ReportWire

Tag: Grading

  • How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    by Terry Heick

    Grading problems are one of the most urgent bugaboos of good teaching.

    Grading can take an extraordinary amount of time. It can also demoralize students, get them in trouble at home, or keep them from getting into a certain college.

    It can demoralize teachers, too. If half the class is failing, any teacher worth their salt will take a long, hard look at themselves and their craft.

    So over the years as a teacher, I cobbled together a kind of system that was, most crucially, student-centered. It was student-centered in the sense that it was designed for them to promote understanding, grow confidence, take ownership, and protect themselves from themselves when they needed it.

    Some of this approach was covered in Why Did That Student Fail? A Diagnostic Approach To Teaching. See below for the system–really, just a few rules I created that, while not perfect, went a long way towards eliminating the grading problems in my classroom.

    Which meant students weren’t paralyzed with fear when I asked them to complete increasingly complex tasks they were worried were beyond their reach. It also meant that parents weren’t breathing down my neck ‘about that C-‘ they saw on Infinite Campus, and if both students and parents are happy, the teacher can be happy, too.

    How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    1. I chose what to grade carefully.

    When I first started teaching, I thought in terms of ‘assignments’ and ‘tests.’ Quizzes were also a thing.

    But eventually I started thinking instead in terms of ‘practice’ and ‘measurement.’ All assessment should be formative, and the idea of ‘summative assessment’ makes as much sense as ‘one last teeth cleaning.’

    The big idea is what I often call a ‘climate of assessment,’ where snapshots of  student understanding and progress are taken in organic, seamless, and non-threatening ways. Assessment is ubiquitous and always-on.

    A ‘measurement’ is only one kind of assessment, and even the word implies ‘checking in on your growth’ in the same way you measure a child’s vertical growth (height) by marking the threshold in the kitchen. This type of assessment provides both the student and teacher a marker–data, if you insist–of where the student ‘is’ at that moment with the clear understanding that another such measurement will be taken soon, and dozens and dozens of opportunities to practice in-between.

    Be very careful with what you grade, because it takes time and mental energy–both finite resources crucial to the success of any teacher. If you don’t have a plan for the data before you give the assessment, don’t give it, and certainly don’t call it a quiz or a test.

    2. I designed work to be ‘published’

    I tried to make student products–writing, graphic organizers, podcasts, videos, projects, and more–at the very least visible to the parents of students. Ideally, this work would also be published to peers for feedback and collaboration, and then to the public at large to provide some authentic function in a community the student cares about.

    By making student work public (insofar as it promoted student learning while protecting any privacy concerns), the assessment is done in large part by the people the work is intended for. It’s authentic, which makes the feedback loop quicker and more diverse than one teacher could ever hope to make it.

    What this system loses in expert feedback that teacher might be able to give (though nothing says it can’t both be made public and benefit from teacher feedback), it makes up for in giving students substantive reasons to do their best work, correct themselves, and create higher stands for quality than your rubric outlined.

    3. I made a rule: No Fs and no zeroes. A, B, C, or ‘Incomplete’

    First, I created a kind of no-zero policy. Easier said than done depending on who you are and what you teach and what the school ‘policy’ is and so on. The idea here, though, is to keep zeroes from mathematically ruining a student’s ‘final grade.’

    I try to explain to students that a grade should reflect understanding, not their ability to successfully navigate the rules and bits of gamification stuffed into most courses and classrooms. If a student receives a D letter grade, it should be because they have demonstrated an almost universal inability to master any content, not because they got As and Bs on most work they cared about but Cs or lower on the work they didn’t, and with a handful of zeroes thrown in for work they didn’t complete ended up with a D or an F.

    Another factor at work here is marking work with an A, B, C, or ‘Incomplete.’ Put another way, if the student didn’t at least achieve the average mark of C, which should reflect average understanding of a given standard or topic, I would mark it ‘Incomplete,’ give them clear feedback on how it could be improved, and then require them to do so.

    4. I went over missing assignments frequently.

    Simple enough. I had a twitter feed of all ‘measurements’ (work they knew that counted towards their grade), so they didn’t have to ask ‘what they were missing’ (though they did anyway). I also wrote it on the board (I had a huge whiteboard that stretched across the front of the classroom).

    5. I created alternative assessments.

    Early on in teaching, I noticed students saying, in different ways, that they ‘got it but don’t all the way get it.’ Or that they believed that they did, in fact, ‘get it’ but not the way the assessment required (reminder: English Lit/ELA is a highly conceptual content area aside of the skills of literacy itself).

    So I’d create an alternative assessment to check and see. Was the assessment getting in the way–obscuring more than it revealed? Why beat my head against the wall explaining the logistics of an assignment or intricacies of a question when they assignment and the question weren’t at all the points? These were just ‘things’ I used the way a carpenter uses tools.

