1

Contents

Weak, Slow,
and
Immature
Work
I WEAK, SLOW, AND IMMATURE WORK I

Arithmetic, 1. Language Arts,

2.

General, 3.

6
Citizenship, 6. Work Habits, 7. Attitude,
Relations with Peers, 13. General, 14.
BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

11.

Arithmetic

__
has a good attitude toward the work at this
grade

level. It would help___'s speed in arithmetic if he

spent
time each evening on the multiplication facts through the
4s.
________ is a shy child and it would benefit him if he did
more oral reporting in social studies.

is a sweet child and enjoys our room

and likes to keep it clean. I feel that a
conference with you would be beneficial at this
time, we should discuss her progress and
determine if we could give her more guidance
in arithmetic.
3

PLAYGROUND BEHAVIOR

PERSONALITY PROBLEMS

Self-confidence,
5

15

17.

17
Shyness, 18.

IMPROVEMENT AND GROWTH

Social, 19. Attitude,

19
General,

20.

POOR ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS

THE AVERAGE CHILD

THE BRIGHT CHILD

THE SLOW CHILD

21.

22
Absences, 22. Health, 22. Tardiness, 23.
24
Academic Performance, 24. Attitude, 25.
General, 26.
28
Academic Performance, 28. Attitude, 28.
General, 29.

10

30
Academic Performance,

30.

Attitude,

31.

THE NEW CHILD 32

32. General,

Adjustment,
33.
11

END-OF-SCHOOL MESSAGES 34
Academic Performance, 34. Attitude, 35.

_____ has a good attitude toward the work of this

grade
level. As this report shows, she is having a great
deal of trouble with arithmetic, however. She
needs to study every evening, starting with twocolumn addition. Then she could start practicing
with regrouping in subtraction. Could you help
her with these problems at home?
_is a fine citizen and is anxious to please and do
good work. However, her progress in arithmetic
is not consistent. She still needs review every
evening on the multiplication facts through the 9s
and help with the long division process.

Weak, Slow, and Immature Work 3

2 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

_____

has shown improvement in her relationship,

with
others. She continues to need our encouragement
along these
lines ___ still does not understand the concepts in
any
of the arithmetic skills for this grade level. Perhaps
a conference would enable us to see what we
could do to aid_____________________________________
___ is showing growth in her reading ability. However, as this report indicates, she needs help
in other areas. Could you see that she has
practice with regrouping in subtraction and with
multiplication facts each evening (3s and 4s)?
She is easily distracted in school and talks
frequently. I'm sure she could do a better job if
she would use her time better.
Thank you for your visit to our room. Oral
reading is above grade-level expectations.
However, she needs to study all the multiplication
and division facts every night.
Thank you for your interest in our room. It would
he helpful if practiced the multiplication facts (3,
4, 5, 6) each
evening. ________ is a good citizen in the room.
Thank you for your cooperation with___ However,
as is indicated by this report, _______'s conduct is
affecting
h i s wo rk ac ad e m i c al l y . I wo u l d s u g g e s t
t h a t y ou h av e
_____study hard on his multiplication facts. He also
does
not understand the concept of long division.
I'm sure that if he would attend to his work, he
could do much better.
_ 's spelling work has improved. It is evident that

you are helping him at home. However, he is

still having trouble with all of the arithmetic
skills. There seems to be no consistency to his
work. I think we can discuss his work on the
telephone
rather
than
having
another
conference. I'll call you next week.
Language Arts
_'s difficulty in writing seems to be largely a
problem of muscular coordination. He will have to make
a constant effort to improve, and improvement may
come slowly.

_talks very well before the group. However, she

does need to improve her written language.
With greater effort and more careful writing,
there should be improvement.
____ is showing good growth in her basic skills although_____should be more careful in her written
work.
It would help if she would learn to slow down
and be neater in her writing._
__ brings so many interesting things to show his
class.
He talks very well before the group. However,
must concentrate on improving his written
language. I feel sure that with greater effort
and more careful attention to details there could
be much improvement.
_ is very responsible in performing her duties as
hostess. She is a very sweet girl. Her reading has
improved considerably, but she needs to do extra
work in spelling. Could you help her at home?
Please call me so that we can talk about how
best to help her.
_has shown an increased interest in the study of
maps and current events. I hope you will continue
having
__________ drill on his spelling words at home.
Thank you for your visit to our room. __ is quite
serious about his work. Reading library books
may improve his vocabulary. Be sure he studies
his spelling list every night and reviews his
addition and subtraction facts.
Thank you for your note. Would you be able
to visit our room soon to observe ______ during a
reading lesson? I
believe we can work out plans together to help
_______________________________________________

General

I am very proud of________and his conscientious

efforts to improve his work. His progress,
however, is slow, which makes it very difficult
for him to keep up with the rest of the class. We
need to give him all the help and encouragement

4 Teacher's Messages for Report Cards

we can. Would you please call me and make an

appointment so that we might work out a home
program to go along with my work at school?
_______is beginning to enjoy working at school. He
seems
to feel that he is one of the group, and is able
to listen and to understand directions given to
the class. He is continuing with reading
readiness (or any subject area) work. He is
slow in understanding new work but is making
progress.
He is very responsible about _I appreciate the help
you have given me in understanding his
problems and hope we can continue to work
together.
__________'s strongest work is in _I think he is able
to do better work in __ Can you talk with me about
it?
_____ is very responsible in his (patrol) duties. His
(arithmetic) has improved considerably, but he
needs extra
work in _____ Could you help him at home? I will be
glad to talk with you about it.
___ is very cooperative about our school and class
rules, but he does need help in strengthening his
schoolwork. He does not always put forth his
best efforts. Do you find that he needs to be
urged to do his best work at home?
All ___________'s basic subjects are at grade level
standards,
but he is not working to the best of his ability.
__________has shown an increased interest in _She
continues to need encouragement. I will be glad
to talk with you about her progress.
__________ tries very hard and he is making steady

