Attitude
The student: * is an enthusiastic learner who seems to enjoy school. * exhibits a positive outlook and attitude in the classroom. * appears well rested and ready for each day's activities. * shows enthusiasm for classroom activities. * shows initiative and looks for new ways to get involved. * uses instincts to deal with matters independently and in a positive way. * strives to reach his (or her) full potential. * is committed to doing his (or her) best. * seeks new challenges. * takes responsibility for his (or her) learning.
Behavior
The student: * cooperates consistently with the teacher and other students. * transitions easily between classroom activities without distraction. * is courteous and shows good manners in the classroom. * follows classroom rules. * conducts himself (or herself) with maturity. * responds appropriately when corrected. * remains focused on the activity at hand. * resists the urge to be distracted by other students. * is kind and helpful to everyone in the classroom. * sets an example of excellence in behavior and cooperation.
Character
The student: | * shows respect for teachers and peers. * treats school property and the belongings of others with care and respect. * is honest and trustworthy in dealings with others. * displays good citizenship by assisting other students. * joins in school community projects. * is concerned about the feelings of peers. * faithfully performs classroom tasks. * can be depended on to do what he (or she) is asked to do. * seeks responsibilities and follows through. * is thoughtful in interactions with others.
Communication Skills
The student: * has a well-developed vocabulary. * chooses words with care. * expresses ideas clearly, both verbally and through writing. * has a vibrant imagination and excels in creative writing. * has found his (or her) voice through poetry writing. * uses vivid language in writing. * writes clearly and with purpose. * writes with depth and insight. * can make a logical and persuasive argument. * listens to the comments and ideas of others without interrupting.
Group Work
The student: * offers constructive suggestions to peers to enhance their work. * accepts the recommendations of peers and acts on them when appropriate. * is sensitive to the thoughts and opinions of others in the group. * takes on various roles in the work group as needed or assigned. * welcomes leadership roles in groups. * shows fairness in distributing group tasks. * plans and carries out group activities carefully. * works democratically with peers. * encourages other members of the group. * helps to keep the work group focused and on task.
Interests and Talents
The student: * has a well-developed sense of humor. * holds many varied interests. * has a keen interest that has been shared with the class. * displays and talks about personal items from home when they relate to topics of study. * provides background knowledge about topics of particular interest to him (or her). * has an impressive understanding and depth of knowledge about his (or her) interests. * seeks additional information independently about classroom topics that pique interest. * reads extensively for enjoyment. * frequently discusses concepts about which he (or she) has read. * is a gifted performer. * is a talented artist. * has a flair for dramatic reading and acting. * enjoys sharing his (or her) musical talent with the class.
Participation
The student: * listens attentively to the responses of others. * follows directions. * takes an active role in discussions. * enhances group discussion through insightful comments. * shares personal experiences and opinions with peers. * responds to what has been read or discussed in class and as homework. * asks for clarification when needed. * regularly volunteers to assist in classroom activities. * remains an active learner throughout the school day.
Social Skills
The student: * makes friends quickly in the classroom. * is well-liked by classmates. * handles disagreements with peers appropriately. * treats other students with fairness and understanding. * is a valued member of the class. * has compassion for peers and others. * seems comfortable in new situations. * enjoys conversation with friends during free periods. * chooses to spend free time with friends.
Time Management
The student: * tackles classroom assignments, tasks, and group work in an organized manner. * uses class time wisely. * arrives on time for school (and/or class) every day. * is well-prepared for class each day. * works at an appropriate pace, neither too quickly or slowly. * completes assignments in the time allotted. * paces work on long-term assignments. * sets achievable goals with respect to time. * completes make-up work in a timely fashion.
Work Habits
The student: * is a conscientious, hard-working student. * works independently. * is a self-motivated student. * consistently completes homework assignments. * puts his (or her) best effort into homework assignments. * exceeds expectations with the quality of his (or her) work. * readily grasps new concepts and ideas. * generates neat and careful work. * checks work thoroughly before submitting it. * stays on task with little supervision. * displays self-discipline. * avoids careless errors through attention to detail. * uses free minutes of class time constructively. * creates impressive home projects.
Provide Specific Information Across Several Different Areas
Next, include formative evidence that lets the parents know how you view their child as a person, a classmate, and a student. You may notice several of the reading, writing, communication, and math stems come from the Common Core State Standards.
Personal Attributes
The student . . . * is an enthusiastic learner. * tackles new challenges seriously/eagerly and with a positive attitude. * arrives at school each day with a smile, ready to learn. * is an active participant in small group discussions. * puts evident effort into his work as he completes assignments with quality in mind. * shows perseverance in all he does. * has many insightful ideas to share with the class. * is kind, caring, and friendly character makes her a role model for classmates. * has a cheery demeanor that has made her a friend to many in our classroom. * uses common sense to problem solve independently and in a positive manner. * is respectful of others. * adapts easily to new situations.