    Sometimes it’s easier to just grab a different tool.

    I’d also ask students to create their own assessments at times. Show me you understand. It didn’t always work the way you’d expect, but I got some of the most insightful and creative expression I’ve ever seen from students using this approach. As with most things, it just depended on the student.

    6. I taught through micro-assignments.

    Exit slips were one of the the greatest things that ever happened to my teaching. I rarely used them as ‘exit tickets’ to be able to leave the classroom, but I did use them almost daily. Why?

    They gave me a constant stream of data for said ‘climate of assessment,’ and it was daily and fresh and disarming to students because they knew it was quick and if they failed, another one would be coming soon.

    It was a ‘student-centered’ practice because it protected them. They had so many opportunities and, math-wise, so many scores that unless they failed everything every day, they wouldn’t ‘fail’ at all. And if they were,

    I could approach a single standard or topic from a variety of angles and complexities and Bloom’s levels and so on, which often showed that the student that ‘didn’t get it’ last week more likely just ‘didn’t get’ my question.

    In other words, they hadn’t failed my assessment; my assessment had failed them because it had failed to uncover what they, in fact, knew.

    7. I used diagnostic teaching 

    You can read more about diagnostic teaching but the general idea is that I had a clear sequence I used that I communicated very clearly to the students and their families. It usually took the first month or two for everyone to become comfortable with it all, but once I did, grading problems were *almost* completely eliminated. Problems still surfaced but with a system in place, it was much easier to identify exactly what went wrong and why and communicate it all to the stakeholders involved in helping support children.

    Terrell Heick

    Source link

  • No love for ‘no zero’ grading policy at Manassas town hall – WTOP News

    The Manassas City Public Schools grading scale was a hot-button issue at the School Board’s community town hall Sept. 11, with parents asking the board to reverse the division’s “no zero” policy.

    The Manassas City Public Schools grading scale was a hot-button issue at the School Board’s community town hall Sept. 11, with parents asking the board to reverse the division’s “no zero” policy.

    The School Board implemented a 50-100 grading scale and a no-zero policy in the 2021-22 school year. At the town hall, which covered four key topics, parents resoundingly rejected the grading policy. Other topics included the school system’s calendar, communications and school day start and end times.

    After a brief breakdown of the four topics, attendees of the town hall broke out into small discussion groups. Those who sat in the discussion group on the grading policy, hosted by School Board Chair Suzanne Seaberg and board member Sara Brescia, did not mince words on the policy.

    One parent, Ryan Steinbach, recalled the most recent time the board voted on the grading policy, which resulted in a 5-2 vote to maintain the current grading scale. The board at the time decided it needed more evidence the policy was not working.

    Steinbach provided his own evidence of what he views as the scale’s failure.

    “Years of provisional accreditation, years of academic performance that is well below that of our peers who have the same demographics as us, years of just kids being checked out and parent-teacher conferences …where the teachers are blaming the no-zero policy,” he said. “We are failing on every level.”

    While Brescia has long been critical of the grading policy, Seaberg defended it – causing friction with many of the parents in attendance. Seaberg said she thinks differently as a parent than as a School Board member.

    As chair of the board, she said, her No. 1 priority is student outcomes. When it comes to outcomes, Seaberg said, if a student has a bad first quarter and receives multiple zeroes, “they may never be able to bring that grade up.”

    Others in the group argued that’s not necessarily true and pointed out students are given opportunities for reattempts.

    Steinbach added there’s one key piece missing from the argument for a no-zero policy.

    “One thing I think that is fundamentally missing from your philosophy is that there’s value in failure. We learn from failure, and we learn, ‘Oh my god, I can fail,’” Steinbach said. “We don’t allow a kid to experience that. If we convince them that they can’t fail, then we are putting them into a college system where they will fail.”

    Steinbach, speaking directly to Seaberg, said he didn’t believe she would “do this” to her own children, and therefore she shouldn’t “do that to the children we put in your care.”

    Ultimately, Seaberg said, parents can always set their own expectations for their children and decide what is best for them.

    “Because I expect certain things from my kids, just like you all expect things from your kids, and there’s nothing holding you back from expecting more than what this grading policy is,” Seaberg said.

    Brescia, along with parents in the small group, said there is – and should be in the policy – a distinction between a zero that’s “earned” through earnest effort and one that’s received for zero effort and not turning in work.

    Brescia added she’s not aware of any school division that moved to a 50-100 grading scale and maintained a no-zero policy for no effort. Fairfax County was previously a 50-100 scale and no zero at all, but it has reintroduced a zero if no effort is made on the assignment after two weeks.

    “I’m truly not aware of anybody who doesn’t recognize the distinction between these two,” Brescia said.

