Four times a year I’m given the monumental task of creating report cards that leave an accurate record of my students’ performance in the classroom without making anybody cry. As a teacher, it is our duty to be truthful, but we also need to be tactful. This week I’ll share with you some of the tried and true report card comments that I have used over the years. I’ll also give you a peek into over forty of my actual report card comments that may give you a few ideas and save you valuable time when you write your own comments this year. 

Start on a Positive Note

I always begin each comment with a general statement letting the parents know how happy I am to be teaching their child, or how much their child is learning and growing:

• It has truly been a pleasure getting to know your child this quarter.
• Your child has made great progress across the curriculum since the beginning of the school year.
• Your child has made very good academic and/or social progress this quarter.
• Your child has done a very nice job this quarter, taking pride in her work and completing assignments with quality in mind.
• Your child continues to have a great year in 3rd grade.
• It has been a pleasure having the opportunity to work with (student) during his 3rd grade year.

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(’s) . . . 

• an enthusiastic learner.
• tackles new challenges seriously/eagerly and with a positive attitude.
• arrives at school each day with a smile, ready to learn.
• 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.
• kind, caring, and friendly character makes her a role model for classmates.
• cheery demeanor has made her a friend to many in our classroom.
• uses common sense to problem solve independently and in a positive manner.
• respectful of others.
• adapts easily to new situations.

Behavior

The student(’s) . . . 

• consistently makes good choices in all parts of the school day.
• behavior sets the standard for our class.
• able to separate work and social times.
• is polite to adults and peers in and out of the classroom.
• manages their 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(’s) . . . 

• daily assignments are always completed in a timely manner.
• homework is returned on time and is 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.
• a self-motivated worker.
• hard work produces quality results.
• 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.
• passion for [subject area] shows through with the resolve he puts into every single assignment.
• works very well with others in a group.
• shows perseverance on challenging assignments.
• able to transition easily from one activity to the next.

Social Skills

The student(’s) . . . 

• 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.
• 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(’s) . . . 

• effectively participates in a range of conversations with diverse partners.
• builds on other’s ideas and expresses their own clearly and persuasively.
• an active participant in small and/or large group discussions.
• an active listener and important member of group discussions.
• asks and answers questions that demonstrate understanding.
• ask 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(’s) . . . 

• 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.
• using 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.
• fluency and intonation are very good.
• 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.
• reading stamina is very good. Student is able to read for ___ consecutive minutes.
• works well and participates in small, guided reading groups.

Writing

The student(’s) . . . 

• knowledge and application of writing conventions such as capitalization and punctuation are strong.
• spelling and word work are very good/have improved greatly over the past several weeks.
• writing has been a joy to read over the past few weeks. I especially liked [examples of what student wrote that you felt was well done].
• language arts skills continue to blossom, especially in the areas of . . . 
• conveys her thoughts and ideas clearly.
• sentences are written as complete thoughts.
• writes opinion pieces with well thought-out, supportive reasoning.
• writing shows a strong grasp of organization. She stays on topic and uses relevant details.
• uses details to expand upon the great written thoughts she is already putting on paper.
• use of descriptive language is strong, allowing the audience to clearly visualize what is being written.
• uses an appropriate voice in her writing that allows her personality to come through in her written pieces.

Math

The student(’s) . . . 

• 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!

Save Your Comments 

I write my comments in a Word document, then save them every year to look back at. This helps jog my memory, and old comments often serve as a platform that I build new ones upon. Again, here is a look at a collection of comments I have saved from previous years. I'm hoping these tips save you a little time while helping you leave a record of your students' achievements.

Click above to dowload these comments.