Dear Mom and Dad,

[snowbunnies300]

Dear Mom and Dad,
Today you will be seeing my report card. This report card will be my teacher's attempt to describe my actions and accomplishments at school during the past weeks. As you read the card, please remember that my teacher is describing someone near and dear to you, so please don't get "uptight" if you see a blemish. I hope you will accept me as I am.
Remember that all children do not learn to walk and talk at the same age, nor do they learn math or reading at the same rate. Please do not compare me to my brothers, sisters, or friends, because I am unique to this world. Be realistic in setting my goals. I need to be challenged, but not to be pushed beyond mhy ability. I need to taste success and I need time to "smell the flowers" while I am still a child.
Please understand taht my report card is a picture of me at school. It is a whole different world from the one at home. Can you imagine having 25 plus children my age at the dinner table tonight, or 200 children in you backyard playing? Don't be surprised to find that I respond in a different manner at school.
My teacher knows me as I am at school. You know me as I am at home. The "real me" may be somewhere in between. When these two images are blended with sufficient understanding, acceptance and love, I hope you will see a unique individual who can make you proud and bring you much happiness.

Love,
Your Child

**the above letter came home with my second grader's first report card** One one hand I liked it and on another I felt bad that the teacher has to send this home as a reminder to parents.

[newnana]

Very interesting. I wonder if it actually has an impact on those that need a nudge in the right direction. How sad. Thanks for sharing, I have not seen a note like that before.

This term, DD was all worked up about her report card for some reason. She knew one was coming and said, "uh-oh!" with a terribly worried expression. I was shocked. Every piece of paper comes home every week and we review it and know exactly how she's doing. She's a spectacular student and works hard. So that's what I told her, that we shouldn't have any suprises and it's just a tool for us to communicate with her teacher just like the weekly work. I asked why she was worried and she couldn't articulate it.

I asked if she came home failing every subject what she thought we'd do and she didn't have an answer. So I told her we'd find a way to help her and move on, it's not the end of the world. She seemed relieved, but I don't know where that pressure came from, certainly not DH and I. I do know there are some Tiger Mom parents of her classmates and wonder how much that rubs off. I don't see them changing their opinion based on this note. And those of us that agree with it already... I don't know what to say.

Just makes me want to hug my kid. Thanks for sharing, definitely food for thought

[ArizonaGirl]

I just read this and shared it with my DH and our response is just WOW. :47:

How sad is it that some parents need to be reminded to love and appreciate their children for who they are...

[PZMommy]

I've never seen that before.

I'm a teacher and we are doing parent teacher conferences this week and giving out report cards. It is sad, but some parents need these reminders.

[HannaAddict]

I have seen how worked up and upset some parents get on this board about any non-stellar comments about their child from a teacher or want to argue, so I'm sure this is what drives it. It is sad though that teachers have to do this though. Parent teacher conferences are later this week, fun!

[rin]

Wow, that's so cool! (Although it is sad that she feels the need to send that home, I feel like it's frankly awesome that she's taken the time to try to head off any clashes.) I wonder if the teacher wrote it herself, or if that's a school/district-wide thing?

[snowbunnies300]

I do not believe this is a letter sent out school wide but it's possible. This teacher has been teaching for at least 20 yrs. She is amazing! We had conferences last month so parents should have had a little heads up. It is nice that conferences come before the report card so parents can work with their children to improve ont he areas that are more difficult for them.

[inmypjs]

I liked it. Thanks for sharing.

[maestramommy]

Thanks for sharing!

I remember the report card that came home in K last year. It included a LONG explanation of the marks, what they mean, and that they show a work in progress. This year in 1st grade the teacher explained the "report card" which has no letter grades first quarter. She explained that they only expect kids to get to "meets expectations" by the end of the year and that in fact very few kids get to "exceeds expectations" because that would mean they are way ahead of the curriculum and need more. It's not surprising to me that teachers feel the need to explain all this in our district.