By Kasey Short, Assistant Head of Middle School
My most vivid sixth-grade memory is earning a C in English on a progress report due to my inability to correctly use commas and semicolons. My parents were unbothered; however, I was devastated and embarrassed. This C did not have any impact on my college admissions, and most importantly, it did not prevent me from becoming a confident writer and English teacher. At the time, that C felt like the end of the world. Looking back, it was one moment in a story about learning, growth, and becoming comfortable making mistakes.
That experience has stayed with me, and it shapes how I think about progress reports today.
Progress reports include both letter grades and comments that provide additional insight into your child’s experiences and progress. When reviewing your child’s progress report and discussing it with them, I encourage you to consider the following:
- Give your child space to take ownership of their grades. Before sharing your thoughts, ask them to share theirs. You may be surprised by their responses, and if you let them speak first, they can share their reaction without worrying that it contradicts yours.
- Read the comments with your child. They provide specific context that a grade alone can’t provide.
- If you are concerned about your child’s progress, consider giving it a day. Allow your child time to process and share their feelings. Then, if needed, circle back and brainstorm strategies to address challenges and reach out to their advisor, who can partner with you to support your child.
- Remember that grades are a snapshot. These progress reports reflect your child's progress after the first five weeks of school. Students can also use Canvas to monitor their progress and see how their grades change as they complete additional work. My hope is that seeing their progress over time will help students focus less on one specific assignment and more on their overall growth.
Questions to Ask Your Child
While discussing the start of the school year and their progress report, consider asking your child:
- So far this year, what has brought you joy?
- What are you most proud of?
- How have you grown since the start of the year?
- What has been more challenging than you anticipated?
- If given the opportunity, what comment would you add to your progress report?
- What is one thing you would like to work on in the next few weeks?
- What support would be helpful as you work toward your goals?