POSITIVE COMMENTS FOR STUDENTS

Report cards provide parents with essential information concerning their

child’s progress in school. Various formats are used including letter
grades, numbers, checklists and teacher comments that indicate how a
child is performing in different areas. For each report card period,
teachers usually write descriptive comments for every student. These
written remarks elaborate on the student’s strengths, and frequently offer
ways the child could improve his or her academic work and/or classroom
behavior.

Writing unique and meaningful report card comments takes effort. If only
negative statements are written, the parent may feel overwhelmed and
thus be unable to help their child. Examples of definitive words that
should be avoided are:

 the child will never;

 the child will not;
 the child cannot; and
 the child will always.

Parents are more willing to cooperate if a comment concerning a child’s

weakness follows a positive one. So it is more productive to state a
student’s strength first, then follow it with your concern – but make sure
that is written in a constructive way. For example, you could write, “Amit
excels in science,” and then add, “He needs more opportunities to
develop his friendship skills.” Or, write something like, “Smita is friendly
and well-liked,” and add, “She would benefit from practicing her reading
fluency and comprehension skills.” Teachers need to choose their words
carefully since the report card is part of the child’s permanent record.
Examples of Positive Adjectives that Describe Children
Considerate
Intelligent Hard-
Well-
Cooperative working
mannered
Helpful Dependable
Responsible
Honest Creative
Fair
Respectful Generous
Friendly
Efficient Kindhearted
Brave
Talented Mature
Thoughtful
Self- Curious
Thorough
disciplined Artistic
Self-
Sincere Enthusiastic
confident
Here's a phrase: A positive role model for
classmates

Since your comments need to be as specific as possible, avoid using

ambiguous words alone such as wonderful, good or great.

Examples of Statements Concerning a Student’s Strengths

Has an expansive
knowledge of ... Writes fascinating stories
Enthusiastically participates Exhibits organizational skills
in ... Does neat, thorough work
Demonstrates superior Seeks information
work in ... independently
Comprehends quickly Enjoys dramatization
Takes pride in his/her work Uses English correctly
Demonstrates initiative Has a delightful sense of
Listens and follows humor
directions well Is well-liked by peers
Asks for responsibilities and Demonstrates leadership
follows through skills
Expresses ideas clearly

Examples of Encouraging Comments (to use when a student is

making progress)
Has developed a positive Is learning to ...
attitude toward ... Is becoming self-reliant.
Has advanced in ... Is developing concentration
Has demonstrated a desire to skills
 ... Is gaining self-confidence
Has shown steady progress in Is becoming a good listener
... Is occupying his/her time
Has shown noticeable constructively
improvement in ... Is learning English speaking
Has demonstrated increased and/or writing skills
social skills, such as ... Is developing more positive
Is showing enthusiasm for ... ways to interact with others
Is gaining academic skills, such Is learning to be cooperative
as ... when working in groups
Is developing consistent work
habits, such as ...

Examples To Use When Concerns Are Evident and

A Student Is in Need of Assistance

 Needs help to increase academic skills, such as ...

 Demonstrates a need for consistent effort and motivation, especially in
...
 Requires help with organizational skills, such as ...
 Could benefit from ...
 Needs to be encouraged to comply with school rules, such as ...
 Demonstrates a need for improved social interaction skills, such as ...
 Could benefit from improving his/her work habits, such as ...
 Needs to be encouraged to listen and pay attention in class
 Needs help to understand instructions
 Requires repetition to retain information
 Needs encouragement to do work on his/her own
 Demonstrates a need for direct supervision to complete work
 Needs to be encouraged to work more slowly and accurately
 Would benefit from supervision of homework
 Requires support to interact with classmates in a positive way
 Would benefit from learning self-control skills
 Needs to be encouraged to accept responsibility for his/her errors and/or
misbehavior
 Needs to demonstrate improvement in academic work if he/she is to
gain the fundamentals needed for this grade
 Making general comments on a student's report card is a great way to
inform their parents or guardians of how their child is performing in
school. Unlike subject-specific comments, these report card general
comments will be able to give parents of the students a greater
understanding of their child's school work habits.

