Blog
Report Card Time – It’s not about you, it’s about me!
- 21 June, 2016
- Posted by: Katrina Casey
- Category: School
Word on the street is, it’s REPORT CARD time!
Oh how I remember the anticipation of those neatly folded cards, spruiking the virtues of my good parenting for the past six months, and how my intelligence is reflected in the children’s grades, except for maybe science, but then I don’t care about science, so why would anyone else? Oh wait a minute, well above class level in Science, below year level in English – WHAT????
Oh, that’s right, it’s not about me, it’s about you! How funny as mothers, we always seem to think that our children’s report cards are a direct reflection on us, even though it isn’t!!
A report card is just that – a report on your child’s progress and learning at that point in time, and it is only relevant for that point of time! A report card should never define a child’s capabilities or future achievements, nor is it intended too. A report card is not about us, or our parenting skills, or our intelligence, or our great or low expectations, it is about our child.
So, I think that there are three important things to take from your child’s report card:
1. Their ability in each Learning Area – and yes, Achieving at Year Level (a C standard) is perfectly acceptable;
2. their attitude to learning; and
3. their social skills.
And there are three times to be concerned about your child’s report card:
1. They are achieving at below year level expectations and there has been no improvement, and/or this is a huge shock to you;
2. they are not engaged in learning; and
3. they have trouble socialising in general, (not just having problems with one or two children)
So what can you do, if you are concerned?
First and foremost, talk to your teacher. They are there to help, and the teachers I know, are dedicated professionals, who, like you, want the best for your child’s learning. Find out what they have planned, and how you can supplement this at home.
And if you need some external help, you know where to find me!
Cheers,
Katrina
PS If it makes you feel better, no one has asked to see my children’s report cards since leaving school, ever!! So if you have any bad reports cards, just file them away, lost forever, and move on.