Phrases should present information n a straightforward manner about the

students' classroom temperament, giving suggestions for improvements when

possible:
 Has a good attitude toward school.
 Is an enthusiastic learner who seems to enjoy school.

 Strives to reach his full potential.

 Shows initiative and thinks things through for herself.
 Exhibits a positive outlook and attitude in the classroom.
 Is a sweet and cooperative child.
 Is self-confident and has excellent manners.
 Is honest and trustworthy in dealings with others.
 Is developing a better attitude toward schoolwork this year.
 Needs to improve classroom attitude by learning to better collaborate with
classmates.
 Needs to work on sharing more with others and being a better friend.
Comments should be both celebratory and constructive when appropriate. Give
examples of what works well for students, recognize areas in which they truly excel,
and provide information not only on what needs to be improved but how the student
can improve in those areas.
 Continues to make nice progress this year concerning...

 As we discussed in our last parent-teacher conference, [your child's] attitude

toward the basic skills is...
 I will continue to need your help and support in order for [your child] to
overcome his attitude and social difficulties. He will find school a much more
pleasant place if he/she can make a positive effort in this area.
 [Your child's] attitude has continued to improve. Thank you for your support
and cooperation.
 [Your child] has shown a good attitude about trying to improve in [this
subject]. I am hoping this recent interest and improvement will continue
throughout the school year.

Participation and Behavior

Spend time reflecting not just on grades but also the student's actions in class.
Participation is often a significant portion of the grading model, and your comments
should address the level of a student's participation, such as "remains an active
learner throughout the school day and is enthusiastic about participating."
Comments should also address a student's behavior, both positive and negative.
 Takes an active role in discussions.
 Needs to actively participate in classroom discussion.
 Listens attentively to the responses of others.
 Is courteous and shows good manners in the classroom.
 Consistently cooperates with the teacher and other students.
 Is kind and helpful to everyone in the classroom.
 Caring, kind, and eager to please.
 Needs to listen to directions.
 Needs to work on staying focused and on task.
 Needs to work on not distracting others during class.

Time Management and Work Habits

Students who are always well-prepared for class and have strong organization study
habits can benefit from being reminded that this simple, yet important, skill is
recognized and appreciated. Similarly, students who aren't prepared, rush their
work, or need to stay on task more need to know that this behavior is noticed and is
not condoned. Your comments can provide clear recognition of skills and give
parents insight into areas in which students need to improve.
 Is well-prepared for class each day.
 Rushes through work or does not work at an appropriate pace.
 Never completes assignments in the allotted time.
 Comprehends well, but needs to work more quickly.
 Puts her best effort into homework assignments.
 Stays on task with little supervision.
 Is a self-motivated student.
 Sacrifices accuracy for unnecessary speed in his written work.
 Completes assignments in the time allotted.
 Avoids careless errors through attention to detail.
 Uses class time wisely.
 Needs to keep her cubby and desk better organized.

