It’s that time again for most of us…completing Progress Reports! I don’t know about you, but it is a struggle sometimes to capture the correct teacher comments to add to each child’s report. We want to stay positive, but we need to concisely and accurately paint a portrait that truly reflects each child. And, sometimes, we need to report some pretty tough stuff about someone’s baby.
Progress Report comments have consistently been huge threads social media groups. Teachers asking other teachers, what should my comment be for this particular behavior? We noticed, and we have now compiled 66 Fantastic Teacher Comments for Progress Reports from these great advice threads. I find myself using #8 a lot.
But, before I hop into all of the comments you can easily cut and paste into your progress reports and report cards, I have two questions for you…
- Do you give out practice packets for your students?
- Do you have parents that ask for practice activities during conferences?
I have thousands of no prep printables you can quickly download and put into packets to help your students practice and master any skills they need help with.
Teacher Comments for Work Habits
- Works well with classmates; is a strong leader; motivates others to complete work.
2. They remain focused during independent work without frequent reminders.
3. Independent effort is evident in their work. Not afraid to try and willing to work on mistakes
4. Needs reminders to remain focused during independent work; requires teacher support to stay focused during independent work.
5. They need to listen to the directions more closely before engaging in school work.
6. They rely heavily on teacher support for most work completion.
7. Lacks some confidence to initiate and complete work, asking for teacher support rather than making attempts.
8. Needs assistance to use time wisely during work activities.
Teacher Comments for Classroom Behavior
9. Shows good manners and kindness to others in the classroom
10. Accepts redirection appropriately.
11. Follows most classroom rules.
12. They remain focused and on-task, minimally distracted.
13. Regularly participates in and contributes to class discussions.
14. Cooperates with the teacher and other staff.
15. They demonstrate responsible use of personal and classroom materials.
16. Needs to follow classroom rules and directions throughout the school day.
17. Consistently needs reminders to be quiet and not distract others.
18. Requires frequent directions to be in place at desks, tables, or centers.
19. They need to work on using respectful, kind language with peers and teachers.
20. Needs to work on maintaining personal space while keeping body parts and materials off of others.
21. Struggles with impulsive behaviors.
22. Often becomes silly and has difficulty returning to work.
Character Traits
23. Requires additional support to interact in positive ways with classmates.
24. Is great at reminding others of behavioral expectations.
25. The student will benefit from focusing on their decision-making.
26. The student is learning to/requires adult support to differentiate between reporting and tattling.
27. It has truly been a pleasure getting to know your child.
28. Your child arrives at school every day with a smile, ready to learn.
29. Is eager to help others and help around the classroom.
30. Your child is an essential part of our classroom and school community.
31. Very expressive with opinions and emotions.
32. Your child is a strong listener to others’ ideas and opinions.
33. Frequent absences continually impact their ability to access all of the learning that takes place daily in our classroom.
34. Your student works well below their potential due to a lack of motivation and attention to work.
Some Academic Teacher Comments to Share
35. They have strengthened their ______skills since the beginning of the quarter.
36. Has made slight progress in ________this quarter/trimester but continues to need work.
37. Continues to make progress in all academic areas due to hard work and determination.
38. Tends to be very talkative during quiet work periods, which disrupts classmates’ work as well.
39. Struggles to remain organized with materials even though systems are in place for them.
40. Works fast, often making careless mistakes. They would benefit greatly from slowing down and checking their work.
41. Is very responsible with their belongings and turns assignments in on time.
Social Skills and Socialization Teacher Comments
42. Consistently puts forth their best effort, showing pride in their work.
43. Requires additional practice and repetition to master necessary skills in _______.
44. Has a positive attitude towards work but continues to struggle with retaining taught information.
45. Needs to improve abilities to work with others in a group setting, listening to perspectives and ideas of others.
46. Continues to have difficulty with their willingness to share and take turns in a group setting.
47. Is genuinely concerned about the feelings of their peers.
48. Perseveres on challenging tasks with a positive attitude.
49. Expresses himself clearly with teachers and classmates.
50. Difficulty problem-solving with classmates.
Academic Skills Teacher Comments
51. Displays self-discipline.
52. Is an enthusiastic reader.
53. Is good at attacking unknown words.
54. They would benefit from daily reading and sight word practice.
55. Is reading at/above/below grade level for this time of year.
56. Needs additional support at home to practice addition and subtraction facts.
57. Needs to put more effort into ________.
58. Does well on assignments but struggles with testing.
59. Requires additional attention for their academics beyond what we would expect for a ____ (grade).
60. Struggles with remembering previously taught skills that are necessary for advancement in the subject area.
61. Consistently completes grade-level books with stellar comprehension skills.
62. Is constantly engaged in their lessons until completed.
63. They struggle with transitions between subject areas within the classroom, delaying their work start time.
64. Reads at grade level, but struggles with recalling information about what they have read.
Two Biggies–Use with Caution
65. I have concerns about your child’s behaviors in the classroom and feel we should meet to discuss some strategies for improvement.
66. I have concerns regarding your child’s progress in academic areas. Let’s talk soon to share more details, and we can make a firm plan for improvement.
Did you find one or two comments that will fit perfectly into your Progress Reports this year? We hope so! Or, are you holding on to this list like me with a tight grip to not misplace it by Progress Reports time? Either way, we appreciate our Facebook members who shared many of these comments and would love to add your ideas to the list. Comment below with some of your teacher comments. Who knows, they might make the updated list for next year!
WRITTEN BY: SUZANNE KELLEY
At Education to the Core, we are the world’s leading and most trusted resource for primary teachers.
We provide trusted, state-of-the-art resources designed by teachers for teachers.
Our small but mighty team of experienced teachers focuses on designing comprehensive, reliable, and inclusive educational resources to improve the lives of every teacher and learner.
Let’s stay connected! We are here to help with all your classroom needs. Become a member of Education to the Core Premium and receive immediate access to thousands of printable resources.
