Before, during, and after report card time, the most important thing for parents to do is to keep the lines of communication open with your children and teachers to create a plan to further your children’s academic success.
No matter what your child’s progress or report card looks like this year, here are some ways to approach report card day so it’s as stress-free as possible!
1. Make it a game of high-low!
Ask your child what they feel is the “high” of their report cards and let them know you are proud of their hard work. Secondly, ask what they feel is the “low” of their report card, and discuss how that grade was earned and how it can be improved.
2. Talk about work habits, goals, and challenging subjects.
Ask your children to be honest about the challenges they faced. From there, try setting short and long-term goals.
3. Stay positive!
Be careful not to overreact to grades you deem unacceptable. It can be damaging to their self-confidence and have adverse effects. Find something to praise, whether it is attendance, participation or any improvement in a certain area.
4. Have an open dialogue.
This gives children an opportunity to be transparent and sets the tone for parents. Remember that report cards are only a snapshot of how students are performing in school and do not speak to all of their potential.
5. Practice math together to strengthen your child’s memory.
You can do this during car rides, at the dinner table, or even during TV commercials! With practice, your child will be able to add and multiply single-digit numbers by memory.
6. Make it fun!
Look for “math fact” game apps, use flash cards or play board games that involve adding dice. Try some of our fun math fact games.
7. Encourage your child to read every day.
If you have been reading to your child, change roles and have them read to you. Elementary school kids benefit from practicing reading out loud.
8. Encourage your child to keep a daily journal.
It can be as short and simple as answering: “What’s the best thing that happened to me today?” Journaling with words and pictures is a great way for kids to build confidence with writing.
9. Make sure your child’s skills are on track.
Don’t wait for parent-teacher conferences or report cards to discover problems. Get Sylvan’s Insight Assessment to learn exactly how your child’s skills compare to national norms and where to focus your energy.
10. Explore supplemental resources to strengthen skills.
Sylvan offers a variety of in-person and online tutoring options for math, reading, and writing. We love helping kids go from, “I hate writing,” to, “Maybe I’ll be a writer some day!”
