Report card season is truly the worst time of the year. We are exhausted and grumpy and the last thing we want to do is spend a million more hours finding the right way to say what we actually want to say in those dreaded learning skills comments.
I know, because I’ve been there.
But thankfully… I realized it actually doesn’t have to be that horrible. With the right system in place, you can get your report cards done so effortlessly that it almost feels too easy or too good to be true. But I swear it’s not. In this post, I’m sharing my tips and tricks to make report card writing a breeze.
Learning Skills Generator
Work smarter not harder is my motto everyday when I go to school. Being a good teacher is REALLY important to me, but burnout is real and I’m not fun when I’m burnt out.
So if you’re anything like me, you NEED to get yourself a learning skills comment generator. We know that learning skills take up the majority of the time we spend writing reports. It’s crazy to me that we spend hours and hours and HOURS writing these comments.
To that I say, farewell 👋🏼
I refuse to be spending that much time on something that isn’t truly adding value to the lives of my students (or me). So, with a comment generator you can still create personalized, custom comments BUT spend way less time doing them.
Confused? Check out the video preview here.
Create a Plan
Next, you need to make a schedule and stick to it. Decide how much time you want to spend writing reports and then set some deadlines for yourself. I always do learning skills first, subject comments next, and grades last. That way, I have some extra time to fit in any last-minute assessments.
When it comes to report card season, it’s important to use your time wisely. During your prep periods and other free time, focus on getting ahead. I tend to do simpler tasks at school, like grading or totalling final grades. The reason is that I feel like I can actually accomplish quite a bit of that during a prep or break, versus something that takes a little more brain power!
I always dedicate at least one day each week leading up to report cards to come in early or stay late. If you find yourself getting distracted in your classroom and procrastinating (helloooo empty bulletin board I’d rather be decorating)… take yourself on a date to a local coffee shop and work there. I always have my most productive sessions at a Starbucks.
I also use a time management system like the Pomodoro method, where I set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterrupted. Then I take a quick 5-minute break and start over.
Student Self-Assessments for Learning Skills
Finally, one of the best ways to make report card writing easier is to get students to evaluate themselves. Have students self-assess in their learning skills and use their goals in the comment box. This not only gives students a voice on their report cards, but it also makes that very large learning skills box look more full so it’s a win-win in my mind. You can also have students self-assess in different subjects, which can support you in finalizing their grades.
Learn More About Time Management Tips
If you liked this post, you will probably enjoy a few others I’ve created! Check out: Time Saving Tips for Teachers, Using Anecdotal Notes for Assessment, or the Top Three Benefits of Using a Digital Gradebook!
