How can you communicate student grades and feedback to parents?

Aside the automated computerised report or the traditional end of term report sheet/booklet, educators should schedule a one-on-one meeting with parents to discuss their children’s progress during a given academic year. Progress report should cover every aspect education - cognitive, affective and psychomotor. Parents should be encouraged not to focus only on the paper assessment.

I advocate that teachers should offer guidance to parents based on students' grades, fostering empowerment and motivation for comprehensive growth. This approach can bridge the increasing communication divide between parents and their children.

In most urban schools, we found it very difficult to keep in touch with parents. 90% was tracking them down to communicate with them. By the time you finally reach them, so much time has passed it is nearly impossible to set up a plan for their child to get back on track.

Effective communication in the Early Year setting is crucial as it helps parents stay informed about their child's progress and development. Regular parent-teacher conferences, written progress reports, and digital platforms can ensure that parents are well-informed about their child's achievements, challenges, and growth areas. However, it is essential to consider keeping the language simple and focusing on the child's strengths and areas of improvement, which will help parents understand and support their child's educational journey effectively.

An app or platform like REMIND. broadcast general messages, communicated to whole class groups of expectations on specific assignments, and then individual parents will communicate, dependent on individual involvement- and you can communicate easily, and more directly with just them. Set to function just during school times and is able to be moderated by the individual school or district. Shares responsibility with parents.

I have instructed people of all ages in various educational settings, elementary age to advanced age. What I have noticed is that with young learners and adult learners how they appreciate feedback that directly relates to their area of focus or area of challenge. There is a time for being positive yet I also convey the importance of offering helpful feedback and constructive criticism. A step further is me showing how that constructive criticism can lead to favorable change by way of making small adjustments.

At one of my schools, we were required to communicate with our parents once every 1-2 weeks and record it on Deanslist. My experience is most of the parents liked the consistency of the communication, and it ensured that we kept the parents up to date on any issues or achievements.

In my experience as an administrator and early childhood educator, communicating grades to parents may end up being an herculean task if the child hasn’t performed well in that school year. These few tips can help… - Start by focusing on the child’s strengths especially the ones the parents do not know about and then to the visible ones. - then mention the obvious areas (known to the parents)the child needs to work on - carefully point out other areas - sympathise with the parent, let them know it’s not unique to their child - and share examples of ways you have helped others in the same situation - share home tips to help the child - and explain the plans you have in place to assist the child in the coming school year.