5 surprisingly simple tips to streamline your report writing
It can be hard to find the right thing to say when writing report card comments. Especially when you’re expected to write over 100 comments in a short few weeks.
So, to make this term as stress free as possible,
I have 5 tips to help reduce your report writing anxiety.
1.Start early, to save your sanity
I know, I know. It’s an obvious one…
but it’s one of the most important.
Good report writing happens when you start early.
I tend to start at least a month before they're due.
Yes, I know it’s holidays and I’m in no way suggesting you start now… but there’s nothing worse than having to skip out on a last-minute night out because you had to stay home and write reports.
By starting early, I have never once stayed up late to finish reports… even in my early days of teaching.
By starting early I
save on tears,
save on stress and
it saves my sanity.
So even if you’re waiting for assessment data to write English and maths, you can always start your generals.
2. Work on batching your time
So what’s batching?
Batching is the act of grouping tasks together, so you do them all at once, instead of switching between tasks.
Batching helps to focus workflow, minimise distractions and ensure a good work life balance.
Batching works.
In the lead up to the report due date, I spend roughly 2 hours a day (max) writing reports during the week.
1 hour in the morning (if I get up early and feel motivated enough)
1 hour in the evening (usually with a glass of wine in hand)
Not only do I batch my time, I focus on 1 section at a time.
I tend to start with general comments (although sometimes the hardest and longest to write) because I don’t need data.
All you need is:
o a copy of their previous general report comment, either from the year prior or Semester 1 (which you can cut and paste into a Word document in a different colour), and….
this brings me to tip number 3..
3. Their completed student reflection sheet
To make sure you write same, same, but different, use a student reflection sheet to personalise your general comments.
A student reflection sheet is completed by each student and asks about:
o Friendships
o Strengths
o Weaknesses
o Favourite tasks or what they have enjoyed learning about
o Extra activities they have been involved in e.g. choir, soccer club, leadership roles
The student reflection sheet gives you an additional insight to what each student has enjoyed or even disliked and been frustrated with during the semester.
And gives you something extra you can talk about in your reports.
Not only does this process make reports easier and quicker to write, but parents will also appreciate the personalised touch.
4. Map it out
Another important thing to do when beginning report writing is to plan what you're going to write by mapping out each KLA (key learning area).
General report comment, think…
Personality - are they bright and bubbly in class? Do they put a lot of effort into each task?
Social Skills - are they social in the classroom or on the playground?
Friendships - do they make friends easily? Are they able to resolve conflict in their friendship groups?
Class Participation - do they participate in most class activities?
Behaviour - Do they listen to others? Do they wait their turn to speak?
Enjoyed or Excelled - What have they enjoyed this term or semester? What are they passionate about? Provide an example.
English, think…
Reading
Fluency -how fluent do they read?
Decoding Strategies - do they slowly stretch out the sounds and or chunks in the word? do they blend their sounds together to read the whole word?
Comprehension - What types of comprehension strategies do they use?
Writing
Text Type – What type of texts did you study this semester-informative, imaginative, persuasive
Vocabulary - do they use interesting vocabulary in their writing? Do they use the word wall? Are they adventurous with their word choices?
Types of sentences – simple, compound, complex
Speaking & Listening
Listening in class – are they an active listener? Do they use the 5Ls?
Interacting with others - do they share new ideas and their knowledge with others?
Presentation – clarity, tone, voice projection, pace. Are they confident when presenting?
For Maths I use the scope and sequence and check the learning intentions used throughout the term to create a list of things to report on.
Number strategies, Fractions, Measurement, Multiplication strategies, Addition strategies and Data.
Depending on how the school reports, a clear list of indicators and outcomes may be provided, or you may need go back and check what you have taught to make your own.
Every school is different, and unfortunately that is something I have had to learn the hard way.
5. Use a report comment bank
You can still personalise your report comments even when using a comment bank.
I have reported on students in Kindergarten through to Year 6 and I still use the same comment bank.
Each year I build up my comment banks, tweak and improve them. This reduces my workload immensely. Some years I have students who are very similar to previous years and rather than trying to write a new comment, I will recycle, tweak, and personalise an old comment to suit a new student.
Finally,
Close your laptop and take a break.
To be honest, report writing can be a real mind f#$%.
The countless hours we spend out of school hours writing a report for each student.
For a supervisor to then scribble all over it in pen with changes
(and in your frustration you may start to question ‘why don’t they just write it themselves!!)
and you may start to wonder why… why do we bother…
Well we all know the why…
and we can either make it a stressful part of our job, or we can embrace the task with a handful of helpful strategies, reduce our stress, manage our workload by preparing ourselves and…. taking a break.
If you find yourself getting stuck on a sentence or frustrated trying to put a positive spin on a comment, it’s likely you need a break.
Close the computer, take a deep breath, and get some fresh air.
Come back later with a fresh set of eyes and possibly a new perspective and new comment.
Oh and one last thing before I forget, introduce yourself to Microsoft dictate. It will be your new best friend when writing reports.
Happy Reporting!
