The dreaded report card… it comes whether your child wants it to or not. Hopefully the results are not a surprise and you’ve been able to see some graded assignments along the way. Whether we expect it or not, it’s never easy to see struggling grades.
Before you panic and worry about college and career prospects, take a step back and put it in perspective. If your child is elementary age, the actual grades are less important than ensuring they are building a strong foundation. During these years, children are developing skills such as following directions, behavior control and respect as well as fine motor skills such as writing and cutting. They are also building the foundation for language development and basic math skills. If your child is struggling in one of the fundamentals, establish ongoing communication with their teacher about what’s happening in the classroom and how to get them back on track as quickly as possible so they can master the basics.
During the middle school years, students begin learning independence and have additional responsibilities throughout the school day, such as changing classes. During this phase, students begin separating in their course loads for classes that are appropriately leveled for each student. This is a good time to start figuring out what track your child is on. Their grades can be a good indicator of the best level for them, but the good news is these grades don’t show up on their college transcript.
Once high school rolls along, all grades are reported on a transcript when applying for college. While that can be intimidating to some students, it is a motivator for others.
However, grades are not the only factor colleges consider when assessing applicants. While important, extracurricular activities, standardized test scores and essay submission are also part of the equation. A few bad grades does not mean your student will not be accepted to college or get a good job.
STEP ONE
Thoroughly read the whole report card on your own. Upon opening the report card, take time to read it slowly and thoroughly. Besides just looking at the grades, take time to read teacher comments and (if applicable), the grade for individual pieces that make up the final grade (homework, class participation, tests). Before discussing with your child, take time to fully digest all the information. It can be easy to see the bad grade and become immediately panicked or agitated, but it’s important to sit with it first to understand it as best you can.
STEP TWO
Consider contributing factors.
If a grade is less than stellar, consider any contributing factors. Did your child have an illness or vacation that kept them out of school for a period of time? Did they miss this particular class frequently due to sports schedules? Is this a subject they have struggled with in the past? Are there any major life circumstances that could impact schoolwork (move, divorce, death, birth of a new sibling)? Has your child mentioned this class or teacher before? If so, what was their feedback? Does your child have a learning disability? If not, do you suspect they may have one that is not yet diagnosed?
STEP THREE
Talk to your child.
When discussing academic performance with your child, it’s important to stay calm and rational. Ask as many questions as you need to understand what is happening in that subject. These questions will vary based on the specifics of the class and the grade level. Some questions might include:
• “How do you feel about this grade?”
• “Did you feel adequately prepared for tests?”
• “Did you turn in all of your homework assignments? On time?”
• “What do you feel was your biggest challenge in this class?”
• “Did you routinely participate in classroom discussion?”
• “Is there anything else going on at school (or elsewhere in life) that’s affecting your ability to concentrate?”
STEP FOUR
Talk to the teacher.
Once you’ve talked to your child, it might be time to discuss with the teacher. Ask the teacher what they’re seeing at school. Is your child actively engaged? Could they improve their grade by better adherence to homework? What’s the best way to study for a test in their class? Does your child seem lost? Does the teacher have office hours? Do they have any tips or suggestions for how your child could improve? Does the school offer peer or adult tutoring?
STEP FIVE
Create a plan for improvement.
Working with your child (and potentially the teacher), create a strategy for how to improve in that class. If the teacher has office hours, encourage your child to visit the teacher during that time and ask questions. If homework was part of the problem, ensure that your child does their homework every night and turns it in on time. Have them review their study notes or study procedure with the teacher before a test. Quiz them when studying.
Ensure your child has the tools they need to be successful. While the goal is improvement in a class, be realistic in your expectations. If they earned a “D” on this report card, they aren’t likely to bump up to an “A” in the next grading period. Praise their effort if you see them trying. Grades are an assessment tool to demonstrate how well a student understands and applies the concepts learned in a certain class. While striving for good grades is important to create more opportunities, remember that grades aren’t the only indicator of success. Your child may learn more from the experience of overcoming an obstacle in the class than they do from the course content itself. This lesson of hard work and determination is equally important.
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