Follow these tips about report card reaction from Sylvan Learning

Report cards. A time for high fives, or a time to set new goals? Either way, it’s a time to pause, reflect and perhaps reset.

It’s hard to believe, but this is the third school year that has been affected by the pandemic. There’s likely been a lot of change in what your child’s education has looked like over the last few years.

Amidst all of this, we need to continue to put forth positive thoughts around learning for kids—and let them know that continued learning is necessary to help keep up the momentum for this school year.

It can be overwhelming to try and figure out how to approach this and to create a game plan to move forward, so, here are Sylvan Learning's tips for taking this all in stride:

1. Breathe and keep perspective

It’s important to keep the perspective that report cards this year may not give you the full picture of how your child would have performed in normal circumstances and, more importantly, of your child’s full potential. This is a time to allow for grace and understanding.

2. But ... set expectations and goals

It’s important to balance understanding with also being firm with your expectations. Make sure your child knows there will be a real conversation about school every evening—not just a half-hearted attempt at discussion and one-word answers.

Setting both short-term for the next quarter and long-term goals for the end of the school year will help those conversations.

And a continued, “How are you tracking to your goal?” will help your child stay focused on their goal. An important thing to remember if you want to continue to help motivate your child is that encouragement is equally important.

Make sure to give your child praise for areas that are going well. Positive affirmation from parents is a great way to build your child’s self-esteem and can lead to more success down the road.

3. Stay in touch with your child’s teachers and school counsellor

The link between home and school is vital. So, make sure to keep an open line of communication with your child’s teachers, even outside of just the scheduled parent-teacher conferences. This will ensure you stay on top of how your child is tracking and avoid any report card surprises.

Explore other resources offered by the school, such as tutors, homework centres, classes outside the normal school day or online subject support.

4. Evaluate home and school routines

What’s working, and what’s not? Creating set routines for homework, study time, bedtime, family time and curfews are a great way to keep everyone in check, but it’s OK to monitor and adjust if you realize a child needs more time for something and less for something else. And we could all use more sleep, so maybe earlier bed times would help with focus and mood. Don’t forget reasonable rewards and consequences. They work!

5. Get help immediately if you see a problem

Don’t fall prey to your child’s promise to do better. Kids may not be able to correct certain issues without help from the adults in their life. This is where the experts at Sylvan Learning Kelowna can help. Choosing Sylvan is about getting results and setting your child up for long-term success.

At Sylvan, they’re focused on building academic confidence, igniting intellectual curiosity and inspiring a love for learning—all of which make a big impact in school and in life. For more information about Sylvan Learning Kelowna, visit its website here.

This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.