At some time we have all been in the position where we really want to say one thing but feel we ought to say something quite different. From an early age we learn the art of diplomacy so that our answer to “Does this hat make me look stupid?” is not necessarily the blunt response it could be. Try to bear this in mind when it comes to reporting on pupils’ progress.
Report cards come in all shapes and sizes but they generally have a tick box section relating to behaviour, progress, effort, attendance and homework (this is where good record keeping on your part will make reports much easier) and a comments section.
Watch this part. The only school report on me that I can actually remember is an early one which described me as a chatterbox. A prophetic word maybe and I do accept that it is not particularly pejorative, yet I’ve always remembered it more than all the positive comments I got over the following years. I mention this so that you will consider the power of your words and the effect they may have on those who read them.
Your purpose in reporting is to indicate how well your pupils are progressing and to explain what they need to do to move on to the next stage in their development. Don’t forget that you are writing both to the parents (whose children are the centre of their universe) and to the child. To help ensure parental support while at the same time encouraging your pupils, aim to write in a language that sounds helpful, clear and fair.
Beware of sounding so vague that you are not really saying anything. Try instead to be polite and positive, setting achievable targets for each child with solid steps to them. I would advise you to have your pupils’ jotters and your record book open in front of you before you start writing. I often scribble down a rough note of what I would like to focus on and then translate this into the report.
Until you are used to writing reports, don’t be afraid to ask experienced colleagues if you can read theirs for hints on how best to phrase your views. Also bear in mind that your line manager will probably want to read a sample of your reports before you submit them. He or she will be able to give you some useful tips too.
As far as possible, I suggest using the sandwich approach in the comments section. Start with a positive point, move on to development needs and targets, then end with another positive. This will be easy to do for almost all of your pupils but for the more challenging ones this is where your life as a diplomat comes into play.
Thus, “Daniel is a lazy so and so” becomes “Daniel does not appear to be working to his full potential and would benefit from increasing his effort in class” and “Louise orchestrates misbehaviour” becomes “Louise would benefit from channelling her energies in more positive ways”.
Do you see how I have used the “X would benefit” formula? This shows that you are thinking about the pupil and his or her needs and it sounds a lot more positive than the commanding “X needs to I”.
Beware of labelling children. They are not disruptive, good, silly or co-operative; their behaviour is.
A final thought: reporting on the progress of someone’s child is a rare privilege. If you remember that, you will do just fine.
Diane Allison, author of The Year of Living Dangerously: A Survival Guide for Probationer Teachers (Edinburgh Council, pound;4.99) teaches in Midlothian
