There are any number of ways that parents can use for the purpose of keeping track of your first grader’s progress in school. Some of these ways have to do with resources within your child’s school, and others have to do with things that you can do outside of school to keep track of your first grader’s progress.

The first and most obvious way to keep track of your first grader’s progress is through a report card or a progress report. While not every school will use report cards, especially in first grade, most schools do. In the report cards, you will have one particular picture of how your first grader is progressing. Still, a report card is somewhat limited in terms of its ability to help you keeping track of your first grader’s progress. A report card really only measures how your first grader is doing in that classroom with that teacher. It is entirely possible that she would be getting very different grades, either higher or lower, in another classroom with another first grade teacher.

Another useful tool to use when keeping track of your first grader’s progress is the standardized testing that schools sometimes administer. These sorts of tests compare what your first grader knows and is able to do against other first graders. Having said that, the fact of the matter remains that these tests are also limited in that they aren’t necessarily offered in every school, or to every grade for that matter.

Perhaps the best way to keep track of your first grader’s progress is by regular contact with your first grader’s teacher. Your first grader’s teach should be able to give you more than just grades; she should be able to explain any difficulties that your first grader seems to be having in class, as well as describe your first grader’s progress to you. Keeping the lines of communication open with your child’s first grade teacher is an extremely important component of keeping track of your first grader’s progress.

Posted in School Issues

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