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First Quarter Report Cards
A Clue to a Future of Achievement
By Raymond and Eileen Huntington
Take a close look at test results. Most students and parents tend to look at test results as a simple measure of success or failure. But you can often learn a great deal more by looking beyond grades and scores. Most tests, in fact, are diagnostic tools that reveal specific gaps in skills and knowledge. This is true of exams given by many schools and school districts in the fall and spring to gauge progress between the beginning of the year and the end. But it's also true of tests given throughout the year. Looking closer at "wrong" answers to a mathematics problem might reveal insufficient mastery of division, multiplication or mathematics formulas. Poor marks on an essay test might arise from struggles with basic grammar or organizational skills. While many students can improve test scores by simply "buckling down" and studying harder, most will also benefit by first defining the skills that are hindering their progress – and applying extra effort to strengthen these skills.
Take a close look at your child's schedule. Maintaining the right balance between study time and leisure time has a significant impact on academic performance. When you talk with your child's teacher, find out how much time your child should be spending on homework. Add that to the amount of time spent at school and factor in commuting time and time for your family to have dinner together, if possible. See how many hours are left over and determine how much time your child has for athletics and extracurricular activities. You should then be able to determine if these activities are cutting into the time your child needs to catch up and keep pace for the rest of the year. You and your child should then decide together which activities should be cut back at least until grades improve.