    ‘Exhausted’ teachers

    Karen Huff, a retired teacher of 35 years in the school division, told InsideNoVa teachers are exhausted – in part, because of policies such as this one.

    Huff, who taught elementary school, said the grading policy is failing even the youngest kids in the school system.

    “You don’t teach children how to live and how to grow by making everything easy for them,” she said. “I’m 66 years old. The reason I can be what I am now is because of the struggles that I made.”

    Huff clarified, though, she never made things easy for her students.

    “I went and told them, ‘Sometimes you fall, but you got to get back up.’ Because it’s not the failing that’s the problem, it’s the staying down that’s the problem,” she said.

    During the meeting’s question-and-answer session, the grading policy remained the largest point of discussion.

    Steinbach asked the board what evidence the board used to support the change to the no-zero policy and what evidence is the board “clinging to” that supports keeping this policy.

    Board member Lisa Stevens said she wants certain guarantees before agreeing to change the policy.

    “I would want to be able to guarantee that changing the policy wouldn’t result in higher absenteeism rates, lower on-time graduation rates and lower SOL scores,” Stevens said. “We don’t have evidence that says that won’t happen if you change the policy.”

    To the idea the board would seek guarantees before reversing the no-zero policy, Brescia said there’s almost no way to make decisions with guarantees.

    “That’s an extremely high and unreasonable standard … we don’t set that standard for anything else,” Brecia said.

    Jeffery Leon

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  • New year, new policies on grades, student conduct and phones in Montgomery Co. schools – WTOP News

    The more than 160,000 students returning to Montgomery County Public Schools are free to use their phones on the way to and from school, but during this new school year, they’ll find new rules in place.

    From saving on school supplies to the impact of federal cuts, the WTOP team is studying up on hot-button topics in education across the D.C. region. Follow on air and online in our series, “WTOP Goes Back to School” this August and September.

    The more than 160,000 students returning to Montgomery County Public Schools are free to use their phones on the way to and from school, but during this new school year, they’ll find new rules in place.

    For elementary and middle school students, phones must be put away during class, when changing classes and at lunch.

    High school students will be able to fire up their phones during lunch and between classes, but when classes get underway, they have to switch them off.

    Once on the bus at the end of the school day, students in all grades will be able to use their phones.

    New grading guidelines

    When teachers start grading assignments, students will also encounter new rules. To get a 50% mark on their work, students will have to go beyond making an effort — teachers will have to see progress on the assignment for a student to earn a 50% grade.

    The final grade for a class will be calculated with the averages of numeric grades the student earned in each marking period. For classes that last one semester, the same metric will be used for the two marking periods in the semester.

    There will also be — in some, not all classes — “summative assessments,” tests or projects that can make up 10% of a student’s grade for the second and fourth marking period.

    Teachers will also be required to provide chances for a minimum of two reassessments. The county is also introducing deadlines for late work and for grading. Late work by students has to be submitted 10 school days after the original due date.

    Teachers will also have to make sure their grades are submitted in a timely fashion. They’ll have 10 days from the due date to return graded work to students.

    An updated student code of conduct is emphasizing student accountability. Among the notable changes: The county has escalated the severity of penalties for particular violations for the most serious infractions, including drug possession, bomb threats and attacks on students and staff.

    New ‘refrigerator curriculum’

    In the weekly briefing held by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Superintendent Thomas Taylor fielded questions and was asked about some of the infrastructure issues in the school system.

    With more than 200 buildings to manage in the district, Taylor said, “Our HVAC situation is not great in Montgomery County Public Schools. We have about 40 of our 230 campuses that we manage, and about 40 of them are really on chewing gum and duct tape.”

    But he said the issues in those schools are “fixable” and are being remediated.

    Taylor also talked about the new “refrigerator curriculum” that the school system will make available to parents. At the start of each marking period, parents will be able to download a one-page summary of the nine-week education plans. If they object to content based on religious grounds, they can have their child opt out and get an alternate assignment.

    The move follows a Supreme Court ruling ordering that schools provide alternative lesson plans when parents object on religious grounds.

    Taylor said the lead time gives “time to digest what their children would be reading and what their children will be talking about in class.”

    There are subjects that are not in place in classrooms yet, but are being explored, Taylor said. One has to do with AI.

    “We introduced a couple of things to our principals about a week ago — some different ways to think about mathematics instruction as well as creative writing instruction, and classroom lesson planning that I hope will really catch fire and inspire our educators to lead with this passion,” he said.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Kate Ryan

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  • How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    by Terry Heick

    Grading problems are one of the most urgent bugaboos of good teaching.

    Grading can take an extraordinary amount of time. It can also demoralize students, get them in trouble at home, or keep them from getting into a certain college.