 1. Your child is working well with others and is also excelling in all study
areas.
 2. _____ is a dedicated worker, and is eager to learn new skills and
techniques.
 3. This student was struggling in _____ at the beginning of the reporting
period, but has improved their overall performance in this subject area.
 4. ____ always uses his or her spare time to complete past assignments.
 5. Your child is learning to become a great listener, and takes directions
well.
 6. _____ has a great personality and is a true asset to this classroom.
 7. This student has worked very hard for their high marks on this report
card, and is showing constant improvement.
 8. While _____ was having a hard time earlier in this reporting period, he
or she has been working very hard to improve their overall grade level.
 9. Your child is gaining self-confidence in the areas of study where they
had a difficult time in at the beginning of this reporting period.
 10. _____ is constantly increasing their skills in every subject.
 11. Although _____ is having trouble in several subjects, he or she is
trying their hardest to improve.
 12. _____ has a great attitude towards learning, and is willing to take
direction and construction when needed.
 13. _____ is a great asset to this classroom and actively volunteers to help
around the room.
 14. Your child seems excited every morning and is willing to try their
hardest to overcome problems and issues.
 15. _____ is a joy to have in the class, he or she has a great sense of
humor and is constantly filling their spare time reading stories.
 16. _____ is a very pleasant student, and is working well with others.
 17. Your child understands the importance of sharing and works well
when in a group setting.
 18. _____ has above-grade-level achievements and has consistently
shown improvement throughout the reporting period.
 19. This student is able to respond well with direction and takes
constructive criticism very well.
 20. Your child is making great strides in their academic standings, and
has consistently shown improvement in weak subject areas.
 21. If needed, your child accepts responsibilities and is willing to accept
the consequences to their actions.
 22. _____ needs to learn how to listen better, and is often a distraction to
fellow students. I suggest clarifying the importance of concentration and
respecting others with your child.
 23. _____ has been working very hard in this reporting period, and has
shown outstanding progress in the following subject areas:
 24. While _____ is excited to learn about all subject areas, he or she is
exceptionally enthusiastic to work on his or her _______
 25. Due to your child's exceptional quality of work, he or she may exceed
this grade's expectations in the following subjects:
 26. _____ does well in class; however, he or she needs to learn how to
work well with others. He or she is able to perform well alone, however,
in group settings _____ does not perform as well.
 27. Your child is exceptionally mature when compared to the rest of his or
her classmates.
 28. _____ is excited to learn new ideas and can grasp this new
information quickly.
 29. _____ does not seem to enjoy class, and is frequently disrupting
students around them. I would like to meet with you to discuss ways to
eliminate this issue.
 30. Your child can organize his or her thoughts in a well-laid-out manner.
 31. _____ is one of the most creative students in my class, and they are
more than willing to try out new ideas and concepts.
 32. _____ needs to improve their overall work habits and concentration
skills. I feel that he or she would excel once they gain a better
understanding of concentration.
 33. Your child's handwriting needs to be improved to meet standard
grade-level.
 34. _____ loves learning his or her alphabet and is readily grasping new
ideas.
 35. _____ is sensitive and cries easily during stressful situations within
the classroom.
 36. Your child is able to make friends quickly and easily and is often
found in the center of most classroom discussions.
 37. _____ needs to apply themselves more to all areas of study in order to
meet the minimum standard requirements for this grade level.
 38. _____ needs to increase his or her ability to listen and follow
directions carefully. While this student has been performing well overall,
they need to follow directions more carefully.
 39. Your child enjoys learning about new things and reading stories.
 40. _____ is very respectful of other students in the classroom and waits
till it is his or her turn to speak.
 41. ______ has the ability to put together large sentences and is also a
creative thinker. He or she is one of the most creative thinkers in the
class.
 42. ______ is able to point out and discuss various shapes and is currently
progressing ahead of the rest of the class.
 43. Your child is a great helper within the classroom, and is more than
willing to help out any classmate.
 44. This student is extremely creative, and has created many interesting
forms of artwork.
 45. Because _____ is unable to complete an entire task on his or her own,
I suggest encouraging your child to complete homework assignments on
his or her own with minimal supervision.
 46. While _____ has shown mass improvement within their subject skills,
I suggest having your child continue studying the following subjects in
order for him or her to retain what they have learned.
 47. As the year progresses, _____ is showing great improvements.
 48. ______ is capable of producing better work; all he or she must do is
concentrate harder on their work.
 49. I have enjoyed having _____ in my class.
 50. _____ is a real asset to my classroom.
 GENERAL COMMENTS