Behavior
The student . . . * consistently makes good choices in all parts of the school day. * demonstrates behavior that sets the standard for our class. * is able to separate work and social times. * is polite to adults and peers in and out of the classroom. * manages his feelings and emotions well in the classroom. * reacts appropriately in adverse situations. * is a role model for our class with his good behavior.
Work Habits
The student . . . * always completes daily assignments in a timely manner. * returns homework on time and well done. * stays focused on the task at hand. * uses class time constructively. * consistently uses personal best effort on a daily basis. * completes work with quality in mind. * is a self-motivated worker. * demonstrates hard work and produces quality results. * is an inquisitive learner who enjoys analyzing situations and making new discoveries in all parts of the school day. * actively engages in working carefully and conscientiously. * pays attention to detail in daily work. * follows directions. * works independently and stays on task. * uses higher level thinking strategies to apply learned skills to new situations. * has a passion for [subject area] that shows through the resolve he puts into every single assignment. * works very well with others in a group. * shows perseverance on challenging assignments. * is able to transition easily from one activity to the next.
Social Skills
The student . . . * is always willing to help a classmate. * values what others have to say. * treats others fairly. * gets along well with others in the classroom and/or on the playground. * is polite to peers and/or adults, in and out of the classroom. * takes the thoughts and feeling of others into account before speaking or acting. * handles disagreements with peers appropriately and diplomatically. * makes friends easily. * enjoys spending time with friends.
Communication
The student . . . * effectively participates in a range of conversations with diverse partners. * builds on other’s ideas and expresses her own clearly and persuasively. * is an active participant in small and/or large group discussions. * is an active listener and important member of group discussions. * asks and answers questions that demonstrate understanding. * asks questions or seeks clarification when needed. * listens well and shares ideas frequently. * shares appropriate and relevant information. * listens to the ideas, opinions, and comments of others without interrupting. * responds appropriately to other’s comments during partner/turn-and-talk time.
Reading
The student . . . * retells events from a story in a sequential manner. * reads closely to determine what the text says explicitly and makes logical inferences from it. * goes back to the text and cites evidence to support conclusions drawn from the text. * has a good sense of story structure. She's able to identify the setting, characters, problem, and solution. * describes characters in a story and explains how they impact the story. * analyzes how two or more texts are similar. * uses taught reading strategies well to gain meaning, especially . . . * uses strategies such as making connections, asking questions about the text, and inferencing to aid their comprehension. * has very good fluency and intonation. * reads dialogue with expression. * uses text features and search tools to efficiently locate information relevant to a given topic. * uses information gained from illustrations to demonstrate understanding of the text. * reads and comprehends informational texts, including those for science and social studies. * chooses books that are at her “just right” reading level. * has very good reading stamina. The student is able to read for ___ consecutive minutes. * works well and participates in small, guided reading groups.
Writing
The student . . . * shows strong knowledge and application of writing conventions such as capitalization and punctuation. * has shown very good/great improvement in spelling and word work over the past several weeks. * produces writing that has been a joy to read over the past few weeks. I especially liked [examples of what the student wrote that you felt was well done]. * has language arts skills that continue to blossom, especially in the areas of . . . * conveys her thoughts and ideas clearly. * writes sentences that are complete thoughts. * writes opinion pieces with well thought-out, supportive reasoning. * shows a strong grasp of organization in her writing. She stays on topic and uses relevant details. * uses details to expand upon the great written thoughts she is already putting on paper. * uses strong descriptive language, allowing the audience to clearly visualize what is being described. * uses an appropriate voice in her writing that allows her personality to come through in her written pieces.
Math
The student . . . * knows basic math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division). * uses various strategies to solve one- and two-step word problems. * identifies and extends mathematical patterns. * understands place value and uses it to round numbers to the nearest . . . * solves real-world mathematical problems involving perimeter and area. * understands the relationship between addition and subtraction, and multiplication and division. * can identify the attributes of two- and three-dimensional objects. * uses measurement tools well to determine length/volume/time/money/temperature. * uses data to create charts and graphs. * uses data from charts and graphs to solve problems. Set a Goal
While the students may be learning and growing, there is always room for improvement. Provide at least one specific goal that you will be working on with the student the following quarter. Use all of the comments above to help you set your goals. Simply add beginnings such as: * Your child would benefit from . . . * This quarter we will be working on . . . * I would like to see your child work on . . . * Your child needs to pay closer attention to . . . * One area for improvement is . . . Closings
I always close on a positive note, giving a boost to my students' confidence. I let them know how proud I am of what they have been doing, and how I look forward to what is to come: * I am so proud of all you have accomplished. Keep up the wonderful things you are doing! * You are an amazing student, and you truly shine! * I can hardly wait to see how you impress me during the next quarter! * You have had a terrific quarter, and I am confident the next one will be even better!