Weak, Slow, and immature Work 5

progress.
However, his rate of achievement makes it
difficult for him to keep up with his class. We
need to give him all the help and encouragement
we can.
Thank you for our conference. ___ tries hard, but,
as this report indicates, he finds it difficult to
stick to the task at hand and is easily distracted.
The work is hard for '___ and he still needs consistent
help
every
night
on
spelling, the arithmetic skills noted above, and
oral reading. He should realize by now that
school is a place where we work and study.
Thank you for our conference ___ tries hard, but
the work is difficult for him. It would help if you
implemented the suggestions we discussed in our
conference.
________ takes pride in helping to make our room
pleasant.
However, he has a tendency to want to manage
other people, and this causes him unhappiness at
times in school.
Thank you for your message. Would you he
able to visit class soon to observe a ___ lesson? I
think we can work
out plans together to help ____
_________ is very responsible in his __ duties. His
reading has improved considerably, but he needs
extra work
in ___________ Could you help him at home?
______'s goals need to be: a prompt start, concentration
the work to be done, rereading what she has
written, and a smooth transition to the next
assignment.
on

________'s effort has been good. However, she is

struggling
in ___ She seeks help from her neighbor more and
more. I feel that she needs to improve her study
habits.
___'s conduct has improved. However, it appears
that
as we learn more of the new skills, his interest
in
school
is
lagging.
He
needs
much
supervision now in order to work well.
Otherwise, he rushes through his work and then
wanders around the room or talks to his
neighbor. As a result, he is not doing his work as
well as he could.
Thank you for your visits to our school. Let us
continue our course that we started with ________
__________________________________________ tries very
hard in school and is very skilled in all fields of
physical education, although he still needs much
help in being a better sport.
In addition, it would be beneficial to ___ to review
the
multiplication facts through the 4s each evening.

Behavior Problems
Citizenship

to be a good citizen __ should be encouraged to

read
orally at home each evening to develop more
confidence in herself.

______ is trying hard to practice good citizenship

habits.
Realizing that conforming has meant the
exertion of considerable effort on his part, I
feel that he should be commended for this. He
still needs to remember to keep his hands
to himself and to wait his turn.

___ has made an effort to be a fairly good citizen

in the room, but he has gotten into trouble for
being noisy
in the (cafeteria, bathroom, etc.). I am sure ____
realizes
he must follow, our school rules for the good of
everyone, but he needs to be reminded quite
often.

Thank you for your discussion about __ He tries

to be a good citizen in the school room but
often talks out loud disturbing the whole
class. He has been in trouble frequently in
the boys' line and in playground activities. I
am sure he realizes he must follow our school
rules, but he needs to be reminded quite often.

I enj oyed ou r recen t visit an d our di scussi on

about
_ She is always willing to help and has become a
better citizen. As we discussed, _could do better
academically if she applied herself more.
Arithmetic, in all processes, is extremely difficult
for her.

Thank you for your cooperation with_____ He is

trying
very hard to be a better citizen, but he will
continue to need
our guidance ___also needs to remember to slow
down
and do neater work.

_is becoming one of our most dependable girls in

assuming responsibility for her behavior in class
and on the playground. Occasionally she does
forget, but it is not often.

___ does the best he can in the basic skills area.

He
is also trying much harder to be a better citizen.

Work Habits

_____ experienced great difficulty in adjusting to

school
after her vacation. However, she is again trying
very hard

_________ can be depended upon to fulfill her ___

duties without a reminder.

Thank you for your interest in our room. As we

have discussed, the markings under work
habits and citizenship on the reverse side of
this card are one means of evaluating the
quality of the work done by________ He needs to
remember
that school is a place where we work.
When _settles down, he does better work. However, his study habits are fairly flighty, and

he often seeks the attention of his classmates

through some form of noise, usually a loud
cough or sigh.
Thank you for coming in for a conference. _ has
made some progress in his personality
problems, but he still needs a great deal of
guidance and supervision in order to work
well. I suggest you set aside a time each evening
when
8 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

_____ drills on multiplication facts. Let us continue to

use the "note" system.
Thank you for your visit to our room on Open House
night.
______ is not working up to his ability at this time. He
is still too interested in his neighbor's business and
does not concentrate on doing his own work. As
a result, he is not performing as well as he could.
___________ has had some difficulty, as you know, because
she enjoys minding other students' business more than
attending to the work assigned to her. She is capable of
doing better work.

As you know from my reports, _____ does not utilize

his time well in school. He still has to learn that
we study in school and play only at specific
times. He is capable of better work.
_______ is easily distracted in school and needs to improve
her work habits. I'm sure she could do a better job
if she would use her time more efficiently. I would like
a conference with you immediately to discuss her
behavior in school.

Thank you for your visits and the help you give to
our room. As you suggested, ___________ finds it hard to
concentrate on

the work at this level. He needs constant supervision

in order to finish what he has started out to
accomplish. Please continue to see that he works on
regrouping in subtraction and

the multiplication facts _will continue to need praise

and encouragement.
_______ still permits his attention to wander when he
should be concentrating on his work. His difficulties
in his relationships with other pupils continue to
affect his work habits and to cause him unhappiness
at school. It would help
___________ if he studied his ______ at home every evening.

_seems to have difficulty settling down to the school

situation. She tends to be quite impatient and gets
upset easily. However, with her enthusiasm and
sincerity, I'm sure she will develop greater

stability. I appreciate the patience and

understanding you have had.
__has been progressing nicely. His greatest problem
has been his inability to listen attentively and keep his
mind on what is happening. He is inclined to
daydream, which makes it necessary for me to repeat
directions. His general

knowledge in. However,_should be recognized and

praised,
____________ does grade-level work. However, am certain
she is capable of doing better if she would
concentrate more on her studies. She tends to he too
interested in her neighbors' affairs. She has a happy
attitude in school and is gaining more confidence in
herself.

has learned to speak out loud only when

it is her turn. However, she still talks to her
neighbors and is often inattentive. She needs to
learn to concentrate on the right things at the
right time. The reading of easy library hooks at

home will help her achieve fluency in oral reading.

has trouble because he frequently talks
out loud and disturbs the class. However, he
listens to me and tries to correct this bad habit.
He is a likable child, and I'm sure you'll see more
progress in his work in future years.
____________enjoys reading and is doing nicely in
the basic skills areas. However, he still talks out
loud, disturbing the whole class. He is trying to
improve in this area.
__________________________________________________
_________works hard on her assignments and is anxious to
please. She needs to be reminded frequently of our class
rules because she tends to be talkative and bothers
those around her.