    It can demoralize teachers, too. If half the class is failing, any teacher worth their salt will take a long, hard look at themselves and their craft.

    So over the years as a teacher, I cobbled together a kind of system that was, most crucially, student-centered. It was student-centered in the sense that it was designed for them to promote understanding, grow confidence, take ownership, and protect themselves from themselves when they needed it.

    Some of this approach was covered in Why Did That Student Fail? A Diagnostic Approach To Teaching. See below for the system–really, just a few rules I created that, while not perfect, went a long way towards eliminating the grading problems in my classroom.

    Which meant students weren’t paralyzed with fear when I asked them to complete increasingly complex tasks they were worried were beyond their reach. It also meant that parents weren’t breathing down my neck ‘about that C-‘ they saw on Infinite Campus, and if both students and parents are happy, the teacher can be happy, too.

    How I Eliminated (Almost) All Grading Problems In My Classroom

    1. I chose what to grade carefully.

    When I first started teaching, I thought in terms of ‘assignments’ and ‘tests.’ Quizzes were also a thing.

    But eventually I started thinking instead in terms of ‘practice’ and ‘measurement.’ All assessment should be formative, and the idea of ‘summative assessment’ makes as much sense as ‘one last teeth cleaning.’

    The big idea is what I often call a ‘climate of assessment,’ where snapshots of  student understanding and progress are taken in organic, seamless, and non-threatening ways. Assessment is ubiquitous and always-on.

    A ‘measurement’ is only one kind of assessment, and even the word implies ‘checking in on your growth’ in the same way you measure a child’s vertical growth (height) by marking the threshold in the kitchen. This type of assessment provides both the student and teacher a marker–data, if you insist–of where the student ‘is’ at that moment with the clear understanding that another such measurement will be taken soon, and dozens and dozens of opportunities to practice in-between.

    Be very careful with what you grade, because it takes time and mental energy–both finite resources crucial to the success of any teacher. If you don’t have a plan for the data before you give the assessment, don’t give it, and certainly don’t call it a quiz or a test.

    2. I designed work to be ‘published’

    I tried to make student products–writing, graphic organizers, podcasts, videos, projects, and more–at the very least visible to the parents of students. Ideally, this work would also be published to peers for feedback and collaboration, and then to the public at large to provide some authentic function in a community the student cares about.

    By making student work public (insofar as it promoted student learning while protecting any privacy concerns), the assessment is done in large part by the people the work is intended for. It’s authentic, which makes the feedback loop quicker and more diverse than one teacher could ever hope to make it.

    What this system loses in expert feedback that teacher might be able to give (though nothing says it can’t both be made public and benefit from teacher feedback), it makes up for in giving students substantive reasons to do their best work, correct themselves, and create higher stands for quality than your rubric outlined.

    3. I made a rule: No Fs and no zeroes. A, B, C, or ‘Incomplete’

    First, I created a kind of no-zero policy. Easier said than done depending on who you are and what you teach and what the school ‘policy’ is and so on. The idea here, though, is to keep zeroes from mathematically ruining a student’s ‘final grade.’

    I try to explain to students that a grade should reflect understanding, not their ability to successfully navigate the rules and bits of gamification stuffed into most courses and classrooms. If a student receives a D letter grade, it should be because they have demonstrated an almost universal inability to master any content, not because they got As and Bs on most work they cared about but Cs or lower on the work they didn’t, and with a handful of zeroes thrown in for work they didn’t complete ended up with a D or an F.

    Another factor at work here is marking work with an A, B, C, or ‘Incomplete.’ Put another way, if the student didn’t at least achieve the average mark of C, which should reflect average understanding of a given standard or topic, I would mark it ‘Incomplete,’ give them clear feedback on how it could be improved, and then require them to do so.

    4. I went over missing assignments frequently.

    Simple enough. I had a twitter feed of all ‘measurements’ (work they knew that counted towards their grade), so they didn’t have to ask ‘what they were missing’ (though they did anyway). I also wrote it on the board (I had a huge whiteboard that stretched across the front of the classroom).

    5. I created alternative assessments.

    Early on in teaching, I noticed students saying, in different ways, that they ‘got it but don’t all the way get it.’ Or that they believed that they did, in fact, ‘get it’ but not the way the assessment required (reminder: English Lit/ELA is a highly conceptual content area aside of the skills of literacy itself).

    So I’d create an alternative assessment to check and see. Was the assessment getting in the way–obscuring more than it revealed? Why beat my head against the wall explaining the logistics of an assignment or intricacies of a question when they assignment and the question weren’t at all the points? These were just ‘things’ I used the way a carpenter uses tools.

    Sometimes it’s easier to just grab a different tool.

