Question: Last year, when my son was in kindergarten, I had a fairly good idea of how he was doing because I was able to talk to the teacher informally all the time. I no longer have this opportunity, now that he is in first grade. How can I tell if he's doing well in school? - Seeking Information
Answer: Teachers want parents to know how their children are doing in school and are willing to take the time to provide this information. The best way to learn in detail how your child is doing is by scheduling a parent-teacher conference. However, if you just have a few questions for the teacher, drop him or her a note, or place a phone call to get your questions answered.
On a day-by-day basis, parents can keep up with how their young children are doing in school by looking over the work they bring home and noting the grades and teacher comments. When children's papers are frequently covered with red ink and corrections, this is a definite sign of problems, while an abundance of "smiley faces" and an absence of corrections typically show good progress.
By now, you should have received more than one report card or other evaluation form describing your son's work. Always study these forms carefully to see exactly on what level your child is performing. Below-grade-level work indicates problems. Also, you need to look closely at check marks indicating areas that need to be improved.