School Grades: A Guide For Parents
As children start school, concern about school grades also begins. The delivery of the report card can generate great joy or frustrating disappointment.
As parents we take the issue of grades very seriously , almost as if it were the evaluation of our performance.
We often forget that it is a measurement limited to the acquisition and memorization of specific school contents.
It is a measure that responds to certain circumstances. And as such, it doesn’t necessarily indicate that our children’s learning was a success or a failure.
The school grades can indicate various things, on which in any case you can always intervene, without having to get sick or make your children sick.
What do you need to know about school grades?
- School grades are a circumstantial assessment. They are often obtained through standardized examinations. Therefore, they do not take into account the level of maturity, interests and learning style of each child.
- The vote does not always express the commitment spent by the child to obtain it. Yes you can get a great result without too much effort, while a low grade may still have taken a lot of work from the little one.
- School grades reveal children’s interests. Some may be more successful in subjects such as math or drawing, while others may be more successful in languages or sports.
- Passing an exam does not mean learning. The truth behind the education system we know is that the child is only asked to pass exams, but this does not always guarantee that he has learned anything.
- A low grade or a failure does not represent the child. They cannot be used to label him or to indicate their worth as a person, much less to scare or punish him.
How can we help our children?
See beyond the vote
We must evaluate the effort our son made to get that grade. This is the best way to read school grades and the best way to motivate them to continue and excel.
Motivate the daily effort
You don’t have to wait for a test result to congratulate your child. Recognize his daily commitment.
If the current result is not satisfactory, check the previous results together to show him that he can do better.
Encourage the child to do their homework correctly and on schedule.
Organize a study program
Plan activities so that you can intervene in time if necessary. Make sure your child has all the materials they need to study and do their homework. Also, check that the assigned tasks have been completed.
Let him study in peace
Your children need a peaceful environment to get better grades.
Give him a quiet space where he can study and do his homework. Eliminate stimuli and distractions such as TVs, toys or electronic devices.
When not at home, make sure the child studies and does his homework in the appropriate places. Also, make sure your baby rests and sleeps well at the end of the day.
Talk to the teacher regularly
Maintain good communication with the teacher. Evaluate together which subjects should improve and which study method to adopt. You can always ask for repetitions.
Avoid threatening or promising
Positive reinforcement when the child achieves the expected results should never be a gift, but rather words of encouragement and congratulations. Likewise, he will not be threatened or promised something that cannot be kept.
Avoid demanding a certain vote
Explain clearly and concretely what is expected of the study. Encourage your child to do their best to achieve the expected results. Also, show them that failure to follow study schedules and methods has consequences.
Organize the study material
Divide longer tasks into smaller sections so you can finish them earlier. This way he will feel motivated, because he will be able to achieve small goals in a concrete way.
Work on one problem at a time
Make a list of what should be correct and decide each time what to work on. This will allow you to achieve your goals without getting tired or frustrated.
Prioritize and work on it. So move on to another problem and, once you get over it, move on to yet another.
What to do if our child is postponed or rejected?
- Identify the cause. Talk to the teacher so that you can listen to his point of view and perhaps work out a study plan together. If the cause is lack of commitment, you will need to monitor activities daily and try to increase motivation towards the subject.
- Talk to your child with peace of mind. Try to understand why he got that result. You can try new learning methods that actively involve you.
- Avoid yelling at him and denigrating him. This will not improve it. On the contrary, you should pay attention to the reasons that led to that result.
- Strengthen the sense of responsibility in him. The results are the product of commitment and dedication to the study. Avoid justifying your children with far-fetched excuses : don’t bring up the teacher or classmates.
- Avoid making comparisons with other peers or siblings. Each child is unique, as are their strengths and weaknesses.
- Avoid turning study into punishment. This generates negative conditioning that associates learning with something negative or boring.
Final recommendations
School is a stage in the child’s education. School grades are part of this process.
Encourage your child to overcome difficulties: it is the best way to face the new challenges he will have to face for the rest of the educational path, as well as in life itself.
Finally, if after having improved the child’s study methods, school grades do not improve, a possible learning disability could be evaluated. But for this it will be necessary to consult a specialist other than the teacher.
