Expert warning on report cards: 'Students should rest even if their grades are poor'

As the academic term nears its end, students are filled with the excitement of receiving their report cards. Adopting a flawed approach toward a student with low grades can negatively impact their future educational life.

Psychologist Begüm Özkaya warned parents about this issue.

Özkaya emphasized that report cards are not just indicators of academic success, stating, "When children receive their report cards, focusing solely on the grades can prevent us from seeing the child's other qualities. For this reason, a report card should not be evaluated only as academic success. Even if a student's grades indicate school performance, it does not mean they will be unsuccessful in other areas. In particular, some parents blame each other instead of evaluating the reasons for their children's situation. Fathers may view mothers as the teacher at home, and mothers may view fathers as the school principal. For example, a father may blame the mother for not teaching the child their lessons, while the mother may blame the father for not supervising the child enough. In this case, primary school children may feel more guilty, depressed, unhappy, and reluctant to learn. In high school-aged children, more negative behavioral patterns are encountered," she said.

"THE SOLE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR A POOR REPORT CARD..."

Expert Psychologist Begüm Özkaya noted that the first reward should be verbal, such as saying 'well done' or offering congratulations, adding, "Furthermore, it should be known that the child is not the sole person responsible for a poor report card, and this responsibility must be shared with the child. Steps should be taken to find and resolve the reasons behind the child's academic failure. These reasons can be categorized as personal characteristics, family-related factors, and school-related factors. The path parents should follow is as follows: They should start the conversation by appreciating them. Then, the reasons for the poor grades should be investigated, and a decision should be made together with the child on what can be done to improve this situation. Your child's report card should not be used as a reason for boasting or shame in front of others. Some families may turn primarily to material rewards. They may prefer to buy the toy, bicycle, or computer game the child wants most. The first reward, such as saying 'well done' or offering congratulations, should be verbal. After that, age-appropriate material rewards can also be given. Of course, it should not be forgotten that gifts with high monetary value make no contribution to learning and school success," she said.

"ASSIGNED HOMEWORK SHOULD BE DONE NEAR THE END OF THE BREAK"

Özkaya explained that it would be more appropriate to leave homework until after the break, saying, "Sometimes parents can forget that a break means resting. For them, the break can become a process planned more around correcting poor grades. However, even if children have poor report cards, they should rest for part of the break. If there is homework assigned for review, remediation, or because this break is an interim period, it is more appropriate to start it near the end of the break. The reactions you give to your child as a mother and father will also affect the child's other learning. Not scaring children away from acquiring new knowledge and encouraging them to overcome the difficulties they face will contribute to increasing not only their success during their school years but also their quality of life," she stated.