Some people may argue that report cards are an unfair evaluation of students, however I disagree and feel as though report cards are a necessisty.
Personally, I've had good and bad experiences with report cards. All throughout grammar school I could not wait for report cards to be sent home. I knew my mom would be proud of how well I was doing in school and be completely satisfied with meeting my teacher at parent-teacher conferences. However, when I reached middle school my feelings towards report cards changed. In 6th grade I had a language arts teacher who for some reason did not like me(personally). My first report card in 6th grade I got a "C+" in language arts and was completely surprised(not to mention in trouble with my parents). When my mom questioned me about it I simply said "I honestly thought I did better." And so, ofcourse my mothers response was, "well where is all your tests? If you have those then we can see how well you did." Being a 6th, I did not have all my test(at least anywhere I knew of). And so my mother had to meet with my teacher and my teacher did not tell my mother the truth saying I didn't participate, do homework, well on tests and what not.(Something nothing like me).
When my parents got home I was grounded. (For the first time). The next marking period was the worst and longest marking period ever. Buttttt, I did keep all my homeworks, tests and assignments. Next report card, another "C+" My mother again questions me, and I simply said "I know I did better." She asks me for my tests and classwork, I give it to her, and she figures my grade to be a whole grade higher, a B+!! So she talks to my father on how to address the situation. Finally, they had a meeting with the principal and teacher. The teacher could not explain why my grade was dropped a whole grade(being thats a lot to drop just for partcipation and such). Anyway, the outcome- my grade was changed to the grade I deserved, a B+.
However, that experience made me have a sour taste about report cards. How can a teacher be so unfair? Although I did have this "bad" experience with report cards and a teacher I still believe report cards are necessary. I believe report cards can help motivate students because I know when I was in grammar school and if I got a B, I always wanted to do better to get an A next time. I understand every student is different and that some may think report cards can be discouraging. Regardless, I think they're important and positive for the student, teacher AND the sometimes clueless parents.
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Erica,I had a similar experience with my third grade teacher. She did not like me personally either!! She knew my mother because she is also a teacher in the same district so she would always give my mother false updates about me. She would tell my mother that I used to cheat on tests which was so not like me!! She would also put me down whenever I would answer a question wrong. The one thing she was right about was that I talked a lot. lol
ReplyDeleteErica,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, having bad and good experience as well, I too see reports as important, positive and necessary for teachers, students, and parents. Reports make teachers consider all the students' work and progress and evaluate them to see if they go on. Students and parents both see how they/their child did.
Thank god for report cards, because then
ReplyDeletethat grade with a C+ would have followed
you for longer than it should have. And
you would not have gotten the reward of
the B+ you deserved!
- Amanda