 1. Is developing a better attitude toward ___ grade.

2. Is showing interest and enthusiasm for study.
3. Wants responsibilities and follows through.
4. Enthusiastic about participating. Gaining more self-confidence.
5. Has earned a very fine report card. Has been consistently
progressing.
6. Has shown a good attitude about trying to improve in ___.
7. Is willing to take part in all classroom activities.
8. _____'s attitude toward school is excellent. Is hard-working.
9. Needs to increase speed and comprehension in reading.
10. Making steady progress academically. Is maintaining grade-level
achievements.
11. Performs well everything he undertakes. Has a good attitude
towards school
12. Rate of achievement makes it difficult for ___ to keep up with the
class.
13. _______ shows self-confidence in writing. However, handwriting
needs to be improved.
14. Cooperative, well mannered. Capable of achieving a higher average
in ____.
15. Is inconsistent in his efforts, especially in ___.
16. Sacrificing accuracy for unnecessary speed in his written work.
17. Would improve if he developed a greater interest in ___.
18. Comprehends well, but needs to work more quickly.
19. Enjoys doing neat careful work. Is working well in all subjects
20. Is friendly and cooperative Has a sense of humor
21. Lacks independence / Is gaining independence
22. Is becoming more self-reliant. Is an attentive student
23. Is a polite conscientious pupil. Is especially good at ______
24. Requires too much supervision. Makes little effort when not under
direct supervision
25. Is not very appreciative of the value of ( time, courtesy, sharing,
neatness, accuracy)
26. _____ has matured nicely this year, academically and socially.
27. There has been a noticeable improvement in _____'s study habits
this reporting period, which is very encouraging.
28. _____________ continued to blossom as the year progressed.
29. She is capable of much better work. Possesses good self discipline
30. _________has made nice progress this reporting period.
31. ___________ is a wonderful girl and I'm happy to have had her in my
class.
32. She has made many fine contributions to the class and is an
inspiration to her classmates.
33. With ____'s friendly, cooperative attitude, she will always be a
pleasant addition to any class.
34. His friendly, sincere way has made him a very popular member of
the ___ grade.
35. Regardless of how busy _________ is, he still has time to do
something nice for someone. For this reason, he is one of the best-
liked members of my class.
36. _____________ is a pleasant, conscientious student.
37. He is self-confident and has excellent manners.
38. She assumes responsibility well, (excels on the playground) and is
well liked by her peers.
39. Experiences difficulty following directions-when unsure needs to
ask for questions
40. Needs to actively participate in classroom discussion
41. Needs to pay attention in class. Does not put enough time into
assignment
42. Bill excels in science. He needs more opportunities to develop his
friendship skills.
43. Leslie is friendly and well-liked. She would benefit from practicing
her reading fluency and comprehension skills.
44. _______ speaks very well in front of the class. However, her written
work needs much improvement. With greater effort, the improvement
should slowly come.
45. Although _______ is trying very hard, she is having difficulty writing
smooth, fluent sentences.
46. Needs to participate in more independent reading.
47. __ needs to take his/her time and think about what he/she reads.
48. __'s writing has a refreshing sense of voice, clarity, and style.
49. answers well in class, and shows great interest and enthusiasm
when discussing and offering opinions!
50. has a tendency to be quiet during discussions, and prefers to
listen to others' opinions and comments.
51. All of _______'s basic skills are at grade level, but he is not working
to the best of his ability.
52. _______'s school work has shown improvement over the past
quarter.
53. _______ is a polite and alert _____ grader. Because he is a quiet boy,
he needs to be encouraged to participate in class.
54. ______ has earned a very fine report card. _______ is maintaining
 grade-level expectations.
55. ____ does not put enough time into the assignments.____ needs to
spend more time on assigned tasks.
56. It is possible for _______ to exceed grade expectations.
57. ______ is making progress in all academic areas. She is having
some difficulty with ______, but if she continues to work hard she will
see improvement soon.
58. ______ volunteers frequently and makes wonderful contributions to
class. She does tend to work too quickly, which results in many
careless errors.
59. ______'s excellent attitude is reflected in the work she does.
60. I am concerned about ______'s progress this year. She has shown
some improvement but her growth is not where it should be at this
point in the school year.
61. _______'s work is below grade standards. I am sure with that more
effort and concentration he will show rapid improvement.
62. ______'s low rate of achievement makes it difficult for her to keep
up with the class.
63. He/she has been cutting class and roaming around the campus.
This behavior is unacceptable and could result in suspension or
expulsion.
64. Many teachers have reported that he/she has been extremely
disruptive in their classes. Not only is this a sign of immaturity, it is
also a show of defiance and disrespect. He/she needs to improve or
face administrative disciplinary action.
65. He/she is a model student and I am so glad that he/she is in my
class!
66. He/she is an asset to the school and a perfect ambassador for the
incoming freshman. Keep up the good work!
67. She is a budding poet. I find her work very interesting and mature
beyond her years.

1. It is unfortunate that I have to bring this to your attention, but,
__________ has become our centre of attention. He/she has a pretty
strong "following" which makes teaching a chore at times, as I have to
constantly refocus the class.
 2. He/she has been corrected several times by myself and other
teachers for using very vulgar words. While it is not out of the ordinary
for most middle school students to test boundaries, I know that you
do not allow such language. If he/she continues to use offensive
language, disciplinary action is sure to follow.