The unexpected benefits of progress reports
The trophies only tell part of the story. (National Library of Ireland)
What goes into a grade?
Grades seem straightforward. The teacher gives the assignments and administers the test, and the results are up to the student. Success and failure are measurable and quantifiable.
A letter grade on a given assignment, test, or course implies that the onus is on the student to achieve a successful outcome. However, there are two problems with this: Success is defined narrowly as the attainment of a certain numerical score, and the teacher is never required to reflect on the student’s progress — only the score.
In order to provide a clearer picture of a student’s achievements, learning, and growth, educators can share progress reports instead of simple report cards.
Writing good progress reports takes a lot of courage and willingness to be vulnerable on the part of the teacher. Giving grades is straightforward, but standing back in order to evaluate how the student actually grew and changed over the course of their time — what they actually learned — that’s much more challenging.
Progress reports, in fact, require teachers to assess themselves as they reflect on the student’s progress. Was I able to guide this student toward growth? Is that growth measurable or otherwise evident in any way? Did I create an environment that reinforced the student’s resistance or allowed her to release any of it? Was I approachable when the student needed help? When I provided help, did this result in any improvement in the student’s performance?
When teachers aren’t sure what to look for, they will make themselves the hero of the progress report or filter everything through their opinion. “Emily was struggling with multiplying decimals. After we went over it together, she was able to do it on her own,” or “Adam is a confident, respectful kid who works hard.” It takes some practice to begin to notice a student’s growth on his own terms and see the nuances in his progress, as in this progress report excerpt from one of my colleagues: “Matthew enjoys having a plan, but he had a bit of a breakthrough moment while working on our sculpture project in art. He was happily constructing his sculpture, but about halfway through he realized he had a more interesting idea. Instead of sticking to his plan just for the sake of the plan, he went with his gut and worked hard to finish his new plan on time.”
The final grade on a piece of art (or the physical appearance of the piece itself) can’t quite convey Matthew’s flexibility, creativity, and the growth of his artistic process, so the teacher’s comments add depth and context. Further, she takes herself out of the story and lets Matthew be the star. Her role is important, but she’s the facilitator, not the source of the growth.
The benefit of progress reports is not just to keep the parent informed. When both teacher and student approach the learning in this way, free of the pressure of grades and with a focus on progress and process as opposed to the final product, things get much more interesting. The learning process becomes highly collaborative, with the students taking ownership of their own education. Students ask for help more often, set their own goals, and become invested in the milestones they see along the way. Can you imagine an eighth grade student giving himself his own assignment, then following up with the teacher to ask for feedback? I’m telling you, it happens.
If we’re just trying to document how well students did when compared with their peers or how well they obeyed instructions, grades are sufficient. But if we want to share the story of a student’s growth, encourage teachers to notice more than just the superficial, and help students and teachers create a culture of connection and cooperation over compliance and competition, progress reports, instead of report cards, are the way to go.