_________________has been doing good work

generally, although she has not been consistent.
She is a happy person but very talkative and
restless in class. I'm sure her work would
improve if she kept her mind on the job at hand.
She'll continue to need our guidance along these
lines.

I() Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

Behavior Problems II
___has fine mental ability and does her work quickly
and accurately. However, she needs to be more
considerate of other people, even teachers. She
has a tendency to want to manage other people
too much.

__________ is now doing good work in ____ His independent work is usually done correctly but is
not often completed because he spends so
much time talking to others. I am trying to help
him form better study habits and would
appreciate your help in working out this problem
without
discouraging his fine enthusiasm and interest in
_ still daydreams, and because her attention is
elsewhere, she depends upon others to tell her
what she should be doing. When she learns to
attend to her schoolwork, she will be capable of
finishing assignments in the allotted time.
Thank you for your cooperation in trying to help___
become more independent. He seems to be happier
with other children now and is beginning to take
some responsibility for getting his work done. He
has met several new events without
_ (crying, pouting, showing off, etc.), and I hope that
with your constant help we can solve this problem.
____ is now finishing her worksheets in reading. She
is showing some improvement in her ability to work
by herself. Could we have a talk soon about
helping her get more rest and simplifying her
outside activities so that she will be more relaxed
at school?
__ is doing good work in the basic skills areas. However, she is not showing the desired growth in
social maturity. She is often out of her seat
wanting
attention
about
trivial
matters.

Frequently she is unfair in games and then

pouts if reprimanded. I would like a conference with
you soon.
____ wastes much time preparing to do his work. He
also wastes much time thinking up ways to get
the class's attention away from their studies.
However, I am very much pleased with _____'s social
growth.
He
is
realizing
that
it is better to be noticed because of his good
behavior.
___

certainly enjoys artistic endeavors. However, as

is reflected in this reporting period, _____ has to realize that we work in

school and then have art time. I would like a conference with

you to discuss _'s work and study habits before they

become real problems.
I am very, proud of ___'s fine art work, but I wish

__ would try harder to think of others around him.

He must remember not to disturb people who are
studying.
Perhaps it would help if you would discuss with _
the importance of sticking to his work until he
completes it.
____ takes pride in doing his work well, but he still
requires a good deal of guidance and
supervision from me. He is more interested in
writing notes and, entertaining those around him
than in doing his work. I would be happy to
have a conference with you concerning ___ to see
how
we can help him develop better work habits.
Attitude
Although there has been some improvement in _
___________________________________________________'s
attitude toward her schoolwork and the other

students, it is not consistent _ will continue to need

guidance
and
encouragement from both of us.
____________'s report card is a reflection of his
attitude in school _________________________________
___________could do better if he decided to work and
cooperate.
Thank you for our recent conference. As we
discussed,
_'s attitude toward any of the basic skills areas is not
good. She needs to realize that she is in school
to work and apply herself.
Thank you for your cooperation with __
still needs many reminders regarding her
attitude toward teachers and her conduct in the
room and on the playground. It will take a
combined effort on our parts to help her improve
her attitude.

Behavior Problems 13
12 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

Thank you for your visit to our room _ is eatable

of doing better work. His attitude toward others and
me is
inconsistent, and this is reflected in his
schoolwork _________________________________________
should realize that we work in school and that
he must do the written work. He tends to pout
and become quite angry if reprimanded in any
way.
_'s attitude toward school, its rules, the teacher,
and her classmates is reflected in this reporting
period. She is capable of being a good student,
but she has become defiant and increasingly
difficult to handle.
__'s attitude toward school rules needs to be improved considerably as does his playground
behavior. I would like a conference with you soon.
As my reports to you have indicated, ____ is not
doing
his schoolwork and seems not to care about
doing the assignments. If this continues, he will
have to be relieved of patrol
duties. __ can do better if he makes up his mind to
work harder.
Our conversations about _h ave been helpful. I'm
sorry to report, however, that her attitude has
become 'defiant and that she does not think for
herself about what a good citizen does. Her
report card this time is a reflection of her
attitude toward schoolwork, teacher, and school
rules.
_'s attitude, socially and academically, is
inconsistent. He requires much supervision because he is
far too interested in his neighbor. He should be
receiving help at home every evening in all
areas. I'd like a conference with you soon.
Although there has been some improvement in

____________________________________________________
attitude toward others, he needs to be reminded
constantly to express himself respectfully. He
must realize that he is in school to work and not to
play and fool around.
_'s attitude toward others has shown improvement
this reporting period. However, _____ does little
work ,

in school unless he has my undivided attention.

It would help if you discussed with him
frequently that school is a place to work and
not a place to play or daydream. I send home
assignments with _____ almost every night, but he
never
brings them back to me.
Relations with Peers
_s progress in her schoolwork is not as strong as
it was the first reporting period. This is because
sine continues to have difficulties in her
relationships with other students and in
conforming to school rules. This affects her work
and is reflected in her marks this period.
I am very pleased with __ class work. His writing
is especially neat. However, he is having
considerable difficulty in his relations with his
peers, which is causing him much unhappiness.
I feel it is quite important that we have a
conference soon. Would you please let me know
when you are available?
Although___has shown progress in all academic
work
since school began, he still has difficulty in
conforming to school and room rules and in
understanding directions given in a group. Could
we talk about ways to help him understand the
importance of working well with others?
I am pleased with _'s fine class work. However,
she
continues to have difficulty in her relationships
with other pupils, and this causes her much
unhappiness at school. Could I have a conference
with you about how we might help her?
__ is now aware of her personality problems, but
it is difficult for her to conform to the classroom
rules and to live up to what is expected of her.
She is in trouble frequently with the other
children, and this causes her much

unhappiness.
Thank you for your visit to our room _'s problems
that we discussedbothering neighbors, bossing
others on the

,1 4 Teachers'

Messages for Report Cards

playground, and generally acting sillyare still

very prominent. He is also frequently tardy and this
disrupts the room.

_____ has settled down and is beginning to do better

work. I hope that his renewed interest in
schoolwork and the improvement in his behavior will
continue.

