Making the Best of a ‘Bad’ Report Card

Nov 17, 2009

By Amanda Dervaitis, B.Ed.

Your child has just received a disappointing report card. You may have known that your child was having difficulty, but did not realize the extent of their troubles. Or maybe you were hoping that this time it would be different, and he or she would do better. The report card is part of a larger support strategy that makes you an active participant in your child’s education. Get the most out of your child’s report card and learn exactly what to look for so you can help them get on track for success at school now, and for years to come.

Read all comments carefully. The comments written for a given subject may give a good explanation for the grade received. If your child seems to have an unexpected grade, a missed assignment or a high number of absences, rather than a difficulty with the subject itself, could be the reason. The comments can sometimes be technical and difficult to understand since they speak to specific curriculum objectives so be sure to write down any questions you have and ask your child’s teacher to clarify.

Look for clues in language skills to get to the root of a reoccurring problem. Language skills need to be strong in order to think about all other areas of curriculum. If reading and writing grades are low, all other class marks will likely follow suit. If reading comprehension is weak, for example, your child will most certainly have trouble understanding what is being taught in Science or History. If this is the case, building language skills should be a goal for your child. Discuss with the teacher how you can work together to help your child develop these skills. Once language skills are at an appropriate level, your child will experience more success in all other classes.

Carefully consider your child’s learning skills. Like language skills, learning skills are crucial for school success. Look to the ‘Learning Skills’ section at the end of the report card for indications of deeper problems. Skills such as independent work, use of information, problem solving or goal setting will be necessary for success regardless of the subject. A ‘needs improvement’ or ‘satisfactory’ score in any of these areas implies a bigger problem that will need to be addressed.

Once you have identified why your child is struggling to get higher grades, you can move forward to get them the help they need. Speak with the teacher to see if support can be offered through the school. If reoccurring difficulties have been holding your child back year after year, it may be time to consider help from supplemental programs or tutors outside of school.

Thanks to contributing author Amanda Dervaitis. Amanda has been an educator for 9 years and is the director at Oxford Learning in High Park. For information about exam preparation programs call the Oxford Learning Centre at 416-762-4447.

Email this Article

Comments(0)