How to Read a Report Card

PDS student reports are not just a list of untethered numbers and letters  but rather in-depth narratives that convey detailed and helpful information about emerging  strengths, accomplishments, challenges, growth and progress.

They are part of the on-going conversation between school and home with the student as  participant, contributor, planner and goal-setter.

Nevertheless – here is some helpful advice for how to react. It’s from Dan Heath – one of the authors of Switch: How to Change when Change is Hard. And it applies to the the business of student learning as well as to business and management: Focus on the strengths and not the problems.

Use the successes in one area – the bright spots – to spread the wealth. Open the conversation about how to explore, clone, replicate and expand what’s working well.