General
Thank you for your conferences with
(principal) about
_________'s behavior is very inconsistent, and he
still has great difficulty conforming to rules or
authority.
_____ is still having behavior problems that affect her
work. I would like a conference with you at
your earliest convenience.
______ has not made a good adjustment to our room,
and I would like to have a conference with you
as soon as possible. Please let me know when it
will be convenient for you to come to school.
_ certainly enjoys reading and continues to do satisfactory work for this grade level. He still tends
to want to mind other students' affairs too much.
__________ is a serious child and tries hard to succeed. She
has the ability to do excellent work but is held back
by tenseness. She is very excitable and needs to be
helped to relax.

I would like a conference with you soon

concerning
__________'s behavior. He has trouble keeping his hands to
himself and this creates frequent disturbances. It is
necessary

to remind ___ often that in school we must work and

cooperate with others.

15

Playground
Behavior

___________really does

some fine work in______ It is too

sad that unhappy incidents occur on the playground.
Because of his age and small size, he gets little
satisfaction from physical and social activities.
Would you come to school and discuss these
matters with me?
______ is a fine boy. I have been proud of his recent
progress in ___ He wants to please and do well; yet
he finds it very difficult to cooperate on the
playground. There have been a number of incidents
recently involving playground behavior. Would you
kindly review his conduct at noontime with him?
May I suggest also that you call me so that we
might work out ways to help him overcome these
difficulties?
___s class work is frequently affected by difficulties
that start on the playground. He must remember
to play in his own area. He also needs to play
less roughly. Could we talk over how we might help
him?
________ is a fine athlete and has the makings of a good
leader. However, because of his poor sportsmanship in
games, he is involved in many arguments. It then
becomes necessary
to remove _____from playground activities. When could
you come in to discuss how to help him with this
problem?

16 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

continues to show the growth needed in the

basic
skills of this grade level. She seems anxious to
please and
takes pride in our room _ still has trouble on the
playground, however, and I believe this is
partly because she allows other people to
influence her thinking and decisions. She
continues to need your help on this matter.
___ does neat work and works hard on his assignments. He still is having trouble on the
playground and he pouts if reprimanded.
Then he brings this attitude into the
classroom with him and allows it to interfere
with his schoolwork. He continues to need our
guidance and help.
___________ is making satisfactory progress in the
___________
grade. As we discussed, he needs to
remember self-control in the boys' line and on
the playground.
___ generally tries to do his best in the basic skills
area at school. However, he is often in
trouble on the playground and tends to
bother his neighbor in the room. He needs to
remember school is a place where we work,
play, and cooperate with one another.
_works hard on her assignments. Sometimes
comments on the playground and in the room
cause her unhappiness, and this is reflected
in her classroom activities. She is not
showing the desired growth in maturity for
this grade level.
______

Thank you for your interest in our room ____ tries

hard to be cooperative. However, he has
difficulties on the playground as well as in the
room. I would like a conference
with you soon to discuss how we can best help _
Please let me know when you can come in.
_____ is a serious child and does good work in the

__ grade. It is important for her to realize that she

needs to enter into organized games.
___________ is a good student. His interest in ____ is
stimulating to the class. It would help him to
take a more active part in all playground games,
however.

Personality Problems
4

Self-confidence
______ has gained much self-confidence. This has
given
her a feeling of success in her work. She is easy
to get along with and expects no special privileges.
______ is showing a nice improvement in all her
work.
She is beginning to contribute to the discussions
in class and is gaining self-confidence
_______
is a fine girl, but in the past, she seemed to lack
self-confidence and the ability to take the necessary responsibility
for doing____ grade work. I'm pleased to say
that she is beginning to "find herself. Her work
habits and social growth are improving nicely.
Thank you for your interest in our room._______ is
a
cooperative boy. He is dependable but very
quiet. He needs to be encouraged to take part
in classroom discussion and develop more
confidence in himself.
_______ is inclined to be timid and shy. Practice in
reading
at home may give her more confidence.

18 Teachers' Messages\br Report Cards

__ is a conscientious child and a good citizen. It

would help her gain confidence in herself if
she did more oral reporting at news time.
_ is overanxious and worries about her work at
times, which is probably indicative of a lack
of self-confidence. She requires a great deal
of praise and attention. She seems tense and
needs to relax more.
__________ is a quiet child in the classroom and
frequently
daydreams. She seems to be under a lot of
nervous strain, and this is reflected in her
oral reading and reporting to the class.

is a shy child, but I'm sure that being

elected secretary of our class will help her
in this area. She is a good student and a fine
citizen.
_________ is now reading _grade books. He is
beginning to contribute to the conversations and
discussions in class and seems to be overcoming
his shyness.

_ is a fine citizen and is well-liked by his peers.

He is showing fine growth in all the basic
skills areas, but he needs to develop more
confidence in himself.
_______ is a sweet child. However, she needs to
develop
more confidence in herself. She tends to work
slowly because she wants all her work done just
right.
_ needs more confidence in herself before she
can
do good work. She is inclined to be
dependent upon others for directions.
Shyness
Thanks for our conference. __ still has trouble
expressing herself orally because of her shyness.
However, I have noticed a little improvement the
past few weeks.
___ has made a nice adjustment to our school.
She
19

2 0 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

5
Improvement
and Growth
Social
I appreciate your interest in our class. I am
happy to report that ___ is showing growth in his
social relations with
other students. He seems to he happier and
more at ease in school now.
I certainly appreciate your cooperation with __
this
year. He has worked very hard, and although
he slips back occasionally in his social
maturity, it is a problem that can be solved
under your guidance. I have enjoyed watching
the growth he has made socially and
academically this year.
_ has made nice progress this year, especially socially and emotionally. Thank you for your
cooperation.
__ has made fine progress in all areas this year.
Please continue to praise him for the growth
he has made socially and emotionally. He is
very proud to be a patrol boy. Thank you for
your cooperation.
_________ will continue to need your guidance in
overcoming her personality difficulty. She will find school
much more pleasant if she is able to sustain
the improvement she has shown the past few

Improvement and Growth 21

weeks.
__________ is showing improvement in her subjects. It is
obvious that she spends time at home on her
schoolwork. Thank you for your conference and the
fine work you have done with her. It will be helpful
if you continued to give her encouragement.

