A report card should confirm what you already know about your scholar’s academic progress—not surprise you. Parents don’t have to wait until the end of a quarter, parent-teacher conference, or standardized testing season to discover that their child has fallen behind. Create your own checkpoints throughout the school year. Ask your scholar to read aloud. Have them explain what they are learning in math. Give them a few grade-level problems without assistance. Review their writing. These simple exercises can tell you a great deal about whether your scholar is mastering the skills expected at their grade level.
Online learning platforms and supplemental materials can make these check-ins more structured. IXL, Education.com, TestingMom.com, Mathnasium, Kumon, and Sylvan Learning resources are examples of tools families can explore for additional practice or assessment. If you identify an area where your scholar is struggling, don’t panic—act early. Talk with the teacher, provide additional practice at home, consider tutoring when appropriate, and check the skill again later. Small academic gaps can become much larger when they go unnoticed for months or years. Parents don’t need to become teachers, but we should know enough about our scholar’s progress to recognize when additional support may be needed.
