I have to admit, when I reviewed the results for each of my children I was surprised. I have 6 year-old twin girls who are in the same grade one class. I spend about 15-30 minutes a day with each of them reviewing their homework, spelling words, reading and math. I have a very good idea about how my children are doing in each subject area in school. But, when I reviewed their evaluations I have to admit, I was confused.
Before I continue I need explain that I don't believe that parents should be pressuring young children to aim for straight As. Around this time of year you do hear parents talking about how important it is to them that their child achieve perfection. I don't agree with this approach. I believe learning is important, but getting the highest mark isn't the goal. I strongly believe that children should have as much time as possible playing with each other, moving around physically and discovering the world around them. Yes - school is important, but having a balanced life between school and play is essential for the healthy development of children (in my opinion).
Okay-back to my daughters' evaluations and my confusion over the results. On paper, one of my daughters was achieving higher results than the other in every single topic. What surprised me about this is that I know with absolute certainty that my daughter who was achieving lower results is actually working at a much higher level in some topics then the other daughter. How could their evaluations be so "off"? After contemplating this for a few days it occurred to me that the "results" on paper must be influenced by other factors. And then, in a moment of clarity, I realized that my daughter's behaviour must have influenced the results. My daughter (who received lower results) absolutely likes to set her own rules, is a social butterfly, and has a tendency to do what she wants. I can imagine that when compared to her sister most teachers would find her more difficult to manage. She isn't a tyrant by any means but she does have a streak of stubborness. And I can imagine that her sister is like an angle in class. As a result, I'm almost certain that her behaviour probably influenced the teacher to give her a lower grade in a subject that she excels at.
So, what will happen at the parent teacher interview tomorrow? I can tell you that for my kids the focus won't be on their grades. I won't argue about whether my daughter's grades were accurate or not. I won't discuss how I think her evaluations weren't purely based on skill level. My discussion with the teacher will focus on my daughters' overall personalities, attitudes and classroom behaviour. I believe that evaluations provide us with insights that go beyond the "grade"and I suggest parents use them to both gain a general gist of their skill level as well as understand how their children are doing emotionally and behaviourally.
I'd love to hear your perspectives on this topic. Please feel free to leave comments.
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