Attitude
_________'s attitude is much better now, and she is
learning
more self-control. She is very skilled in
physical education activities.
_____has shown improvement in reading this reporting
period, and he is now doing his worksheets. He is
trying to improve his attitude, and I think he
deserves credit for this. However, he does slip back
often and will need constant help and encouragement
from both of us.

_ has matured nicely socially, and his attitude toward his schoolwork is better. He responds well to
praise.
I am very pleased with ___'s improvement since our
talks about her. She wants very much to please me
and you, too. She is really blossoming out.
Thank you for your cooperation with ___ I am delighted with the improvement that she has
made with her behavior problems. She is most
helpful to me in the room. She is very
dependable, and her work in the basic skills
areas reflects the new attitude she has acquired.
______ is showing a more mature approach to the work
of this level and is developing a better attitude
toward it. She should continue to work on this,
although she has already made a good deal of
progress. She seems more interested in school now
and is better able to apply herself in both social and
scholastic situations.

____ is doing a fine job of disciplining herself now.

She should be encouraged to do enrichment

activities of all
kinds. I'll be happy to discuss ____'s progress with
you.
______ is rapidly acquiring the ability to discipline herself. She loves the physical education period and
also applies herself well in school. I feel that a brief
conference at your convenience would be beneficial.

Determination and consistent effort on____'s part

have
raised all his grades. He is now realizing much
satisfaction from doing his work well.
_____ has shown improvement in many area ;.of schoolwork. Now she is full of ambition and is maturing
nicely, socially as well as academically. She has a
pleasant disposition and is most cooperative. Didn't
she do well in our assembly?

General
Thank you for your interest and cooperation. It
is evident that _ is receiving help at home from you
with her
arithmetic problems. Please continue to encourage
her and give her practice on the multiplication facts
through the Os each evening to increase her speed and
skill.

I enjoyed our conversation about __ concerning his

schoolwork. As we discussed, he has grown in so
many ways this year. He certainly is trying to
improve, and continued guidance from you will
benefit him greatly.

For several weeks, _ showed improvement in the

problems that we discussed. However, his
written work is slipping, and I feel that an
immediate conference with you at your earliest
convenience would be most helpful.
_________ is a good citizen and tries hard in all areas. As
we discussed in our recent conference, she needs
extra help at home in order to understand any of the

concepts of arithmetic. I have enjoyed watching _grow

socially, and
it has been pleasant to have her in my room.

___ has improved since we last talked together. I

would suggest that he continue to work on his _a
short time each evening.

Poor Attendance and Tardiness 23

stantly about not feeling well, and her poor

physical condition is affecting her performance in
the classroom.

Poor
Attendance
and
Tardiness

Tardiness
is tardy frequentlyoften thirty minutes
or more. This not only disturbs his classmates,
but it also affects his work
is capable of
doing better work. Although
For a while, there was improvement in _'s
attitude and approach to work in our room.
However, her frequent late arrivals have harmed
her this reporting period. Her tardiness affects her
own performance and also disrupts the class.

Absences
________does excellent class work when she is
present,
but
her frequent absences cause difficulties. Could
you talk with me about this problem?
____has
had
difficulty
adjusting
tion. His frequent absences are reflected in the quality of

to

the

new

class

situa-

his written work and assignments _ will need guidance and help from you and me in both
personality and academic problems.
It is hard to make an accurate evaluation of ____
progress at this time because of her frequent absences.
Health
_____

seems

to

be

in

in his written work and assignments. I would like to have

a conference with you soon about __

poor

______'s
frequent
absences
make
keep up with her classmates. She also complains almost con22

health,

it

and

difficult

this

for

is

reflected

her

to

7
The Average Child
Academic Performance
______ is a dependable boy and one of our better
citizens. He is very cooperative and takes an
active part in all our activities. His oral reading is
fluent and his comprehension is good. He takes
great pride in his work and always does it neatly.
_______ has done a fine job in assuming her
duties while continuing to make progress in the
academic areas. She is having difficulty
understanding division, but I'm sure we can
structure a program for her during a brief conference.

The Average Child 2.5

sure that if she spent time each evening on
arithmetic assign ments, her speed would improve.
____takes keen interest in all work and is a most agreeable and willing worker. This past reporting period
she contributed useful information and materials to our
social studies

units. I have enjoyed _ , and it has been pleasant

to
have her in my room.

_____ volunteers often. It would help if he could increase his speed in doing written assignments,
however. I believe his difficulty in writing is
largely a problem of muscular coordination.
Constant effort to improve will be necessary.
_______ shows satisfactory progress in all his work.
Thank you for helping to stimulate his interest.
_______ is a good citizen and works hard in school. However, he tends to work too rapidly, which often
results in careless mistakes and poor written work.

Attitude
___'s attitude toward school is excellent. She takes
great pride in performing her official school duties
well.
Continued extra reading of library books and drill
on number facts will be profitable to
___________has been helpful to me in many ways this
grading period. She is a fine girl and assumes
responsibility well. There is a minor problem in
arithmetic (regrouping in subtraction) that appears
from time to time in her work. I will be happy to
discuss this with you at your convenience.

_________ is showing good growth in the basic

skills. She takes pride in doing her work neatly
and correctly. I feel
24

____ is a fine citizen and a conscientious child. She

has a good attitude toward school and approaches
her assigned tasks in a confident manner.
______ has a happy and cooperative attitude toward his
schoolwork. He needs to improve his attitude toward
physical

education and games, however _would rather not

participate, and his attitude sometimes causes
him problems on the playground.
_________ is a good citizen and is always willing to help
with any classroom project. Her fine attitude and
spirit of cooperation are reflected in the good

growth she is showing in the basic skills.

26

Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

_______ is showing good growth in the basic skills area.

She is a dependable person and likes to help our
room be a pleasant place. She is a good citizen
and approaches her work with a fine attitude.

__________ is a very cooperative and alert _______

grader
who accepts responsibility beautifully. You can
always depend
on ____ to set a good example in citizenship as well as
scholarship. It is a pleasure having her in my class.
She certainly reflects fine home training.

