Teachers don’t like spending hours doing paperwork. Yet there’s one type of paperwork that, if done well, improves teaching results – the report card.
A well-written report card lets the learner and parents know that the teacher is caring, positive and willing to help. Good working relationships between the teacher and the learner are nurtured. Parents will be encouraged to work with the teacher to bring out the best in their children. The teacher’s classroom efforts have more impact and better results are achieved.
Information required
What information should be on the report card? In 2006 the department of education in Victoria, Australia, gave these teacher guidelines:
1. Clear information on what the learner has achieved (such as marks and symbols);
2. Suggestions for areas of improvement that the learner should work on in the future;
3. Information on how the school will help the student to improve (such as with extra lessons after school); and
4. Suggestions on how parents can help their child to improve (such as checking that all homework has been done).
Not every report card includes comments on points three and four above, yet every report card should discuss at least the first two points. In the quality school everyone’s in a state of continuous improvement. Top learners – distinctions and awards notwithstanding – can be guided to take on new educational excellence challenges.
Style
The KISS (Keep It Simple, Sam) principle applies to report writing. Avoid using specialist words. This applies especially to terms used in outcomes-based education. Use simple words and keep sentences short. No sentence should be longer than 25 words.
Tone
Parents are proud of their children and most children want to please their parents and teachers. Teachers need to be aware of these realities when writing remarks.
More important than the marks or symbols on a report card is the tone of the written comments. As often happens, a learner might get a low mark but has made an excellent effort. That perseverance needs to be praised. Focus on the positive. Encouraging remarks spur the learner on.
Obviously, the teacher needs to ensure that comments are honest. The truth can be given tactfully. Examples of the “soft-touch approach” given by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers for learners struggling with school work are:
tries hard but needs extra support;
is fairly keen but has a short concentration span;
does his best but lacks confidence; and
acquires new skills/concepts after much practice.
When the schoolwork is very poor, it might be better not to write remarks. Instead, give a written Âinvitation on the report card for the parents to attend an interview with the child’s teachers. Written words can be seen to be cold and harsh. A sensitively handled interview can deal with tough issues in an empathetic, caring manner.
The ‘hamburger-style’ report
A report card can be a delicious reading experience. Remarks could be structured like a hamburger. The top and bottom halves of the burger bun can parallel the opening and concluding remarks on the report. The hamburger filling is the “meat” of the teacher’s remarks.
Start the written remarks with a positive comment. Then get to the “meat” of the report. Discuss the learner’s work performance.
Give positive criticisms if needed and indicate areas for further improvement. End the report with another affirming statement about the learner.
Remarks can reflect the teacher’s knowledge of the learner beyond the classroom. For example, a teacher who was also a sports coach wrote, “What a skilful and fearless netball-team shooter you are, Lydia!”
Quality schools strive to develop the character of the learner. A comment about a learner’s positive values could be a fitting ending to a report. A typical remark could be: “Albert’s friendliness and sense of caring make him well liked by all.”
Conclusion
A report card isn’t only an assessment of the learner. It’s about the teacher too. The parent reading the report quickly picks up the teacher’s level of care and understanding of the child. Correct spelling, language usage and neatness reflect the teacher’s professional standards.
The teacher has a splendid chance to motivate the learner through the skilful writing of the report card. A wise teacher reflects before writing remarks. Write a quality report card for a learner and reap instant rewards in the classroom.
SAQI (South African Quality Institute) has school-based leadership and management programmes. Poor schools are sponsored. For more details contact Vanessa du Toit on 012 394 5006 or vanessa@saqi or Richard Hayward on 011 888 3262 or [email protected]