General Learning and Social Skills

How a student works with peers and makes friends can be reflective of their
personalities, and what they need in order to succeed in life. Your comments should
reflect the student's abilities to work in groups, individually, and if they are good
citizens. Pay attention to how students interact with each other not just in the
classroom, but also on the field and at recess, where they often don't feel like the
teachers are directly supervising.
 Needs to be accepting and willing to make new friends.
 Responds well to positive praise and clear expectations.
 Is learning to be careful, cooperative, and fair.
 Works well in groups, planning and carrying out activities.
 Works democratically with peers.
 Makes little effort when not under direct supervision.
 Needs a lot of repetition and practice in order to retain the information given.
 Shows self-confidence in...
 Uses a variety of learning strategies to help with...
 Applies knowledge of...
 Needs more opportunities to ...
 Writes clearly and with purpose.
 Seeks responsibilities and follows through.
 1. I have truly enjoyed being __________'s teacher and will miss him/her next year.
 2. _______ is making good/excellent/outstanding progress in _______ grade.
 3. _______ has done a(n)/fantastic/exemplary/wonderful job this year in ______ grade and
has worked so very hard.
 4. I appreciate ____________'s quality work/motivation to do well/attitude and have enjoyed
being his/her teacher.
 5. _______ is intelligent but works below his/her capacity/potential due to a lack of
motivation/attention to quality work.
 6. _______ succeeds at whatever task he/she puts his/her mind to.
 7. I am so proud of ________ and wish him/her well for _______ grade and beyond.
 8. _______ has worked very hard this year and I am proud of all of his/her accomplishments.
 9. _______ has strengthened his/her skills in _________.
 10. _______ is respectful to his/her classmates and is very well-liked.
 11. I am concerned about _________'s organizational skills and his/her responsibility related
to turning in assignments on time.
 12. _______ sets high standards for himself/herself and reaches them.
 13. _______ is helpful and kind and is a pleasure to be around.
 14. _______ has done well in many areas but I am concerned that his/her lack of
listening/focus/motivation and following directions/working independently/working
quietly has contributed to his lower grade in ______________.
 15. ________ has made good/excellent/outstanding progress in all academic areas.
 16. ________ is bright, motivated, and hard working and can be proud of his/her
accomplishments this year.
 17. Unfortunately, _________'s grades have suffered from missing assignments.
 18. ________ is gaining confidence in _____________ but would benefit from
__________________.
 19.________ follows classroom rules consistently and is a good role model.
 20. Please encourage ________ to ______________ each day to help him/her improve in
_____________.
 21. ________ has a positive attitude and is a joy to teach.
 22. ________ seems to find __________ challenging and would benefit from reading
nightly/practicing math facts/working online...
 23. ________ is a(n) awesome/wonderful/fabulous ________ grader and I have enjoyed
getting to know him/her this year.
 24. ________ is capable of achieving a higher grade in ________ but needs to
______________ in order to make progress.
 25. ________ excels in creative/narrative/opinion writing.
 26. ________ produces stories/essays/paragraphs that are well-organized/well developed.
 27. ________ has strong reading comprehension skills.
 28. ________ seems to have difficulty at times with reading comprehension and would
benefit from __________.
 29. ________ has made great improvement in the area of ______________.
 30. ________ works well with other students.
 31. ________ not only works well with his/her classmates, but is a natural leader.
 32. ________ is intrinsically motivated and strives to please.
 33. ________ is doing an excellent/outstanding/wonderful/fantastic/great job overall this
year.
 34. ________ enjoys participating in class lessons and his/her background knowledge adds a
great deal to our discussions.
 35. ________ is very compassionate and is always kind to others.
 36. ________ is a creative student and I have enjoyed seeing the wonderful writing/art
projects/drawings he/she has created/written.
 37. ________ is on task regardless of the activity.
 38. ________ seems to enjoy school and his/her positive attitude brightens up our classroom.
 39. ________ listens attentively to directions, and I appreciate his/her ability to start work
right away.
 40. ________ is a very polite student, and is a joy to teach.
 41. ________ struggles with following classroom rules, and needs to focus on working
quietly/staying in his/her seat...
 42. ________ is very talkative during quiet working periods and distracts others around
him/her.
 43. Working quietly is very difficult for ______, and I would like him/her to focus on his/her
work, so that he/she, as well as others around him/her are able to attend to the task at
hand/learn more effectively...
 44. _______ has an excellent attitude and is always willing to lend a hand.
 45. _______ is a wonderful helper and a classroom leader.
 46. _______ shows interest and enthusiasm for classroom activities and seems to enjoy
learning.
 47. _______ is polite to classmates and to all adults on staff at school.
 48. _______ is a problem solver and shows a great deal of persistence.
 49. _______ enjoys being challenged and would benefit from
__________________________________.
 50. _______ completes his/her work carefully and completely.
 51. I appreciate _________'s neat work, that is carefully done.
 52. _______ needs to slow down, in order to produce quality/carefully done work.
 53. _______ struggles with organizational skills in the classroom and needs to keep his/her
desk neater, in order to make his/her day run more smoothly.
 54. _______ struggles to find needed papers/materials and would benefit from using a
folder/a binder/keeping a neater desk.
 55. _______ is very organized and finds needed materials easily.
 56. _______ displays good citizenship in our classroom.
 57. _______ has worked hard to raise his/her grade in __________ and I appreciate his/her
effort.
 58. _______ has a strong work ethic and never completes any assignment halfway.
 59. _______ has learned a great deal this year and has shown particular improvement in
___________.
 60. _______ needs to memorize his/her basic math facts in order to complete complex math
problems more easily.
 61. _______ would benefit from __________________________ to fully memorize basic
math facts.
 62. Memorizing basic addition/multiplication math facts would be very helpful to
___________.
 63. ________ shows special strengths in the area of social studies/science and has done very
well this trimester/year.
 64. Science/social studies tests have been very difficult for ______, and he/she would benefit
from increasing the time spent studying the material.
 65. _______ seems to enjoy science/social studies and has done an excellent job this year.
 66. _______ needs to listen and follow directions carefully during class time.
 67. _______ pays attention to detail in his/her assignments and I appreciate the high quality
of his/her work.
 68. _______ is very responsible and turns assignments/homework in on time.
 69. _______ uses higher level thinking skills to complete challenging assignments.
 70. _______ is an active participant in small group, as well as whole class discussions.
 71. _______ is truly eager to learn and asks questions appropriately when needed.
 72. _______ has a good sense of theme/the main idea/characters/plot/inferences, which
strengthens his/her reading ability.
 73. _______ reads smoothly and with good expression.
 74. _______ is able to use data from graphs and charts/use a compass successfully/convert
measurements correctly.
 75. This trimester, I would like _________ to work on
_________________________________.
 76. _______ uses reading strategies such as __________ effectively, which increases his/her
reading comprehension.
 77. _______ has a large vocabulary, which adds to his/her ability to write effectively.
 78. _______ shows strong knowledge in the area of ______________.
 79. _______ is able to share appropriate and relevant information, which adds to classroom
discussions.
  80. _______ consistently puts forth his/her best effort in ____________, which is wonderful
to see.
 81. _______ arrives at school each day with a happy attitude, ready to learn.
 82. _______ has exceeded expectations in the area of __________.
 83. _______ works independently and is able to complete enrichment activities when he/she
is finished with required assignments.
 84. _______ is able to focus and stays on task during independent working times.
 85. I have enjoyed ________'s sense of humor in our classroom.
 86. _______ has a wonderful personality and his/her sense of humor makes me smile.
 87. _______ is an excellent ______ grader, and he/she has made our classroom a better place.
 88. _______ uses class time constructively.
 89. _______ is a flexible learner and adapts easily to new challenges.
 90. This trimester, I would like ________to focus on ___________________ in order
to______________________.
 91. _______ always uses his/her time wisely.
 92. _______ turns in work that is beautifully done.
 93. _______ needs lots of repetition and practice in order to retain_________________.
 94. _______ enjoys poetry/reading/music/science/art... and excels in it.
 95. _______ is an attentive student and is working well in all subject areas.
 96. I would like to see _______ pay closer attention to __________________ in order to
_______________________.
 97. _______ is a very talented artist, and I truly enjoy the passion he/she puts into his/her art
work.
 98. I have truly enjoyed getting to know ______ and wish him/her the very best in _____
grade and beyond.
 99. I have enjoyed having _____ in our class this year and will truly miss him/her as he/she
moves on to ______ grade.
 100. ______ is a very special student and one that I will never forget. I will miss him/her next
year.

