Keeping Track of Children's Progress

What is the best way to keep on top of how kids are doing in school? I have a kid in fourth grade and a sophomore in high school. -- Like to Know
Answer: At both grade levels, frequent chats about school will give you an idea about how school is going for your children. In many cases, a reluctance to talk about school might be an indication of problems. Of course, report cards will quickly clarify whether your child is acing his or her schoolwork, sliding by or encountering great difficulty.
Parents can easily keep track of how younger children are doing by looking over their work each day. It is best to do this with your children. If their papers are bleeding with red marks almost every day, it is time for a chat with their teachers. Parents also can see the progress their younger children are making by dividing their papers by subject areas. Then they can look over the papers every few weeks and see if their children are truly mastering the current work. A child may start out making a lot of errors when a new concept is introduced and then gradually show that he or she is understanding it.
With older children, it is more important to discuss exactly what the child finds interesting in his or her classes rather than continually chatting about grades if the child is doing reasonably well. In this way, parents can reinforce the child's appreciation of what is being learned in school.
In this electronic age, it has become easier and easier for parents to know what is happening in their children's classes. In many schools, teachers use the school's web pages to detail exactly what is being studied in their classes. And in some schools, teachers put online homework assignments, class participation points and quiz and test scores online.