Thank you for your interest in our room. ____ is an

excellent citizen, and you are to he commended
for raising such a fine girl.
General
__________ is a cooperative and alert _____ grader. He
is a dependable student and citizen. Because he
is a quiet boy, he needs much encouragement
before taking part in classroom discussions.
_____ is doing satisfactory work, and he is making
rapid
preparation for _______ grade.
__________ has been progressing nicely in _____ grade.
However, at times, I feel that he has not worked to
the best of his ability.
has shown fine growth in all areas,
especially in
_ is a very enthusiastic and peppy member of our
class. She has been a very dependable _ monitor.
She is quite poised and reads fluently in front of the
class.
Because ___ has acquired poise and self-confidence,

The Auerage Child 27

she now appears before the group without

hesitancy. This improvement is due in part to her
realization that she is rapidly mastering the fundamental
skills.

In her quiet way, ____ is one of my best classroom

helpers. Her generosity and friendly gestures
always help to put new pupils at ease.
__ is willing to take part in all classroom activities.
She has a pleasant personality and shows
satisfactory progress in all her work.
_________ is a good citizen and does a fine job reporting
news to the class. She takes pride in her work
and in our room.

___________ is a fine citizen and works hard on his

assignments.
He seems to enjoy performing special classroom
duties.
_______ seems anxious to please and takes pride in her
job as secretary. She still needs to develop more
confidence in herself and needs to increase home
study time on the multiplication facts.

_ has adjusted nicely to our school situation and

brings many interesting items to share with us. He
takes pride
in his patrol duties, and I enjoy having_____ in our
room.
____would benefit by reading easy library books
orally
to some member of his family. He responds readily
to praise.
Thank you for our many talks. This has helped
me to understand _____________________ better. Since
________________ tells me you are planning to move
soon, I'd like you to come in for a conference if
possible.

8
The Bright Child
Academic Performance
________ has improved in all areas this year. He enjoys
reading and this accounts for his fine vocabulary.
Thank you for your interest in our room. ____ is a
hard worker and has a fine vocabulary for his
age. His news reporting is excellent.
___________ is a cooperative and alert _____ grader who
completes her work quickly and accurately. She
needs to find desirable ways to occupy her extra time,
however. Perhaps

you could help __ select a library book to read in

her

The Bright Child 29

job you have done in raising him. It is a real

pleasure to work with such a conscientious, wellmannered child.
________ is a good citizen in the classroom and is always
willing to help with any project. His fine attitude and
spirit of cooperation are reflected in his excellent work.

Thank you for your visit to our room. _____ is a fine

citizen and a conscientious worker. The children
enjoy the interesting reports that she brings to
share with : ;them. It is a pleasure to work with such a
capable child.

I enjoyed talking to you about ______ She has made

excellent progress in all areas. Her willingness to
help others has made her one of the most well-liked
members of the class.

spare time and to share with the class.

____'s excellent work is a reflection of her fine attitude
and effort. The class has enjoyed the many
interesting articles she has brought to our room. It is
pleasant to work with such a willing child.

General
___ continues to do fine academic work and is a good
citizen and leader.
_ takes a keen interest in all his work and has shown
growth in all areas. He is a conscientious, dependable
child.

Attitude
I enjoyed meeting you at the Open House _____ is
a fine boy. You can be extremely proud of the wonderful

28

9
The Slow Child
Academic Performance
_ is a fine boy. He is always polite and cooperative.
Although he is making steady progress in his
schoolwork, he has not completed the work
expected at this time of the year. I am concerned
as to whether his achievement will be high
enough at the end of the year to go on to __ grade.
I am so pleased with the way_has learned to follow
directions
and
carry
out
assignments
independently. She seems to enjoy working with the
group now and expresses herself
freely. She has been rather slow in acquiring_ grade
skills, and it is possible that it may take her more
than one
year to complete ___ grade work. I would be glad to
talk with you about _______
Thank you for our recent conference. As we
discussed,
_ 's work is below grade-level standards. He needs to
learn to concentrate and to develop efficient
study habits. I am pleased about his social growth
in playground activities.
I have enjoyed working with ____ this year. He has
shown growth in reading and arithmetic, but he is
not ready
for success at the ____ grade level. I am sure that if
he spends another year in __________ grade, he will
30

strengthen
his academic foundation.
Although _____________ tries to do his best, all the basic skills

of the _grade are too difficult for him. He also needs

to mature much more socially to feel at ease with
his peers.

I am concerned about _______'s progress in _______

grade. The overall picture is not good. Her work
habits and social growth, as well as most of her
basic subjects, are below grade-level standards.
Will you call the office to make an appointment
for a conference?
____ is always willing to help and is a good citizen.
Although she tries hard, the work is difficult for her.
I would suggest that you have her learn her
multiplication facts this summer.
__'s enthusiasm for all activities certainly perks up
our class. It is hard for him to remember words.
However,
it may take him two years to complete the ___grade
reading program. Please feel free to come in to
discuss this card with me at any time.
_____ is good-natured and cooperative. She started
slowly in gaining the skills necessary for reading;
and although her progress is steady, she has not
reached the level of achievement expected at this
time of the year.
Attitude
_____ is a very active person and finds it difficult to
settle down to the quiet routine of a classroom.

Several things
indicate a lack of readiness and maturity for the _
grade. For example, he seeks help from his
neighbors and does not assume responsibility for
completion of his work.
____ tries hard to please in school, and I believe he
is doing the best he can. I would like to have a
conference
with you as soon as possible concerning _________'s
personal
problems. He is a very nervous child and needs
our guidance to settle him down.

10

11

The New Child

End-of-school

Adjustment
Because__has been in my class for just a short
while,
it is difficult to evaluate him at this time. However,
I can
see that __ has found it very difficult to adjust to
the
new classroom situation. I would appreciate a
conference with you soon.
For a short time, ____ had difficulty adjusting to
our
class. However, she has made an effort to
overcome this and now fits in remarkably
well. She is a capable child and does good
work in school.
It will he difficult to make an accurate
evaluation
of
__'s work since she has not been with us too long.
She does have some difficulty in her relations
with others on the playground, and this has been
affecting her schoolwork.
__has had some difficulty adjusting to our class,
especially in playground activities. I feel that
he is doing the best he can in academic
areas. I have enjoyed your interest in our
room.
Although_enjoys our playground activities, she
has
had problems in adjusting to the new classroom
situation. I
32

Messages
Academic Performance

_ has matured nicely this year, academically and

socially. She assumes responsibility well and
has
a
fine
attitude.
She
still
needs
strengthening in the concept of long division,
however. Thanks for the help I know you have
given her.
There has been a noticeable improvement in _'s
study habits this reporting period, which is very
encouraging.

