7 Report Card Writing Tips for High School Students

Report cards are a very important tool for high school students, especially those that hope to pursue post-secondary education or enter the workforce. Report cards give students and parents a better understanding of the areas where the student thrives and the areas where they need to improve. This is valuable information to have as students embark on the next stage of their academic or professional life.

To make it easier on teachers, we have provided some report card writing tips to help teachers ensure they are making the most of their report card comments.

Use the Magical Comment Format

A commonly used format for report cards is the “magical format” which can be used on all grade levels. Begin each report card with a positive personalized attribute before leading to any areas that need improvement. Make sure to include plausible solutions. Each report card comment section should end with a compliment of the student’s work and effort.

Focus on Levels of Achievement Over Specific Achievements

To prevent miscommunication or the potential lack of interest, do not overload the student or home support system with unnecessary information. The report card comments should describe the achievement levels rather than individual scoring of all papers.

Refer to the Student’s Ongoing Performance

Report card comments should include all examples of the student’s ongoing performance. This gives the teacher, student, and home support system a better view of the progress throughout the term. It also provides an opening to areas that need improvement.

Have Evidence of Student Work

Organization at report card time involves having examples of students’ work to support constructive comments. Having evidence of strengths and weaknesses with examples of reports, test results, and homework can reinforce the report card comments.

Have Students Self-Evaluate

Perception is an important issue between teachers and high school students. Understanding their own educational stance can help students pivot in subjects where improvement is needed. Having self-evaluations available for all students can strengthen the communication between the teacher and the student.

Proofread and Proofread Again

As report card time can be crunch-time for many teachers, it is imperative to proofread all comments at least twice if not three times. As educational leaders, teachers need to ensure all correspondence is professional, coherent, and free from grammatical and spelling mistakes.

Use a Report Card Comment Bank

One of the best practices for preparing report cards is using a report card comments bank. Having a selection of remarks to express progress and achievements can help new and experienced teachers save time and may prevent frustration. A comment bank can offer statements in regard to various subjects, grade levels, and words of constructive criticism.

TIMESAVERS for TEACHERS’ Report Card Comments Collection

If you need support in writing report card comments, reach out to TIMESAVERS for TEACHERS. Featuring over 1,800 common report card comments and observations, this is an easy-to-use interactive downloadable tool that teachers can use to maximize the efficiency of writing more insightful and applicable report card comments. You’ll never be stuck for comment ideas for a report card again!

We also offer a variety of other time-saving teacher resources including The Teacher’s Binder, Substitute Teacher Instructions Kit, and Classroom Awards. To learn more about these great teacher resources, feel free to visit our website or contact us.