It's report card time in our house. When I was a kid, it used to be a stressful time.... a bit of a "day of reckoning" and proof that my hard work (or lack thereof) was paying off (or not). Now, notsomuch.
I'm going to be a bit honest here, and you tell me if I'm wrong in the comments, okay? For the average kid in elementary or middle school, I don't think parents view report cards today as seriously as our parents did in the past because the report cards are so wishy-washy that it's hard to tell if your child is actually exceeding when you are trying to determine if "performing at grade level" is good or bad. In our coveted parent-teacher conferences, you really have to come prepared with questions if you want to glean the information that YOU want to know about your tween's school performance.
For example, my fourth grade daughter has had a perpetual report card over the past four years. "A pleasure to have in class" type comment plus the average "S for satisfactory" across the board, pretty much. Don't worry, be happy? I guess so. It's pretty nondescript. My middleschooler likes to keep me guessing - 90s in classes he likes; 70s-80s in classes he doesn't.
What's a parent to THINK about report card time? Day of reckoning or rewarding, or just another school day?
I've found a few tips to help your monkey shine, and please share tips of your own in the comments:
-- My own top tip: we have a mantra to "try your best to be your best" and everything falls under that... I'm no Tiger Mom, but I do come down hard when effort is not apparent.
-- Be sure to know what to expect from your child's teachers before the school year begins. School orientation is usually helpful, but teachers can always meet with you privately to answer questions.
-- Make a "cheat sheet" of your child's teachers' email addresses or make sure they are saved in your email address book so you can shoot them quick questions as you think of them.
-- Make sure your child is aware of all the benefits of being a good student - and let him/her know what the consequences of lazy study habits will be if grades start slipping.
-- Prioritize the after-school activities and clubs - overscheduling your child is not a badge of honor, it is a curse. (Heard those moms on the sidelines brag about how Johnny has something every day this week...?)
-- Make sure your child eats breakfast every day.
-- Make sure your child brings a healthy snack and water to school every day - even middle school kids have had shorter and short lunch times, and gravitate to fast food and junk food after school when they are famished.
-- Create a designated homework area and check supplies frequently, not just the first day of school.
-- Lastly, don't back down on this one: NO distractions (we call them all "screens") until homework is done. I love when my kids can continue the school momentum, grab a snack and crank out all their homework, then have the evenings to relax and be kids. We try to finish all homework by 6p. You?
2 comments:
Julie- I tend to agree with the "don't worry, be happy" mentality as long as you are sure your students are doing the best they can. Personally, I don't think it's anything to lose sleep over til high school, when it really starts to "count." As for getting homework done- that would depend on theit working style. My middle schooler gets it done as soon as he gets home but my 3rd grader likes to relax and eat...and then do homwork. Whatever works. :)
I have a no D's no F's policy. i figure i need to not stress her out especially when we are on a weird grading system unlike the one i grew up with. Here a 92 is a B and a 76 is a D. so i still give her a pass on 1 D but not more.
I Don't reward report cards though, i try to keep it as low stress as possible.
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