Parents, do you actually care about report cards?

[waltskids]

Wait! You still hand write report cards???? That must be alot of work. The district where DH and I work and many around us have been using computerized report cards for years now, even in the younger grades. My mom did love those teacher comments when I was younger.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

we take them very seriously! I would rather have the truth than have it "softened". I would not have a problem with the first version of the comments. It isn't that bad and I would want to know this information!

we sit and go over it with our DD - both where she is doing well and has improved - and where she could be doing better. The teachers often suggest what we could be doing more of , etc at home. We take that seriously as well. Effort is more important than the final grade - and I would want to know where she is not doing her best!

 

[scrapquitler]

Honestly, NO. When my kid was in school, I didn't need to see the report card to know how she was doing, because I already knew...because I looked at her papers every day, and I sometimes talked to the teacher whenever I had a concern or an issue. The more important thing was the conference, not the report card. There is no reason any parent shouldn't know ahead of time what the report card will say, or have ANY surprise at all about the report card.

 

[TwinsinCA]

There is no reason any parent shouldn't know ahead of time what the report card will say, or have ANY surprise at all about the report card.

I disagree.

For one thing, we are not given everything back. I have not seen one math homework paper back since they switched math teachers. We've seen the tests, but not the homework. There are vocab tests I know they took, but I've never seen. There are writing prompts -- worth 20% of the writing grade that I have never seen. And even if you get everything back, it isn't clear exactly how everything is weighted or what category it falls into. I have helped grade a page that I would have thought to be part of their social studies grade yet it went into reading.

I am in the classroom once a week and I probably see more than most parents, but even with that I can't tell with any certainty what my kids will end up with. I have an idea. But I could be off by a letter grade very easily.

 

[freckles and boo]

Honestly, NO. When my kid was in school, I didn't need to see the report card to know how she was doing, because I already knew...because I looked at her papers every day, and I sometimes talked to the teacher whenever I had a concern or an issue. The more important thing was the conference, not the report card. There is no reason any parent shouldn't know ahead of time what the report card will say, or have ANY surprise at all about the report card.

This is true for me as well. All of my fourth grader's graded work is sent home in a folder every Friday. I have to sign the folder and send it back (with the papers) Monday morning. The folder has a space to note missing assignments and for comments to and from the teacher. We are well aware of how she is doing when the report card comes home. The conference is the time to get to the nitty gritty if there are issues.

For my younger daughter, who is in second grade, we also see the papers weekly but because she is in a special ed we have almost daily communication with the teacher. She won't receive letter grades until next year anyway.

HOWEVER, I do appreciate everything teachers do, including managing the report cards!!!

 

[Ember]

First of all it is your job and you get PAID to do it, so I don't know why you would complain-it's not like report cards are a SURPRISE to the job description.

As a parent, I want written comments from the teacher and it is really lazy when that area is just left BLANK. I know how my children are doing, but I want the teacher to put forth the effort that they are required to do.

My post was intended to be lighthearted, I really don't mind the time at all. I know perfectly well that report cards are part of my job.

Wait! You still hand write report cards???? That must be alot of work. The district where DH and I work and many around us have been using computerized report cards for years now, even in the younger grades. My mom did love those teacher comments when I was younger.

No, it's all computerized. We're not cave people here in Canada, you know!

I do spend time on the comments though, as the whole "exceed standard" or "meets standard" or "has yet to meet standard" is, in my opinion, pretty useless. So for each subject I tried to highlight strengths and any areas of weakness and I tried to be as specific as possible. There should be no surprises to parents, though, because any actual concerns (either academic or behavioral) were addressed long ago.

Thanks to all the posters who took my post in the playful manner intended, and for saying exactly what I wanted to hear! Much appreciated! Happy report card season, all!

 

[Micca]

Our DDs are grown now and are doing well. Report cards are significant, but they are only one indicator of progress.

 

[minniebeth]

It's funny that I was reading this thread today and forgot that report cards come home today.
OP, as I taught years ago before kids, I know how much effort is put into doing report cards and want to thank you
I do know pretty much where my kids are and know the teachers work hard but put little value into their actual report cards, as we have the "exceeds" "meets" or "does not meet" the standard. Fine for elementary grades, but we have the same system for the middle school (DD12 is in 7th grade) which by me and pretty much every other parent, is useless. Plus, there are few concrete objectives and many times the evaluations are quite subjective. I look at their work and tests carefully and kind of come up with my own measurement of evaluation and look more at what's been learned rather than a grade.

