Teacher's Tips: Understanding Your Child's Report Card

Most people expect report cards to list letters that indicate the progress their child is displaying in school.  However, here in CAPO, elementary report cards list numbers instead. 

If you want to know the truth, the numbers can confuse teachers as well as parents.  Yet in reality, these numbers are actually better than traditional grades. As you continue to read, you will find out why.

A report card is basically a communication tool between the teacher and the parent.  It expresses where your child is at academically and in many situations, will show you the direction they should be going in.  The problem that occurs is that sometimes parents will try to align the numbers to traditional grades.  Please do not do that!  Simply put: a “four” is NOT an “A” and a “three” is NOT a “B”.  You will be doing yourself and your child a disservice by trying to connect letter grades to the numbers.  In the area of “effort,” you will see more traditional marks such as “O” for outstanding and “S” for satisfactory.  It is always good to know the kind of effort your child is displaying in school so take a look at those in a traditional way.  Now, let’s take a look at those numbers and see what it is that they equate to.

• A number one indicates an area of concern.  It is not a “Failure” but the teacher is indicating that your child is showing a struggle in this area.  Based on the teacher’s professional opinion and possibly in comparison with many of the children in the class, your child isn’t providing the teacher with examples of understanding a particular concept.  If you see any subject with the number one on the report card, take time to discuss this with the teacher.  Then take action to help your youngster.
• A number two indicates that your child is learning and growing in a particular area.  They have not reached mastery nor have they shown that they fully understand a concept.  However, they are learning and hopefully moving toward mastery in the subject area.  Seeing the number two at this time of the year is not at all uncommon and should not be a huge concern for you.  However, I would ask the teacher about it and ask how you can support your child at home in achieving success in this area.
• A number three is a perfect grade!  I am not kidding about that!  A number three means that your child is exactly where the teacher expects him or her to be.  Your child has listened well and followed directions well enough to completely understand the concept.  Celebrate those threes!  A three is an excellent grade.
• A four is well above and beyond.  It means that your child deeply understands the concept without a single hesitation.  It is not better than a three.  It simply indicates how well they comprehend the concept.  Yes you may celebrate those fours but threes are truly just as wonderful! 

Hopefully, you have already booked your parent teacher conference for sometime next week.  You will be receiving your child’s report card during the conference this year.