Putting Grades In Perspective
How should parents put grades in perspective? Feel free to click the video below to watch my vlog post on the subject or read it here.
One of the things that's challenging about grades for a parent is that sometimes grades can feel static because they're a moment in time, so they seem to get elevated in importance. They can feel official because they're typically on a piece of paper and in a child's file. But really, grades are not supposed to be a label, nor are they supposed to be a judgment about a child. They're really to give parents information, and children, too, information about where they are at that point in time. So, it's really about assessment more than it is about a label on a child. So, people can recognize that that's just a moment in time when they're collecting information and giving that to parents about where their child is. It can be very useful if it's seen in the right light.
The other thing is that it's not normative. It's not how a child is doing compared to other children. It's about how your child is doing compared to, what should be a very clear school standard as to what it looks like to be at grade level.
It’s important for parents to always remember that grades are not indicative of their child’s potential. Grades, as previously stated, are designed to assess and monitor where the student is compared to school standards. Parents should understand that grades are also not an indicator of a child’s intelligence.
So, what should you do if your child’s grades fall below what you feel is right for your child? First, check with the teacher. Teachers should have a clear sense of the specific grade-level standards for the material being taught. They should be able to tell you specifically in which areas your child’s work needs improvement and in which areas the work is on target. You can ask the teacher to share examples of work that does meet expectations and have them show you where and how your child’s work needs improvement.
There’s no question that progress in the classroom is a result of collaboration between teacher and student with parent support. Remember, grades are just a snapshot of where the child is at a particular moment in time. To understand that there is always room for growth, gives children permission to work at achieving their goals, always knowing that grades are not static and will shift when specific effort is applied.
When parents keep grades in perspective, children feel empowered to see grades as tools to help them hone their study skills and fulfill their unlimited potential.
For More Information On Admissions click here.
One of the things that's challenging about grades for a parent is that sometimes grades can feel static because they're a moment in time, so they seem to get elevated in importance. They can feel official because they're typically on a piece of paper and in a child's file. But really, grades are not supposed to be a label, nor are they supposed to be a judgment about a child. They're really to give parents information, and children, too, information about where they are at that point in time. So, it's really about assessment more than it is about a label on a child. So, people can recognize that that's just a moment in time when they're collecting information and giving that to parents about where their child is. It can be very useful if it's seen in the right light.
The other thing is that it's not normative. It's not how a child is doing compared to other children. It's about how your child is doing compared to, what should be a very clear school standard as to what it looks like to be at grade level.
It’s important for parents to always remember that grades are not indicative of their child’s potential. Grades, as previously stated, are designed to assess and monitor where the student is compared to school standards. Parents should understand that grades are also not an indicator of a child’s intelligence.
So, what should you do if your child’s grades fall below what you feel is right for your child? First, check with the teacher. Teachers should have a clear sense of the specific grade-level standards for the material being taught. They should be able to tell you specifically in which areas your child’s work needs improvement and in which areas the work is on target. You can ask the teacher to share examples of work that does meet expectations and have them show you where and how your child’s work needs improvement.
There’s no question that progress in the classroom is a result of collaboration between teacher and student with parent support. Remember, grades are just a snapshot of where the child is at a particular moment in time. To understand that there is always room for growth, gives children permission to work at achieving their goals, always knowing that grades are not static and will shift when specific effort is applied.
When parents keep grades in perspective, children feel empowered to see grades as tools to help them hone their study skills and fulfill their unlimited potential.
For More Information On Admissions click here.
No comments have been posted
Located in Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley Hall School is a private, coeducational school for students in preschool through grade 8. Rigorous academics in a supportive atmosphere and grounded character development allow students to become fearless scholars and conscientious citizens - gain a love of learning, leadership with social responsibility, creativity with moral integrity, and self-esteem with compassion for others and the environment.