I was a little when my DD7's teacher said on her report card that her spelling has greatly improved from last year (she had the same teacher last year). Hmmm....she pretty much got all 100's on her spelling tests last year and have every one in a folder. Have to ask about that one at conferences!

Thanks to all teachers for the daunting task of report cards! And even moreso for the usual parent-teacher conferences that follow. Not easy!

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I do read report cards, generally find them informative, and do like reading the teacher comments. But you can kind of tell that a lot of comments are pretty much <insert name here>. Particularly for Kindergaretn ... my DD's teacher has 46 students (am and pm) and has to comment on the progress of each student in a dozen different areas. I mean, how many ways can you say that Johnny follows directions at centers???

I still have my final Kindergarten report card - it's kind of funny to look back and see that my problems "playing quietly" have dated back 32 years. I still have to remind myself to keep my lips zipped.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Wait! You still hand write report cards???? That must be alot of work. The district where DH and I work and many around us have been using computerized report cards for years now, even in the younger grades. My mom did love those teacher comments when I was younger.

Yeah, in our district, the report cards are computerized. There are codes for about 20 different stock comments the teacher can add to explain the overall grade. It would be codes like "Excels in subject matter" or "Test scores low" or "Disruptive in class" or "Participates in classroom discussions."

Honestly, NO. When my kid was in school, I didn't need to see the report card to know how she was doing, because I already knew...because I looked at her papers every day, and I sometimes talked to the teacher whenever I had a concern or an issue. The more important thing was the conference, not the report card. There is no reason any parent shouldn't know ahead of time what the report card will say, or have ANY surprise at all about the report card.

I disagree with this post. For one thing, the report card is retained as part of a student's records. You might feel that you're getting more info out of the parent/teacher conference, but oral conferences generally do not become part of your child's school records.

As my child ages, I see less and less of his actual classwork and test grades. He and his teachers are busy enough that I don't feel the need to breathe down their necks to see that stuff or even to meet with me. If his report card is decent, then I know he's doing what he needs to do in school.

OP, I think parents are very interested in hearing comments from teachers about their first grade students. It's very helpful for parents to learn about the kind of student their young child is. IMO, you're doing them a wonderful service.

 

[scottishduffy]

My parents still have some of my old report cards, and I am 28 now.

My kindergarten report card is particularly funny *because* of the truthful comments. Apparently I had a rough adjustment and my first semester talks about how I have a very hard time following direction, I talk too much, I don't play well with others, I tried giving another girl chickenpox. She said I was very smart, but used my intelligence to think of inappropriate behavior. All A's except for behavior. I was much better by the end of the year, but my mom thought the progression of my behavior and the comments would be funny as I got older. Indeed they are as we still giggle about them.

 

[Disney Doll]

I was always very "social" on report cards.

 

[Mean Queen]

If it wasn't for the truthful (but gentle) comments we read over and over in my DD's report card, we never would have suspected she had ADD. After repeated teachers commented that she talked at inappropriate times and had to be redirected often, we talked to her pediatrician. We've also kept those report cards for our beginning of the year parent/teacher conference to show the teacher we are aware of her issue, we are working on it, and here are some things that will help.

 

[Aisling]

I was always very "social" on report cards.

Does that mean you talked a lot?

 

[stczt]

Honestly, not so much. When my kids were in private school I looked at there papers every Friday when the folder was sent home I also talked to the teachers every day so I knew how things were going. Now they are in public school and I get onto the parent portal every day, most days I know what they got on a test before they get home. I know when they are tardy to a class. They know I look because I have met them at the top of the stairs before they can make it through the door and ask why they were late to a class or why they got a b on their test. Sometimes they text me during the day and ask what they got. The report card says what the internet says. But for all you teachers please during parent teacher con. know what your talking about we went to one and she double talked and came off not very smart. Had me very concerned. And whether you care about each child as if they are your own or not when talking to parents try to understand their concerns and not tell parents that a child wont die if they miss a couple meals. My son missed breakfast and lunch first day of school because they had a mess up with his schedule.