With the conclusion of the first quarter, do you know your student’s grades? At this point, most parents have logged on to their child’s school parent portal to study first quarter grades and, in some cases, have discovered that their child may need academic support; however, I am amazed at the number of high school students who still do not have access to or do not check grades on a regular basis.
In this digital age, staying abreast of entered grades is essential to strong study habits. By checking grades periodically, perhaps once a week, a student can understand how a teacher weights assignments and ensure that grades are entered properly. While grades should never serve as the sole motivation for learning new material, marks can inspire a student to put in a little extra effort to eke out that next threshold score.
Some students can demonstrate the opposite behavior; they are obsessed with every point and calculate the scores they need to earn on the last three assignments to ensure an A for the quarter. I certainly am not promoting this compulsive behavior.
While cultivating a curious mind and engaging your child in the learning process are the most important goals, parents should also encourage high school students to track their grades independently. Try not to be the parents who tell their child how he or she performed on that last history test because you read it on line! Instead, encourage your high school student to log on to the school portal and check grades. A little extra motivation to study never hurts.