My girls received their report cards this week. I always tell myself that this is just a number or, in Mea's case, a letter. Is this how I truly feel? I don't want my kids to feel as though they need to achieve a certain percentage. Why? Because I know they work hard to achieve the mark they get. I try to work with them from day to day, to help them understand what they are learning in school, along with helping them in real life. First of all, if I start putting pressure on them to attain a certain goal, I would personally approach it with too much aggression, because I'm very competitive. Also, at this point, I don't think a number on a report card tells us anything we haven't already established since the beginning of the year.
At my daughters school the professors take the time to evaluate each presentation, each report. It is just a check in a table that is stapled to the front of a test or paper or presentation. It provides basic information on the effort made for each skill. I assume this process is easy for a teacher and it is insightful for me. It helps me understand where improvements need to be made but is not negative.
Chloe's report card is presented as a percentage. She does understand percentages; I'm not sure she really needs to compare herself to her classmates. And she knows where she needs to improve, but she understands this from the work we do at home. The class average is there for the parents, so we can be proud of our kids for being above average. Does this create a false sense of accomplishment for a student?
What if your child is not above the class average? The student who doesn't work hard, who spirit may already be broken, who is just plain lazy. Is a percentage going to inspire them to work harder? Or just convince them they are beyond hope. How do you feel about this percentage comparison? How do you react; what do you say to your child? It's still just a number. They are still learning each day, they are still progressing, we are still helping them answer those questions!
I think reports cards are required and can be stimulating for students, but if you just receive a percentage with a cut and paste comment or two, where is the focus for the child? It's on the number and how they compare to the rest of the students. The focus is not on the improvements your child has made, the areas they enjoy learning or the fact that they have a bad attitude towards french and tend to give up a little too quickly when a test question poses a problem.....as in the case of Chloe.
We are also lucky that the teachers take 15 minutes during report card week to meet with parents. The only downside to this for me would be the language barrier. Both my husband and I go to the meeting, but he doesn't focus on the same details I would if I could understand the details the teacher was talking about. And I am the one that does homework each night.
This is just the beginning, the primary grades. My goal is to make school enjoyable, to ensure the enthusiasm is there each day before my girls get on the bus, and to help certify that the work laid out by the teacher is understood, on some level. What is the answer to the report card.....? I have no idea. What is the difference between a b+ and an a-, no idea. Percentages are more precise, but in the end will this years professor grade the same as next years? I know with certainty that Chloe loves math, loves reading, and needs to learn to spell. Beyond that, I hope my girls are happy with the work they do each day.
Do the report cards you receive include comments on life's most important skills; self-respect, self-love, independence, balance and generosity....?
