upset with a parent who is concerned about their child. The whole idea is that we work together with you to make this the best year your little one can have in school!

   And please don’t ignore the “social development” side of your little student’s report card. That’s such an important component to a child’s development at this age. Think back to all the worries you had when you sent them off in September…would they listen, sit still, cry all day, etc. Now they are thinking of others, sharing, helping with classroom management, etc. If they are at grade level or above, that’s really

awesome! 👏 Reinforce it by again telling your little one how proud you are of them! And if there is a “below grade level” anywhere, contact your child’s teacher. This side of the report card is just as important (if not more so) as the academic side. Work out a plan NOW to help your child before things get out of hand. Again, your little one’s teacher will welcome your input and have specific suggestions to help your child.

   Hopefully report card time will always be a happy one that you and your child will look forward to. If not, they have you and their teacher to help fix it! Take Care. 😀

Report Cards

Post 156

Report cards should be coming out soon or they already have. They are meant to tell you how your child is doing academically and socially in school. And the first thing to do is to read them! I know that sounds pretty basic but I have had parents tell me at the end of the school year that they never looked at their child’s card. That’s something I find unbelievable. Teachers spend a lot of time and thought on them. We gauge each child’s progress so families will know if there is a problem anywhere. If there is, the idea is to take care of it now and not wait until the end of the school year and panic. They are also meant to let you know if your little student is on track or even above average in some areas. So, please, check out your child’s report card online or pull it out of the backpack. It’s important information. 😀

If there is a place where a grade is “below average”, check with the teacher on what exactly that means and how to help your child. You are not being a “pain”. Educators truly welcome concerned inquiries. We are here to help all students and to work together with you to have your particular student succeed. We are in this together. Your child’s teacher really knows them by now and will have specific ways to move your son/daughter along. So email or set up a conference.

If your little one is above average in some areas that’s great! Relish the fact that they have excelled and tell them how proud you are. Keep up whatever you are doing to support your little learner at home. Obviously, it’s working!😀

Most students are in the “at grade level” range. And that’s terrific.It means your student is right where they should be. Everything is going well and they are moving along as expected. I know that can sometimes seem a little flat. But a lot of effort goes into being “at grade level”. It’s not easy to achieve so, again, let your student know how proud you are of them and keep on doing whatever you can to support them.

And please really look at the social development side of your child’s report card. Think back to September and the concerns you had about your child starting school…would they make friends, feel comfortable in a classroom, listen to the teacher, be able to sit still, etc. So much growth has taken place since then. By now they should be sharing, thinking of others, listening, contributing to class discussions, etc. That’s all so important. It’s the base for your child’s whole time in school. Again, bring up any concerns with the teacher, but if there is an “above grade level” or its equivalent there, be really proud. Your little one is doing just fine!😀

Take Care.😀

• Any thoughts or questions about a specific grade? Please post in the comments. Thanks.:)

Conferences

Post 146

Conferences in your child’s school should be coming up. This is when you have an assigned time to meet with the teacher to discuss your child’s progress both academically and socially.

A lot of parents of first time students are worried that they will be “those parents’ if they ask questions when meeting with their child’s teacher. Don’t be! No teacher is ever upset with parents who are legitimately concerned with their little one’s progress. That’s what we are there for…to help children learn and grow in school.

Of course, don’t present your questions in a hostile manner. Make your tone more how can we help our child at home to get the most from his/her in-school experience rather than an accusatory one. You can certainly ask questions about how your child is learning and how certain subjects are taught. I would encourage you to ask questions about anything that is worrying you about your child’s education.

My suggestion is that you bring a list of concerns. Listen to what your son’s/daughter’s teacher has to say first. Many of those questions will probably be answered. Then bring up anything that is still on your mind. For example, if you know your little student needs a push to feel confident enough to attempt something new, tell the teacher. School works best when it is a partnership between parents (caretakers) and teachers (and sometimes administrators) to help students get the most out of it. You know your child best and teachers appreciate a heads up.

If you run out of time ask to set up a meeting or phone call with your little one’s teacher in the next few days to continue to talk further about your child. Most conferences are scheduled one after the other and don’t always leave time for the type of in depth conversation you’d like to have if you have academic or social concerns. Again, no one will think you are a pain. This is all part of getting to know a student and providing him/her with the best possible education.

All of this applies to social as well as academic concerns. Either way, try to leave with a plan in place to move your child along. Possibly set up a way to check in with the teacher on how your little one is doing so things can be fine tuned if necessary.

This is the time to make sure things are on track in school. Don’t leave it until later in the year . By then it may be too late to catch up. Again, no one will be put out by questions from concerned parents. Conferences are meant to be a time of collaboration between home and school. We all want the same thing for your child…a happy and productive school year.😀

Take Care.

Progress Reports

Post 85

Lately I’ve been writing a lot about the emotional side of  your son/daughter’s school life. But at this time of year, progress reports (commonly known as report cards  🙂 ) are probably going to be distributed soon. So I think we need to pay attention to academics this week.

In Preschool, the emphasis is usually on social abilities. In Kindergarten and First Grade, that is still important, very important, but academic progress is equally so. March is usually a time of great growth, especially in Kindergarten. The children are used to routines, have made friends, are comfortable in school, and it seems as if everything gels. The learning they have been exposed to all year comes together and suddenly they begin to “fly”. It’s very exciting as a teacher and satisfying as a parent to see your little one really put it all together. Keep encouraging your son/daughter by hanging up those projects on the refrigerator, reading together, checking homework, etc. In other words, keep doing what you have been doing.

So what should you expect with this progress report? In my district, they are online at a certain time for parents to view. Please look at it! I know it seems unbelievable, but I have had parents who never check their child’s report card. One told me, “I figured you would tell me if there was anything wrong.” Of course, if there was anything super out of place, your child’s teacher would contact you. But don’t just go by that. Your son/daughter’s progress report is a snapshot of how he/she is doing academically and socially. We teachers put a lot of time into them, often sweating over what grade to give a student. Please take the time to review it. Some schools may also have a parent/teacher conference scheduled. If so, go to it if you possibly can. Have any concerns in mind and bring them up. Listen to what your child’s teacher has to say about him/her. Follow any suggestions and give feedback as to how they go.

If, after reviewing your child’s report, you have concerns or questions, please contact your child’s teacher. It is never a bother and educators welcome parents’ involvement. Remember, we are both there for the same purpose….your child. At this time of year, check what reading level your Kindergartener (First Grader) is on. Although the adage is that “everyone is reading by Second Grade”, there are goals set for the end of each grade level. See where your son/daughter is and if there is anything you can do to help or enhance his/her reading.

As always, if you have any thoughts/question, please post them in the comments. Also, check out posts #25 and #54 for more thoughts on report cards.

Take Care.  🙂