Positive Comments for Language Arts

Reading

 Reads eagerly during silent time

 Makes good use of our classroom library
 Uses text and pictures to predict and confirm
 Elects to read or look at books during free time
 Takes home books from our classroom library
 Compares books to others by the same author
 Is choosing suitably challenging reading material
 Has a good attitude about books
 Reads with expression
 Chooses suitably challenging reading material
 Reads at (__) grade level
 Has good reading comprehension and decoding skills
 Has read __ chapter books so far this quarter
  It is refreshing to see that __ enjoys reading in his/her free time

Writing

 Chooses to write during classroom free time

 Shares his/her written work with the whole class
 Writes legibly
 Is a creative writer
 Has a refreshing sense of voice, clarity, and style
 Handwriting is very legible/a joy to read
 Is very successful in note-taking
 Works to make his/her handwriting legible
 Has many interesting story ideas
 Has well-developed characters in his/her stories
 Works on his/her editing process
 Is writing on a variety of topics
 Is writing in a variety of styles: friendly letter, factual reports, imaginative retelling, poetry,
fiction
 Organizes his/her writing well
 Applies skills to all written work
 Puts a great deal of time and effort into his/her writing
 Makes an effort to make his/her handwriting legible

Analytical Skills

 Analyzes characters' actions

 Analyzes story plots
 Compares and contrasts similar and dissimilar ideas
 Self-corrects
 Asks thought-provoking questions
 Uses imagination
 Strives to be accurate
 Explains himself/herself clearly
 Deduces meaning from information given
 Compares and contrasts similar and dissimilar things
 Is competent using the dictionary
 Is learning to do independent research

