Report card. “A teacher’s written assessment of a student’s work, progress, and conduct.” Report cards are used all over the country to give students an idea of how they are doing in school. However, as the end of the semester approaches and report cards are distributed, some may wonder – do report cards really serve the intended purpose? Or do they create unnecessary stress and anxiety?
January 24 marked the end of the first semester and Term 2. On February 4, students in the middle school received their report cards.
Grades may be especially burdensome for sixth graders since it is the first year they have begun to receive letter grades.
Mr. William Craft is a counselor at the middle school. He does things such as teach SEED (Social and Emotional Educational Development) classes, run lunch groups, help with social emotional needs, and more.
Craft said that the purpose of report cards is to “be a positive way to give students information about how they’re doing, and where they fare.” Report cards are meant to be a way that teachers can give students feedback and tell them about their progress. They can feel like a pat on the back, recognition for the hard work students have put in.”
Report cards are “only meant to give students an idea of where they stand and give them gentle feedback,” said Craft.
On the other hand, he also agrees report cards have disadvantages as well. “I think some kids feel like it’s a judgement, like their grades reflect what their teachers think of them as people.” Craft said. “I have had so many kids come to see me before report cards come out.”
Sometimes, students don’t worry at all until report cards are out. “I think I presented similarly when I was in school to many of my students where you don’t worry about it much, that is, until grades are about to come out.” Craft says. In this case, he would advise students to show their work to a teacher or ask an adult to check it before turning it in.
If not approached correctly, students may misinterpret the messages that teachers are trying to convey. Craft agrees that report cards are not meant to illustrate the intelligence of a student, although many students still may interpret it that way. “Some kids feel like it’s a judgement, like it’s going to tell them something about their value, or their worth, and whatnot,” he says.
Advice Craft has for students is to give your personal 100 percent. “The most important thing is to sort of define what that is for each person. It’s different for everyone,” Craft said. “And once you feel like you’re close or giving your own person 100%, then you just think about grades and report cards as feedback to how you’re doing, and as a chance to know how you might adjust. That’s it. It’s not about whether or not you’re going to be successful in life or anything like that.”
“For me, I know that when I am doing work I have to go to the library. I don’t focus well at home. I know not to try and say ‘I’m just gonna sit at my desk, I won’t get distracted.’ In order for me to give my personal 100 percent, I have to be at the library,” Craft said. “So I would advise kids to talk to their counselor, their teachers, the adults around them, to help them identify what steps they can take to give their own personal 100 percent.”
It is also important to remember that teachers understand and have felt the same way that many students do. Craft said, “We experienced it too as kids: we’ve had report cards or grades come out even for college.”
Therefore, it is important for teachers to properly communicate the purpose of report cards, as they can be a valuable tool for students to understand their academic progress and the areas they need to improve in.
If used right, report cards are beneficial. They can be a good representation of a student’s academic progress and performance. They tell students where they are academically, and give them advice on areas of improvement.
On the other hand, if students do not understand the purpose of report cards, then they may misinterpret the feedback, which can lead to stress and anxiety. Ultimately, the effectiveness of report cards depends on how they are used and interpreted by students. So, is it really about the report cards? Or is it about us and the way we treat them?