    I’d also ask students to create their own assessments at times. Show me you understand. It didn’t always work the way you’d expect, but I got some of the most insightful and creative expression I’ve ever seen from students using this approach. As with most things, it just depended on the student.

    6. I taught through micro-assignments.

    Exit slips were one of the the greatest things that ever happened to my teaching. I rarely used them as ‘exit tickets’ to be able to leave the classroom, but I did use them almost daily. Why?

    They gave me a constant stream of data for said ‘climate of assessment,’ and it was daily and fresh and disarming to students because they knew it was quick and if they failed, another one would be coming soon.

    It was a ‘student-centered’ practice because it protected them. They had so many opportunities and, math-wise, so many scores that unless they failed everything every day, they wouldn’t ‘fail’ at all. And if they were,

    I could approach a single standard or topic from a variety of angles and complexities and Bloom’s levels and so on, which often showed that the student that ‘didn’t get it’ last week more likely just ‘didn’t get’ my question.

    In other words, they hadn’t failed my assessment; my assessment had failed them because it had failed to uncover what they, in fact, knew.

    7. I used diagnostic teaching 

    You can read more about diagnostic teaching but the general idea is that I had a clear sequence I used that I communicated very clearly to the students and their families. It usually took the first month or two for everyone to become comfortable with it all, but once I did, grading problems were *almost* completely eliminated. Problems still surfaced but with a system in place, it was much easier to identify exactly what went wrong and why and communicate it all to the stakeholders involved in helping support children.

    Terrell Heick

    Source link

  • 168 Sample Report Card Comments To Use Right Now

    168 Sample Report Card Comments To Use Right Now

    Each progress report and report card provides an opportunity for you to give parents insight into their child’s performance beyond a letter or numerical grade for conduct or academics. Parents want to know how their child is doing, but they also want to know that you get their child. Report cards also help students understand what they are doing well … as well as areas where they could improve. The best way to get these points across is via meaningful comments. Need help? We’ve got dozens of sample report card comments below that are sorted for students at every level: emerging, developing, proficient, and extending standards, plus comments that address behavior, social skills, and more.

    Get a free Google Slide version of these comments by submitting your email.

    Tips for report card comments

    Before using the list below, it’s important to know that teacher comments should be accurate, specific, and personal. The comments below are structured to allow you to fill in the blank for a particular subject or behavior, and then expand the comment. Sometimes you might require an action like a meeting with the parent. Other times you may be encouraging the student to do something in school or at home to improve on a skill or get more practice. Either way, these sample report card comments will establish the how that attaches to the what of any number or letter grade you are documenting.

    Sample report card comments for students with emerging skills

    It’s often difficult to know the cause of why a student’s skills are still emerging. In these situations, parents can often help you get to the bottom of it. Be specific about areas of difficulty in these comments, and don’t be afraid to ask for a parent’s help. Here are some ideas:

    • Your student could use some extra practice in [subject]. Please have them study [skill] for [time] each night.
    • Your student hasn’t yet had the chance to master [specific skill]. Review sessions are available [time frame].
    • Your student may need additional assistance with [skill/subject]. Completing classwork and homework is the first step to improving.
    Your student may need additional assistance with [skill/subject]. Completing classwork and homework is the first step to improving.
    • Your student needs more practice with [specific skill]. Please check that they have completed their homework each evening.
    • We will continue focusing on reinforcing your student’s positive efforts.
    • Your student should put more effort into [subject area] to avoid incorrect or incomplete assignments.
    • Your student would benefit from more active participation in small-group activities.
    • This semester/trimester, I would like your student to work on …

    Sample report card comments to encourage a follow-up phone call

    We can think of many situations where a report card comment can be the first step in scheduling a phone call or meeting to discuss a concern. Write something positive about the child’s personality while requesting a parent meeting or phone call. Some examples are:

    • Your student is always respectful, but I am concerned about their work. When can we meet?
    • Your child is inquisitive and engaged in class, but they have quite a bit of missing work. Please call me to discuss some strategies.
    • Your child has a wonderful sense of humor/is helpful/is kind but fails to turn in their assignments. Let’s meet to come up with a plan to move forward.
    Your child has a wonderful sense of humor/is helpful/is kind but fails to turn in their assignments. Let’s meet to come up with a plan to move forward.
    • Let’s work on strategies that will help your student follow through on their assignments.

