For a lot of students, November is synonymous with “report cards.” For many schools, this is the first time your teachers have sent a formal report of your grades, that your parents must sign. Even wonderful students can sometimes get a little nervous, and if you are struggling in a particular class – the wait for that envelope or progress report can be interminable. For some students, even worse then seeing the grade, is knowing you have to bring it home to your family.
No matter what grades you get, there are a few ways to share (or break) the news.
- The Fridge Bulletin- One good sturdy magnet, and voila! A way to share the news with the parents. You know at some point, they are going to see it, and maybe if you let them have the last piece of leftover chocolate cake, they will be in a good mood. And if the grades are everything they expected, they may share!
- The Chore Whammy – Now is not the time to slack on your household chores. They may suspect something is up when they see the dishwasher has been emptied, your shoes aren’t on the stairs and the garbage has been taken out–but reminding your parents that you do a lot can’t hurt. For bonus points, put the report card right under their breakfast plate. (The breakfast that you made them, of course.)
- The Corporate Approach – Whether you are happy with your grades or not, sit the report-card signer(s) down and dazzle them with charts of how much time you have been studying, bullet points of achievement this quarter, and a detailed plan of how you are either going to improve your grades, or a list of why this proves you are now responsible for an hour of curfew-extension.
Tutor.com can’t help you tell your parents your grades, but telling them you know where to find extra help in math, English and social studies is sure to make the conversation a little smoother.
What is your “report card reveal” strategy?