Grammar and Vocabulary

 Recognizes high-frequency words

 Uses approximations for spelling, which is very appropriate at this time
 Uses beginning and ending sounds to identify words
 Spells many difficult words
 Has a strong command of the English language
 Uses correct grammar
 Is developing a fine vocabulary
  Uses expansive vocabulary

Verbal Skills

 Is a major contributor at our brainstorming sessions

 Produces oral reports that demonstrate knowledge and research skills
 Speaks very well before class
 Contributes at our brainstorming sessions
 Listens as well as shares during classroom discussions and presentations
 Communicates with accuracy
 Retells stories in the correct sequence
 Is eager to speak in front of a group
 Is a good audience as well as presenter during our presentation time

Other

 Is rapidly mastering the fundamental skills

 Shows increasing confidence and competence in...
 Is showing good growth in...
 Has shown an increased interest in...
 Is trying hard and continues to make steady progress in...
 Is making progress in all areas, especially in...
 Strongest work is in the area of...
 Has turned in extra-credit work

Needs Improvement
On those occasions when you need to convey less-than-positive information on a report card, use
the following phrases. Note that you can easily convert comments from both groups into positive
or encouraging ones.

Reading

 Does not use our classroom library

 Does not choose books or writing as an activity for free time
 Shows some attention to print, but mostly makes up meanings from pictures
 Has trouble sitting while listening to a story
 Doesn’t seem to enjoy books or stories to read
 I would like to see __ read for 20 minutes each day at home
 Still making many reversals of letters, words, and phrases
 Hesitant to read stories to the class
 Struggles with reading comprehension
 Has difficulty understanding what he/she reads
 Needs to choose books at his/her own reading level
 Is choosing books that are too difficult/simple for his/her level
 Needs to take his/her time and think about what he/she reads
  Skims quickly through books without attention to detail
 Is unable to retell a story with much accuracy

Writing

 Unwilling to rewrite or make changes in written work

 Does not edit work carefully
 Speech development may be hindering correct spelling
 I would like to see __ check his/her writing more carefully before handing assignments in
 Needs to work on creating stories that are realistic
 Often forgets capital letters and punctuation
 His/her stories lack a clear beginning, middle, and end
 Has difficulty getting his/her thoughts on paper
 Needs to add more detail to his/her work
 Handwriting indicates that student is inclined to hurry
 Could improve his/her written papers with more attention to detail
 Written work lacks description/detail/varied vocabulary

Analytical Skills

 Cannot predict story outcomes with confidence

 Is not making use of a dictionary or resource books
 Is not using our classroom library

Grammar and Vocabulary

 Has difficulty with high-frequency words

 Has a limited vocabulary
 Lacks sight vocabulary
 Needs to build his/her reading vocabulary
 Has difficulty using reading strategies to decode new words
 Needs to focus on rules of grammar
 Reluctant to use approximation with word spelling, wants to be correct