    Sample report card comments about (negative) behavior

    Parents want to know how their child has behaved, even if they are not surprised by the behavior. Behavior can be even more difficult to write about than academics. Be careful to avoid personal attacks or statements that can make the parent or child feel judged. For difficult behaviors, stick to statistics and/or basic descriptions. Try things like:

    • Your student struggles with [DESIRED behavior]. We will continue to work on this behavior at school.
    • Your child struggles with [UNDESIRABLE behavior] and needs to focus on [DESIRED behavior].
    • When your student is focused, they are a pleasure to have in class. Let’s meet to discuss strategies to keep them on track.
    • Your student often struggles to focus in class, which harms their ability to engage well with class activities and assignments.
    • [Student] is working on independent work production and staying on task.
    • [Student] often struggles to focus in class, which impacts their ability to engage in class activities.
    • I encourage [student] to use time wisely to finish tasks in a timely manner.
    • I encourage [student] to be more responsible in completing tasks without frequent reminders.
    • I encourage [student] to show that they are properly engaged in learning by improving quality of work and use of class time. Please support this at home by [idea here].
    • Your student needs to slow down in order to produce quality/carefully done work.
    Report card comment: Your student needs to slow down in order to produce quality/carefully done work.
    • Your student needs to follow classroom rules more closely throughout the school day.
    • Your student has exhibited [UNDESIRABLE behavior]. We will continue to reinforce appropriate behaviors.
    • Your student exhibited [UNDESIRABLE behavior] [this many] times this quarter. Let’s work to reduce the incidence of this behavior to [goal] times.
    • [Student] is encouraged to demonstrate more responsible attitudes and behaviors in the classroom.
    • [Student] is working on using appropriate language at all times.
    • [Student] requires encouragement to listen attentively during group instruction.
    • [Student] requires frequent reminders to remain attentive during instruction.
    • [Student] is working on voicing feelings and opinions and listening to others.

    Sample report card comments for students with developing skills

    For students who are still developing, focus on any improvement while also providing suggestions to keep the momentum going. Try these comments:

    • Your student has come so far in [subject]! Focusing on [important skill] is the next step.
    • Your student has made so much progress! They still struggle with [important skill], so that should be our next focus.
    • Your child has done well, but I am concerned that their lack of [listening/focus/motivation] has contributed to a lower grade than I know they could achieve.
    • Let’s work on motivating your student to reach their potential.
    • I would like to see your student pay closer attention to [subject/topic] in order to get a better grade.
    I would like to see your student pay closer attention to [subject/topic] in order to get a better grade.
    • If your student works as hard on [important skill] as they have worked on [improved subject], then they will be caught up in no time!
    • Your child is very engaged during whole-group [subject instruction] but struggles to work independently.
    • Your student’s persistence is exemplary.
    • When motivated, your child does well on class assignments. We need to extend that motivation further.
    • Your child has improved significantly but still needs to slow down and check their work to make sure that all answers are correct.
    • Your student is struggling to understand new concepts in [subject]. Paying closer attention to the assigned reading and class lecture would be beneficial.
    • The hard work is paying off! Let’s keep it up when we start working on [next skill].
    • Your child is enthusiastic but still doesn’t understand [topic]. Additional work on this topic would be incredibly helpful.
    Report card comment: Your child is enthusiastic but still doesn’t understand [topic]. Additional work on this topic would be incredibly helpful.
    • Your child requests a great deal of adult assistance when completing school work. Let’s work on encouraging independent work.

    Sample report card comments for students with proficient skills

    Let the parent know all the positives about their child and perhaps encourage students to dig just a little bit deeper.

    • Your student comes to school each day prepared to work hard.
    • I appreciate that your student does their best every single day.
    I appreciate that your student does their best every single day.
    • Your student is an enthusiastic member of the class and shows a willingness to learn.
    • I enjoy how invested your child is in their learning.
    • I appreciate your child’s dedication to their studies in my class.
    • Not only is your student strong academically, but they are also a leader in the classroom.
    • I appreciate that your student is always committed to doing their best.
    • Your student understands the material well. Let’s find a way to help them shine.
    • Your child has the potential to be at the top of the class.
    • With a little more effort, your child could move up to the advanced group in [the subject where effort is lacking].
    Report card comment; With a little more effort, your child could move up to the advanced group in [the subject where effort is lacking].
    • Your child puts in great work in [preferred subject]! If they apply those skills to [non-preferred subject], there’s no stopping them.
    • Your child excels at applying what they learn in the classroom to real-world and real-life situations. With a little more work, they could really go far!

    Sample report card comments for students with advanced skills

    Positive behaviors deserve just as much (if not more) attention as negative behaviors. These comments can be the most fun to write. Begin with a simple stem and then fill in the personal details that will make the parent smile. Example sentence starters are:

    • Your child exhibits exceptional focus and diligence in their work.
    • Your student is excellent at taking ownership of their learning.
    • I appreciate that your child is committed to doing their best.
    • Your student seeks new challenges.
    • Your child has a fantastic work ethic.
    • Your child exceeds expectations on a regular basis.
    • Your student avoids careless errors through attention to detail.
    Report card comments: your student avoids careless errors through attention to detail.
    • Your child sets high standards for themself and achieves them.
    • Teaching your child is always an adventure! I love it when they …
    • Your child conducts themself with maturity.
    • Your child is able to focus and stays on task during independent work times.
    • Your student uses instincts to deal with matters independently and in a positive way.
    • I have enjoyed your child’s sense of humor in our classroom, as well as …
    • Your child has an impressive understanding and knowledge about their interests.

