A Teacher's Ruminations

(1) Don't wait until the last minute to write them.  I always think I can do report cards in 7 - 10 days; that just doesn't work.  I need to give myself at least 3 weeks because there is always some other end-of-year task that needs to get done immediately after report cards are due, and because writing report cards isn't just about assigning marks or writing comments.  There is a lot more prep work that needs to be done before getting to that point. (2) Do take about a week  to 10 days to gather evidence.  Read over notes from one-on-one conferences, review student work, anecdotes, and recordings of conversations, etc.  Then, jot down what I notice in terms of trends, work habits, use of strategies, and other important observations that I can use to write comments. (3) Do try to start each comment with something positive that a child has done or said.  I have a colleague who will often quote children in her report card comments to support her ...