Participation/Other

 Reluctant to speak in front of the group or whole class

 Has trouble sitting while listening to a story
 Has difficulty focusing on the assignment at-hand during __ workshop
 Gets discouraged when...
 Wants to talk instead of listening to others share their ideas
 I would like to see ___ participate more in more independent...
 Is easily discouraged when...
 Is hesitant to...
Maths
Phrases That Describe Strengths
Try some of the following positive phrases that tell about a student's strength in your
report card comments for math. Feel free to mix and match chunks of them as you
see fit. The bracketed phrases can be swapped out for more appropriate grade-
specific learning targets.
Note: Avoid superlatives that aren't all that illustrative of skill such as, "This is
their best subject," or, "The student demonstrates most knowledge about this topic."
These don't help families to really understand what it is that a student can or can't
do. Instead, be specific and use action verbs that precisely name a student's abilities.
The student:
1. Is on track to develop all necessary skills and strategies for successfully
[adding and subtracting within 20] by the end of the year.
2. Demonstrates an understanding of the relationship between [multiplication
and division and comfortably transitions between the two].
3. Uses data to create charts and graphs with up to [three] categories.
4. Uses knowledge of [place value concepts] to [accurately compare two or
more two-digit numbers].
5. Effectively uses supports such as [number lines, ten frames, etc.] to solve
mathematical problems independently.
6. Can name and simplify the resulting fraction when a whole is divided into b
equal parts and a parts are shaded [where b is greater than or equal to ___
and a is greater than or equal to ___].
7. Provides written justification of thinking and points to evidence to prove that
an answer is correct.
8. Estimates the length of an object or line in [centimeters, meters, or inches]
and names an appropriate measuring tool for measuring its exact length.
9. Accurately and efficiently categorizes/names [shapes based on their
attributes].
10. Correctly solves for unknown values in [addition, subtraction,
multiplication, or division] problems involving [two or more quantities,
fractions, decimals, etc.].
11. Consistently applies grade-level problem-solving strategies independently
when presented with unfamiliar problems.
12. Describes real-world applications of mathematical concepts such as
[counting money, finding equivalent fractions, mental math strategies, etc.].
Phrases That Describe Areas for Improvement
Choosing the right language for areas of concern can be tough. You want to tell
families how their child is struggling in school and convey urgency where urgency is
due without implying that the student is failing or hopeless.
Areas for improvement should be support- and improvement-oriented, focusing on
what will benefit a student and what they will eventually be able to do rather than
what they are currently unable to do. Always assume that a student will grow.
The student:
1. Is continuing to develop skills needed for [partitioning shapes into equal
parts]. We will continue practicing strategies for ensuring that these parts
are equal.
2. Demonstrates an ability to order objects by length but does not yet use units
to describe the differences between them.
3. Fluently [subtracts 10 from multiples of 10 through 500]. We are working on
developing essential mental math strategies for this.
4. Applies problem-solving strategies for [addition, subtract, multiplication, or
division] when prompted. A goal moving forward is increased independence
using these.
5. Solves [single-step word problems] accurately with extra time. We will
continue to practice doing this more efficiently as our class prepares to solve
[two-step word problems].
6. Begins to describe their process for solving word problems with guidance
and prompting.
7. Can convert fractions with [values less than 1/2, denominators not exceeding
4, numerators of one, etc.] into decimals. Shows progression toward our
learning goal of doing this with more complex fractions.
8. Additional practice with [addition facts within 10] is needed as we continue
[increasing the size and number of addends in problems] to achieve grade-
level standards.
9. Tells time accurately to the nearest hour. Continued practice with half-hour
intervals is recommended.
10. Can name and identify [squares and circles]. By the end of the year, they
should also be able to name and identify [rectangles, triangles, and
quadrilaterals].
11. Writes [two-digit numbers in expanded form] but requires considerable
support doing this with [three- and- four-digit numbers].
 12. Approaches the learning goal of being able to [skip-count by 10s to 100] with
extended time and scaffolding. This is a good area to focus our attention on

Science

Positive Comments
In writing comments for elementary student report cards, use the following positive
phrases regarding students' progress in science.
1. Is a leader during in-class science activities.
2. Understands and executes the scientific process in class.
3. Has an analytic mind for science concepts.
4. Takes pride in his science projects.
5. Did a wonderful job on her __ science project.
6. Strongest work is in science.
7. Is drawn to our science corner in all his or her free time.
8. Continues to turn in top-notch science assignments.
9. Continues to conduct top-notch science experiments.
10. Particularly enjoys hands-on science experiments.
11. Has a naturally investigative nature in science.
12. Is quite proficient in all science concepts and vocabulary.
13. Is able to identify and describe all science vocabulary.
14. Demonstrates an understanding of target science content and makes
relevant connections.
15. Demonstrates an enhanced understanding of science content.
16. Meets all learning standards in science.
17. Shows an understanding of systems that are designed to accomplish a task.
18. Uses the appropriate science vocabulary in her oral responses and written
work.
19. Demonstrates a clear understanding of the concepts and skills learned.
20. Makes a great effort in science and is very inquisitive.
21. Is doing a great job in science and always is the first to hand in assignments.

Needs Improvement Comments

On those occasions when you need to convey less-than-positive information on a
student's report card regarding science, use the following phrases to assist you.
1. Needs to study for science tests.
2. Needs to learn science vocabulary.
3. Has difficulty memorizing scientific concepts.
4. Many science homework assignments have not been handed in.
5. Reading comprehension often interferes with __'s ability to perform well on
science tests.
6. Understanding of scientific terms often interferes with __'s ability to
perform well on science tests.
7. I would like to see __ improve her note-taking skills.
8. I would like to see __ improve his vocabulary skills.
9. Seems to show no interest in our science program.
10. Needs to review science concepts and vocabulary as she is having a great
deal of difficulty.
11. Lack of attention in class may account for the difficulty he has with
assignments.
12. Needs to improve in science.
13. Needs to develop more self-confidence in science.
14. Does not appropriately use scientific inquiry skills.
15. Demonstrates a week understanding of science content.
16. Does not yet use science vocabulary appropriately.
17. __needs to explore the connections between researched information and
real-world applications.
18. __needs to describe his observations more fully and link them clearly to the
purpose of the experiment.
19. __needs to use more information from previous learning and research to
support his opinions.
20. ___needs to use exact measurements when recording scientific
observations.
21. ___needs to acquire science and technology vocabulary and use it in both
oral and written responses.

