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The familiar brown envelope will be burning a hole in your child?s backpack today. But every time I rip open the report card I have a moment of trepidation: Will it reflect my child" Or will it be filled with heavy-handed feedback I can?t decipher"
The comments section on my kids? report cards has been a constant source of frustration since they entered the school system 12 years ago. A recent article, written by Naomi Buck in the Globe and Mail gives voice to my confusion.
Buck laments that comments such as ?in the Arts, he independently chooses different strategies to create movement,? and ?makes appropriate choices to meet his personal and academic needs to achieve his goals? do not further her understanding of her son?s academic needs or accomplishments. I?ve been there. My husband and I still laugh about feedback that noted our oldest son?s ability to ?perform the basic movement skills required to participate in physical activities, including locomotion/travelling (e.g. running), manipulation (e.g. throwing) and stability (e.g. jumping)?. Why the need for brackets" Why not say he can run and throw and jump"!
I blame the preset comments teachers can use with a push of a button. The statements are clunky and loaded with vocabulary that you may need a Master?s in Education to decode.  There was a time when I did not understand what ?identifying the elements of design? meant?today I?ve cracked it: It means he knows his colours. But I...