    Sample report card comments to showcase students’ strengths

    Students who excel at helping out others deserve to have their skills mentioned in comments!

    • [Student] is confident, positive, and a great role model for their classmates.
    • [Student] is a valuable part of class. They are among the first to help and mentor classmates.
    • [Student] has shown an ability to set goals and work to achieve them.
    • [Student] is engaged and able to set their own learning targets.
    • [Student] is an active participant. They listen attentively and make an effort to avoid distractions that could disrupt their learning.
    • [Student] is accountable for their actions and takes opportunities to improve.
    • [Student] relates well to classmates and appreciates peers’ perspectives.
    • [Student] demonstrates emotional maturity and responds appropriately to feedback.
    • [Student] always looks for ways to be helpful in the classroom.
    • [Student] is dependable and reliable and follows through on commitments.
    • Your student relates well to classmates and is appreciative of different perspectives and experiences.
    Report card comments: Your student relates well to classmates and is appreciative of different perspectives and experiences.
    • It is a joy teaching your student! I can always count on them to …
    • Your child makes the classroom a brighter place. They often …
    • Your student’s conduct is exemplary. They …
    • Your student works well with classmates and often takes a leadership role.
    • Not only is your child a strong student, but they are also a wonderful human being.
    • Your student displays good citizenship by assisting other students.
    • Your child demonstrates responsibility daily by caring for the materials in our classroom conscientiously.
    • Your child is exceptionally organized and takes care of their things.
    • Your child is thoughtful and kind in their interactions with others.
    • Your student plans and carries out group activities carefully.
    • Your child is a very special student and one that I will never forget. I will miss them next year!

    While all of these comments can supplement the grades on a report card, you don’t have to wait to use them. Sending notes home between progress reports and report cards with little comments like these can bolster the parent-teacher relationship. Write them in communication folders or on postcards for that extra school-home connection.

    Sample report card comments to highlight positive behavior

    Sometimes you’ll have a lot to say about a student’s positive behaviors. Parents love to hear that their kids are model citizens. Here are comments that communicate all the good behaviors you see in class.

    • [Student] works well with classmates on group work and often takes a leadership role.
    • [Student] shows a positive attitude when working with peers. They take and give suggestions and directions effectively.
    • [Student] excels at applying what they learn to real-world situations.
    • It is a pleasure to have [student]’s enthusiasm and maturity in class.
    • [Student] is an enthusiastic member of class and shows a willingness to learn.
    • [Student] shows responsible behavior, works well in a group, and shows appreciation for classmates’ efforts.
    [Student] shows responsible behavior, works well in a group, and shows appreciation for classmates’ efforts.
    • [Student] is focused during class activities and participates in discussions.
    • [Student] works on independent work with focus and confidence.
    • [Student] has overcome big challenges this year.
    • [Student] follows directions promptly and accurately.
    • [Student] transitions easily between classroom activities without distraction.
    • [Student] is polite and uses good manners in the classroom.
    • [Student] responds appropriately when corrected.
    • [Student] takes classroom jobs seriously and demonstrates responsibility when completing them.

    Sample report card comments for math

    Providing specific information about how a child is doing in core subjects helps parents know exactly what to expect on the grades portion of the report card. And providing a positive statement about a subject can help you lead into a statement about what the child needs to work on.

    • [Student] has a good understanding of math concepts taught this year. They continue to complete work correctly and enjoy math activities.
    • [Student] has a positive attitude toward math but has trouble in a few key areas [list here]. Practicing every night at home will help them improve in these areas.
    • [Student] demonstrates a good understanding of math concepts and communicates clearly and with strong justification.
    • [Student] seems to need continuous encouragement in math. They continue to struggle with foundational math concepts for [grade level].
    [Student] seems to need continuous encouragement in math. They continue to struggle with foundational math concepts for [grade level].
    • [Student] is having a difficult time with certain concepts in math. Areas in need of extra work include [list here].
    • [Student] is struggling to maintain pace in math. They could benefit from [practice activity here].
    • [Student] is easily distracted during math and this impacts their learning.
    • [Student] does well on math assignments but struggles with tests. Please make sure they study and prepare for tests as they approach.

    Sample report card comments for reading and writing

    Just like with math, it’s good to comment on the specific aspects of academics that students are doing well and those that they can work on. Use these comments to explain where a student is in their reading and writing progress.

