Report Card Comments Roundup

Report card comments can be blessing or a curse depending on how they are approached.  If you have a catalog of options for different scenarios then they aren’t so hard when those end of the year final reports go home.

If you are struggling to write comprehensive original comments for students’ behavior, social skills, specific subjects, work habits, or general notes, then this post is perfect for you!

Keep reading to gather some quick samples to use for your next parent teacher conference!

One of the tasks I always dreaded was looking at the blank comments box in my online grade book, knowing that I needed to come up with a new original comment for each student at the elementary level.

Of course, I realize each child is unique, but how do you fit those specifics into a tiny box that applauds the positive qualities, while still allowing room to mention those qualities which leave a little room for improvement?

Being that I know classroom systems are a must for anything I have to do more than once, I decided to create a teacher toolbox of report card comments in various categories.  Having these at hand allowed me to have a starting point.

Starting with a copy and paste for the student made it much easier to expand once that box was no longer an empty void.  Plus, it saved me so much time from having to retype the same thing out over and over again.

I was able to leave my comments in the box for the parents, so when they arrived for their student-led conferences, I had very little to add beyond what the child had already discussed – and the specific comments I had left.

How do you motivate students to do their best?

All teachers want students to feel safe and to want to be a learner in and outside of the school building.  It doesn’t matter what grade level you teach.

But there is a difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and that is a little tougher to implement when the student is not even sure what he or she wants.

Having a learning environment that encourages all students to freely share their triumphs and mistakes is a great place to start.  Leading by example is also important.

While there are lots of tests to be given and lesson plans to teach, I know from personal experience that motivation comes from students when they make a connection with their teacher.  Without that connection, no positive motivation will be in sight.

How do teachers deal with a bad report card?

When you have to send home a less than stellar report card home can strike the fear into any teacher.  The icy cold feeling drops in your heart as you are hitting the save button, knowing that one or more of the following will happen:

-You are going to have a less-than-happy parent contacting you

-The child is going to be punished at home (maybe excessively)

0r

-You’ll hear crickets and the student will not even flinch <= This option might be the worst of all because no improvement can be made if there is no collaboration amongst the stakeholders in the child’s life

For me, I love doing student led parent conferences because it forces students, parents, and teachers to work as a team to discuss how things are really going in an honest fashion, and to set some expectations for the future.

Even if the conference can’t be completed at school due to parent no-shows or work schedules, they can be completed at home.

With few options in some cases, this is the best solution to try and form those connections with students and parents, whether you are teaching Kindergarten or High School.

Report Card Comment Examples

Here is a list of 65 options below to set up for your own classroom systems.  Always work smarter, not harder.

Attendance

1. Frequent tardies have hindered _________________’s progress.

2. Excellent attendance this quarter!

3. There has been little positive effort from ________________ to catch up on work missed due to absences.

4. Absences and tardies have affected _______________’s grades.

5. Thanks you for your continued help in getting _____________ to school on time. He/She has greatly benefitted from the routine. Academics

6. ________’s grades demonstrate an acceptable knowledge of the covered material.

7. ________’s progress this quarter is excellent!

8. _________ is extremely conscientious and has made excellent progress.

9. A satisfactory standing has been achieved by _____________.

10. While achievement is satisfactory, __________ has not worked to his/her fullest potential.

11. Poor test scores from ________ have resulted in the low grade this term.

12. The grade reported is a direct result from __________ not handing in assignments, even after several attempts to get them from him/her.

13. Because __________ struggles in reading, he/she had a hard time with math story problems, which resulted in the lower math grade this semester.

14. Fluency rates for ____________ were off the charts!

15. ____________ really worked hard with the reading strategies this school year and I am super proud of his/her progress throughout the school year!

Attitude

16. ________’s effort and pleasant attitude have been outstanding this semester.

17. Talking in class has interfered with _________’s listening and learning.

18. Sometimes ____________ appears to be overly bossy to other children in the class, and that causes friction before, during, and after school.

19. I have noticed how much ___________ has matured and taken on additional responsibilities this year.

20. There has been a positive change in attitude and work habits from ______________.

21. An apparent lack of motivation has resulted in unsatisfactory grades this marking period.

22. _______________ is still learning when it is appropriate not to talk back, and how to raise a hand if he/she needs to politely express something during a lesson.

23. Having a positive attitude even when frustrated with the work has been a delight to see from __________________.  He/She is a great role model for other students.

24. Always sharing in nature, _______________’s cooperative attitude is an example to all other students.

25. Lack of respect by ____________ for himself, his teacher, and other students in the classroom have proven to be tough to overcome this year.

Participation

26. It is a pleasure to teach ____________. He/She participates enthusiastically in all activities.

27. Classroom behavior from ____________ is frequently unacceptable.

28. There has been a limited contribution to group work.

29. ____________ is a good listener and asks relevant questions.  Way to show initiative!

30. A good contribution has been made to class discussions.  Please continue this great example!

31. ________________’s classroom work shows a strong aptitude for artistic expression.

32. Participation in class discussions has been poor and his/her listening skills need improvement.

33. Good work habits have been demonstrated by ________________.

34. Excellent participation in class discussions.

35. _____________ has made a good contribution to group work.

Homework

36. Homework has been incomplete or not attempted.

37. _____________ has made a good effort, but finds this subject difficult.

38. Good work habits have been shown by _____________, who is well organized, confident, and responsible.

39. The quality of assignments has improved since the midterm report. Well done!

40. Homework scores indicate a thorough understanding of concepts taught.

41. The grade is a direct result of ___________ not handing in assignments.

42. ___________ seems satisfied with a minimal effort on homework, if at all.

43. ______________ constantly produces quality assignments.

44. Quality of homework assignments is poor.

45. A very good effort has been made to turn in the majority of homework assignments on time.

Work Ethic

46. Grades have improved tremendously! Well done ______________!

47. It is a delight to teach ____________, who constantly strives for excellence.

48. Very little effort has been made to meet grade level expectations.

49. There appears to have been little effort to proofread assignments before turning in.

50. A strong effort by _____________ has produced an acceptable level of achievement

51. Poor use of class time has resulted in incomplete assignments and this low grade.

52. Good work habits & attitude have combined to produce above average achievement.

53. Although the final standing is low, a solid effort has been noted from _________________.

54. Poor attitude and work habits have resulted in unsatisfactory achievement this quarter.

55. ____________ tends to hurry through assignments in order to be the first one done, and repeatedly turns in messy, and sometimes, incomplete work.

Ability

56. ________________ constantly produces quality assignments.

57. ____________ is a creative thinker, which is wonderful most times, but sometimes he/she tends to overthink the assignments and ends up with an incorrect answer.

58. Not knowing basic math facts has resulted in _____________ struggling in more advanced math concepts this year.

59. __________ is highly gifted, but the tendency to be a perfectionist prohibits her/him from finishing assignments on time.

60. __________ appears to enjoy math very much, and I challenge her/him to investigate even further this summer with more advanced mathematical principles.

61. ___________________’s writing is a pleasure to read.

62. _____________’s student work is well done, but tests and written work have not been top notch.

63. Poor spelling and punctuation detract from ____________’s writing.

64. Work on in class assignments has made noticeable improvements since last grading quarter. Great work!

65. Little attempt has been made to make up for missed projects due to frequent absences.

How do you decide what report card comments to use on your assessments?  I would love to hear in a comment below!

~Charity