Social Studies
Phrases That Describe Strengths
Try some of the following positive phrases that tell about a student's strength in your
report card comments for social studies. Feel free to mix and match chunks of them
as you see fit. The bracketed phrases can be swapped out for more appropriate
grade-specific learning targets.
Note: Avoid superlatives that aren't all that illustrative of skill such as, "This is their
best subject," or, "The student demonstrates most knowledge about this topic."
These don't help families to really understand what it is that a student can or can't
do. Instead, be specific and use action verbs that precisely name a student's abilities.
The student:
1. Utilizes [maps, globes, and/or atlases] to locate [continents, oceans, and/or
hemispheres].
2. Identifies a variety of social structures in which they live, learn, work and
play and can describe dynamic relationships within these.
3. Explains the significance of [national holidays, people, and symbols] on the
global and individual level.
4. Establishes a sense of their place in history to describe how specific events in
the past have impacted them.
5. Describes how different cultural, economical, political, and geographical
factors influenced a single event or time period in history.
6. Explains their own rights and responsibilities in society and can tell what it
means to them to be a good citizen.
7. Utilizes social studies vocabulary correctly in context.
8. Demonstrates an understanding of the structures and purposes of
government.
9. Displays awareness of how people and institutions promote change and can
provide at least one example of this (either past or present).
10. Applies process skills in social studies such as [drawing conclusions,
sequencing, understanding different points of view, exploring and
investigating problems, etc.] in a variety of scenarios.
11. Analyzes and evaluates the role of [trade] in society and is able to tell a few
factors that influence the [production of goods].
12. Supports reasoning with evidence during discussions and debates.

Phrases That Describe Areas for Improvement

Choosing the right language for areas of concern can be tough. You want to tell
families how their child is struggling in school and convey urgency where urgency is
due without implying that the student is failing or hopeless.
Areas for improvement should be support- and improvement-oriented, focusing on
what will benefit a student and what they will eventually be able to do rather than
what they are currently unable to do. Always assume that a student will grow.
The student:
1. Is showing improvement in describing the influences of [belief and tradition
on culture].
2. Applies social studies vocabulary correctly in context with support such as
multiple-choice options. Continued practice using vocabulary terms is
needed.
3. A goal for this student moving forward is being able to explain what factors
influence [where a person or group of people decide to live].
4. Continues to progress toward the learning goal of [describing how personal
identity is constructed].
5. Utilizes [maps, globes, and/or atlases] to locate [continents, oceans, and/or
hemispheres] with guidance. We will continue working toward
independence with this.
6. Continues to develop skills associated with analyzing multiple sources to
collect information about a subject. We will use these skills much more often
in the future and continue to sharpen them.
7. Partially identifies the significance of [geography on culture and
communication]. This is a good area to focus our attention on.
8. Describes a few ways that culture can influence human behavior and choices.
Our goal is to name even more by the end of the year.
9. Developing an understanding of how accounts of past events differ and why
it is important to critically examine varying perspectives.
10. Understands some of the reasons that [a body of government might form]
and begins to describe the relationship between [people and institutions].
11. Has a limited understanding of how to compare and contrast that we will
continue working on.
12. Determines some but not yet most of the factors at play in historical
instances of [conflict resolution].
If a student lacks motivation or doesn't put forth effort, consider including that in
the larger report card rather than the social studies section. You should try to keep
these comments related to academics as this is not the place to discuss behavioral
issues.
Other Growth-Centric Sentence Stems
Here are a few more sentence stems that you can use to set goals for student
learning. Be specific about where and how you have determined that a student
requires assistance. Try to set a target for each area of improvement that you
identify.
The student:
 Demonstrates a need for...
 Requires additional help with...
 Could benefit from...
 Needs to be encouraged to...
 Will work toward independence with...
 Demonstrates some improvement in...
 Needs help to increase...
 Would benefit from practicing...