Please continue during the summer with__review

and
as many reading experiences as possible.
______ would benefit from reading many library books
this summer. He needs to improve his reading speed and

comprehension if he is to have success in the

___________________________________________________grade.

If __ will put forth in the future the effort he has

shown in the past two reporting periods, he
will receive a great deal from his schooling.
With _____'s ability to apply herself to each task, she
should receive much satisfaction from her school
experiences.

End-of-school Messages 35

continued to blossom as the year

progressed.
____'s oral reading is very expressive and her oral
reporting is excellent.

__________________________________________________________
His friendly, sincere way has made him a very popular
member
of the _________ grade.

Regardless of how busy _is, he still has time to

do something nice for someone. For this
reason, he is one of the best-liked members of my
class.
It has been pleasant to have ___ in my class. She

Attitude

Thank you for your interest in ____'s attitude. Although he has had some difficulty adjusting to our room
and
various duties, he usually tries to cooperate.
has had some problems adjusting to
our room, as you know from my reports to you.
Many of her difficulties occur on the playground
and then she carries a poor attitude into the
classroom. This hurts her academically. She is
capable of much better work.
I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you this year
has
made nice progress this reporting period
socially. She is maturing nicely and hope this
continues.
Although_________'s growth in social maturity is
continuing,
it is not consistent. She still needs guidance and
support from both you and me. Thanks for your
cooperation.
is a wonderful girl and I'm happy to
have had her in my room. She has made many
fine contributions to our class and is an
inspiration to her classmates. With her
friendly, cooperative attitude, she will always
be a pleasant addition to any class.
I have enjoyed the association I have had with

is a sweet and cooperative child.

APPENDIX

38 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

___is a pleasant, conscientious student. He is proud
to be a patrol boy, and this responsibility seems to
have given him much satisfaction. You are to be
commended for raising such a fine child. He has
excellent manners, and it has been a pleasure to
have him in my class.

It has been pleasant having _____ in my room. She

assumes responsibility well, excels on the
playground, and is well-liked by her peers. She's
helped to make my year a pleasant one.
I have enjoyed having ___ in my room. She enjoys
seeing our room look clean and pleasant. She has
been most cooperative and only needs strengthening
in arithmetic skills
to bring her up to______grade level.

General
_is a fine c i t i z e n and takes a keen interest in school.

I hope you enjoy your new home!

_takes a keen interest in all work and is most agreeable and a willing worker. It has been nice to
hav4 her in my room.

It is sometimes possible to convey an accurate

evaluation of a child by using one word or a short
phrase.
This
appendix
contains
lists
of
appropriate adjectives and phrases. When using
them, be sure that the comments have personal
application to the specific child being evaluated.

Appropriate Adjectives
affectionat
e
aggressive
alert
ambitious
appreciativ
e bashful
capable
cheerful
conscientio
us
consistent
cooperativ
e
courteous
defiant
dependabl
e
destructive
dictatorial
disobedien
t disorderly

e a g e r
enthusiast
ic friendly
gracious
happy
imaginativ
e
impertine
nt
impolite
inattentiv
e
inconsiste
nt
interested
neat
nervous
overcritica
l
poised
popular
quarrelso
37

reserved
restless

rude
selfish
self-reliant
sensitive
serious
talented
talkative
tattling
thoughtles
s unhappy
unreliable
unsocial
untruthful
vivacious
welladjusted
willing
withdrawn

38 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

Appendix 39

Appropriate Phrases

Language handicap is main source or

Although many of these phrases can be used

appropriately in a variety of situations, they are
given a general classification here for the
teacher's convenience. The chapter numbers indicated in parentheses are meant to be
suggestions, and the teacher should feel free to
use the comments in any situation for which they
are meaningful.
Capable of achieving a higher average in areas of _
(1)
Needs to practice oral speaking more

difficulty. (1) Not working to full capability.

distinctly. (1) Fails to retain processes of

addition, etc. (1)
Is spasmodic in his efforts, especially in ____ (1)
Sacrificing accuracy for unnecessary speed in
his written work. (1)
Most of____'s mistakes are due to carelessness. He
needs
to recheck ________ (1)
Takes his job as ____ seriously but fails to have his
_________work on time. (1)
Is confused about written instructions. (1)
Needs to listen to directions. (1)
Never completes assignments in the
allotted time. (1) Fails to finish independent
assignments. (1)
Would improve if he developed a greater
interest in _________________________________
(1)
Comprehends well, but works too
slowly. (1) Needs to be urged. (1)
Has made no oral reports. (1)
_________'s potential is much greater. (1)
Needs to strengthen skills in _____ (1)

(1)

Is weak in ________ (1)

Indicate a few areas in which development is
Has ability but is not applying herself. (1)
Is doing the, work hastily rather than carefully. (1)
Is working harder to master__________and is making
progress.
We will give him constant encouragement here.
(1)
Needs to work on writing skills during spare
time. (1) Needs to be continually reminded to
__________________________________________ (1)
Needs constant supervision. (1)
Needs encouragement. (1)
Inclined to hurry too much. (1)
Respect viewpoints of others. (2)
Not concerned about his behavior. (2)
Continues to daydream too much. (2)
Needs to have more socially acceptable behavior.
(2)
Needs to improve in self-control so he will find
greater social acceptance. (2)
Is a good citizen. (2)
Is learning to share and listen. (2)
This is an important part of social growth. (2)
becoming

more

dependable

during

work

periods. (2)
Is developing a better attitude toward first grade
lliving and is showing more interest and
enthusiasm for the things we do. (2)
_________'s classroom behavior has
concerned me. (2) Is learning to occupy
his time more fully. (2) Can help himself

Wants responsibilities, but fails to follow through.

(2)

needed. (I) Lack of interest in work. (1)

Is

out of difficulties. (2)

The New Child 3.3

would appreciate it if you would come in

immediately for a conference.
has had extreme difficulty in adjusting
to the new classroom situation. I would
appreciate your having a conference with me
Tuesday at 3 o'clock.
General!

