Report Cards

Report cards were never my favorite part of school. I used to dread when my parents would have back-to-school-night to go and speak with my teachers and get my report card. I was always so nervous and I didn't have a reason to be because I always did well in school, I just worried over nothing and I thing many children have this feeling. It's not like college where you have more control over your grades that you earn because in high school, and college you know when you are having a test or quiz whereas in elementary school it is sometimes sprung upon you without knowing. I used to feel it was not a fair evaluation/assessment. I also used to think how important the letter grades were, for example for outstanding work you would receive an "A" and for poor work you would get an "F." What a great way to make children hate those letters that represented poor or failing marks.

In today's schools there are many methods to communicate with students and parents and to keep records of students' s achievement. There are several methods when reporting student progress depending on the grade level. For example, letter grades may be used for those in the upper elementary, junior high, and high school levels. besides report cards many teachers will use progress reports to assess their students on a monthly basis, or for the younger children, a weekly basis.

Report cards will always exist and they will always make some children out their worry and nervous, but the purpose of them is still needed and the purpose of report cards will always give the parent and child a broad sense of their achievement and a better understanding of where improvement is needed.