    • [Student] has made great improvements in [spelling, comprehension, reading] and could use support in [spelling, comprehension, reading]. Please reach out if you need supplemental learning materials to use for practice at home.
    • [Student] always puts effort into their writing work.
    [Student] always puts effort into their writing work.
    • [Student] is able to take new skills and apply them to writing assignments.
    • [Student] is able to offer responses to text and supports ideas with sound reasoning and examples.
    • [Student] reads with fluency and comprehension.  
    • [Student] is working on reading fluency. They would benefit from reading aloud at home.
    • [Student] is able to understand and discuss text read aloud.
    • [Student] consistently reads grade-level material.
    • [Student] is able to choose books to read that they really enjoy.
    • [Student] uses editing skills to edit writing to improve grammar and punctuation.
    • [Student] organizes writing well and organizes thoughts into complete paragraphs.
    [Student] organizes writing well and organizes thoughts into complete paragraphs.
    • [Student] is able to analyze character actions and story plots and make inferences from what they read.
    • [Student] is thoughtful and insightful in class discussion and written work. They express their ideas clearly.

    Sample report card comments about social skills

    As much as school is about academics, parents also worry about social skills and how their child is doing in terms of fitting in, making friends, and managing social situations. For some kids, this will be a strength and for some it will be an area of focus, but make sure to include whatever information parents need to know.

    • [Student] has made many friends in the classroom.
    • [Student] is well liked by classmates.
    • [Student] treats other students with empathy and fairness.
    [Student] treats other students with empathy and fairness.
    • [Student] handles disagreements with peers appropriately.
    • [Student] appears comfortable in new situations.
    • [Student] chooses to spend free time with friends.

    Sample report card comments about communication

    Communication is another important skill that students are learning and honing in school that you can report on. Particularly for kids whose communication skills are either a strength or something they need help with, a comment about this can be very helpful to parents.

    • [Student] has a well-developed vocabulary.
    • [Student] expresses their ideas clearly.
    • [Student] has a vibrant imagination and uses their imagination in storytelling and writing.
    • [Student] always participates in whole-group discussions.
    • [Student] can make a logical and persuasive argument in oral discussion or in writing.
    [Student] can make a logical and persuasive argument in oral discussion or in writing.
    • [Student] listens to the comments and ideas of others without interrupting.
    • [Student] is working on participating in class. Please encourage them to raise their hand or engage in group discussion.
    • I would love to hear from [student] more. Please encourage them to participate in class.
    • [Student] is working on using their words to solve problems/communicate well with peers.

    Sample report card comments about group work

    Group work gets at a child’s ability to work with peers, solve problems, and communicate. It’s also often a barometer for social skills. Giving comments about group work can tell parents a lot about how their child is able to succeed in teamwork and if there are any red flags.

    • [Student] offers constructive suggestions to peers.
    • [Student] accepts recommendations of peers and acts on them when appropriate.
    • [Student] takes various roles in group work as assigned or as needed.
    • [Student] welcomes leadership roles in groups.
    • [Student] shows fairness in distributing group tasks.
    • [Student] plans and carries out group activities carefully.
    [Student] plans and carries out group activities carefully.
    • [Student] works democratically with peers.
    • [Student] encourages peers during group work.
    • [Student] is working on accepting their share of the work during group assignments.

    Sample report card comments about time management

    Managing time is a skill that gets more and more important as kids move through school, and it is something that all parents can help with at home. Help parents know how their child is doing managing time with these comments.

    • [Student] approaches classroom assignments, tasks, and group work in an organized way.
    • [Student] is on time and prepared for class each day.
    • [Student] works at an appropriate pace.
    • [Student] is able to pace their work for long-term assignments.
    [Student] is able to pace their work for long-term assignments.
    • [Student] completes makeup work in a timely fashion.
    • [Student] is working on using time wisely.
    • [Student] is working on managing time, especially when there are multiple tasks to complete during a work period.
    • [Student] is working on organizing their materials and using organization to support work completion.

    Sample report card comments about work habits

    Same as time management, comments about work habits are helpful for parents because they explain how a student is approaching their work and how their academics are impacted because of these habits.

    • [Student] is self-motivated.
    • [Student] exceeds expectations with the quality of their work.
    • [Student] readily grasps new concepts or ideas.
    • [Student] produces neat and careful work.
    [Student] produces neat and careful work.
    • [Student] checks work thoroughly before submitting it.
    • [Student] pays attention to work and submits work that does not have errors.
    • [Student] is working on producing neat work.
    • [Student] is working on checking work thoroughly before submitting it.
    • [Student] is working on submitting work that does not have errors. They frequently require additional review to ensure that all errors are corrected.

    Do you have sample report card comments to add? Share them in our We Are Teachers Helpline group on Facebook!

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    We Are Teachers Staff

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