It is difficult to give __ a fair evaluation at this reporting period because she has not been with us long.
I did not feel that I could give a fair evaluation
of______________________________________________________
progress in the general subject areas on this
particular report card. However, I would like a
conference with you soon so
that we could discuss this matter. __ has made a
nice
adjustment to our room in general.

independence. (2)
Is impulsiveacts before he thinks. (2)

40 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

Needs to improve his playground relations

with others. (3) Needs constant supervision. (3)
Can be very helpful and dependable in the
classroom when he remembers our standards. (2)

Doesn't

always

use

his

Is aggressive on the playground. (3)

Skill in games has helped him achieve status in

the group. (3)

time

wisely. (2) Must use his time to an

Never reluctant about participating. (3)

advantage. (2) Seems restless at

Appendix 41

times. (2)
Has trouble concentrating. (2)
Has shown improvement in his academic workbut
more self-control is needed. (2)
Needs to utilize spare moments to an advantage.
(2)
Doesn't show self-control in important
situations, and this causes unhappiness for him as
well as others. (2)

Hesitant about reciting in ____ class. (4)

Doesn't volunteer often but is willing to take part
in all class- work when requested. (4)
Gaining more self-confidence. (4)
Responds best to praise. (4, 7)

Needs more respect for other students' ideas. (2)

Has the potential to be a good leader but

Especially enjoys being with other children, but at

times be comes over stimulated. (4)

Doesn't participate. (4)

(2)

Lacks concentration. (2)

Thoughtless acts get her in trouble with

others. (2) Disobeys rules, does too much

Needs to take a more active part in class

discussion. (4, 7) Rarely volunteers for (4, 7)
Occasionally feels unsure of himself. (4)

talking. (2)

Has a pleasant personality.

(4) Easily discouraged. (4)

Respects the authority of those in charge of

situations. (2) Easily distracted. (2)

Timid about asking for

help.
(4)
Lacks
selfconfidence. (4) Has earned a(5)
lovely report card. Has
improved steadily. (5)
Is learning to listen to directions more

Talks excessively. (2)

Is learning to be a better listener, which enables her to
follow directions more promptly. (2)

Is learning to be careful, cooperative,

and fair. (2) Is continuing to grow in

carefully. (5) Now accepts responsibility well.

(5)
Thank you for helping stimulate this
interest. (5)
_________'s work habits are improving. (5)
Is improving in reading, especially vocabulary
development. (5)
Has been consistently progressing. (5)
Has shown a good attitude about trying to
improve in
____________ (5)

Shows improvement (or fails to show improvement)

in interpreting and following directions. (5)
Has improved in arithmetic skills. (5)
The following suggestions might improve his

(5)

Appendix 43
42 Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

I am hoping that this recent interest and

improvement will
continue. (5)
Seems eager to improve. (5)
Has improved in general

Expresses himself well through art and with words.

(7)
Has a pleasant disposition. (7, 8,
10) Works well. (7, 8, 10)
Has good work habits. (7, 8, 10)

comprehension. (5) Has shown

Is hard-working. (7, 8, 10)

strong growth in __________________ (5)

Is pleasant and friendly. (7)

He especially enjoys _______

(7) Is cooperative and happy.
(7)
Volunteers often. (7)
Is willing to take part in all classroom activities. (7)
Works well with her neighbors.
(7) Shows pride in his work. (7)
Pleased with her fluent oral reading. (7)
Attitude toward school is excellent.
(7) H as the abili ty to foll ow
di re ctions. (7) Needs to learn the
school safety rules. (7, 10) Le arns new
vocab ul ary qui ckl y. (7) Hand work
is beautifully done. (7)
Has a sense of humor and enjoys the stories we
read. (7)
Is a steadfast, conscientious worker. (7)
Is very helpful about clean-up work around the
room. (7) Anxious to please. (7, 10)
Brings fine contributions. (7, 8, 10)

Increase speed and comprehension in

Accepts responsibility. (7, 8)

reading. (7) Apply skills to all written work.

Extremely conscientious. (7, 8,

(7)

10) Bubbles over with

Gets along well with other children. (7)

enthusiasm. (7)

Your constant cooperation and help are

Has a sense of humor we all

appreciated. (7)

enjoy. (7) Has an excellent

H as sh own an encou ragi ng de si re to be tter

he rself n
____________ (7, 10)

Making steady progress academically.

(7, 10) Quality of work is improving.
(7, 10) Responds well. (7, 8, 10)

attitude. (8)
Work in the areas of_______ has been especially
good. (8) Is an enthusiastic worker during the
reading period. (8) Needs to work democratically
with others in a group. (8)
Possible for ________ to exceed grade

Is maintaining grade-level achievements. (7)

expectations. (8) Grasps new ideas readily. (8)

Works well in groups, planning and carrying out

activities. (7)

Needs to develop a better sense of

Seems to be more aware of activities in the classroom.

(7)

Takes an active part in discussions pertinent to __

(7, 8, 10)

44. Teachers' Messages for Report Cards

Rich background. (8)
Unusually mature. (8)
Seeks
(8)

information.
Mature

vocabulary. (8)
Doing strong work in all areas. (8)
Possible for _________ to exceed grade expectations. (8)
Is a clear thinker. (8)
Excels in writing original stories and poems. (8)
Is a good student who appears to be a "deep

responsibility. (8) E n t h u s i a s t i c a b o u t
w o r k i n g e n e r a l . ( 8 ) Performs well in
everything he undertakes. (8) Her main
interest lies in _________________ (8)
thinker.- (8) Reads extensively. (8)
Seeks additional information. (8)
Has good organization of thoughts. (8)

Has a vast background knowledge of _____ (8)

Is a very fine and serious student and excels in ___
(8)
Rate of achievement makes it difficult for ___________________ to keep
up with the class. (9)
Must improve work habits if ___________ is to gain the
fundamentals needed for ______ grade work. (9)

___'s academic success leaves much to be desired.

(9)
Handwriting needs to be improved. (9)

Should have better posture. (9)

Cooperative, well-mannered. (9)
Is a very happy well-adjusted child but . . . (9).
Makes friends quickly and is
classmates. (10) Cries easily. (10)
Good worker and attentive listener. (10)
Good adjustment. (10)

Good attitude. (10)

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