Jenny was sitting quietly on the bus wishing that something magical would happen so that she would never have to go back home. She dreaded report card time and did not want to face her parents’ disappointed faces once they opened that envelope. Nothing that her teachers had said that day mattered. Jenny had tried really hard to get good grades, but she knew what was in store. Her mind could only focus on what that envelope would reveal.
Thousands of students across the state of Georgia and millions around the world suffer from “report card anxiety”. They feel that, somehow, they are not good enough, that they are not smart, that they are not loved, or that the teacher does not care about them. Many experience a roller coaster of emotions, all because of a report card.
Educators and both parents agree that there has to be some method to measure students’ performance, but what is the best way? Is assigning numbers that are attached to a letter the only choice? The grade-letter method seems to be an easy way to assess students, but do those numbers and letters represent completion of learning tasks or do they represent mastery of material? Did the child do enough to get by to earn an “honorable” grade or does he or she truly understand the concepts that were taught?
For centuries, this “report card phenomenon” has puzzled educators. Some have said that eliminating report cards is the solution. Many parents have turned to schooling their children at home in order to avoid having their child receive one of these dreaded reports. Others might say that the established method has been working fine and it does not need to be changed. But, if the intention is to truly measure how much a student knows or has learned there has to be a more comprehensive way to accomplish this.
Unfortunately, the problem is probably not a score or the letter attached to the grade, but the methods that have been used to assign a grade. What kinds of activities has the student participated in to gain knowledge? What kinds of tests have been given? Have varied methods of instruction been used so as to target different learners? Have alternative methods of assessment been implemented or have the students only been exposed to multiple choice tests?
Incorporating more alternative methods of assessment such as oral exams, presentations, projects, self-evaluations, and portfolios helps to provide a more accurate account of students’ performance. Including relevant anecdotal notes in students’ report cards will also help paint a more complete picture of the concepts that have been mastered. Writing “Johnny was able to master all of his multiplication facts from zero to nine,” is more valuable than using, “Great job, Johnny!”
Well-planned instruction and assessments will make an impact in students’ academic performance. Yes, it will take extra time, and it might not be an easy task to master. But, if what is most important is to show a student’s level of mastery, then the end result should be a reason to celebrate when that report card envelope is opened.
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