Director's Wave | Volume 6 Edition 17

Vol 6 Ed 17 2025-2026 SY 30 January 2026 JU

Dear CIS Community,

Something to Ponder

“The first time a child realizes that a little learning is a dangerous thing is when they bring home a poor report card.” - Mark Twain

Today report cards are sent home, Mark Twain’s wisdom and wit aside, it is important to note that report cards are but one piece of the vast network of seeing how your child is doing. It is helpful to not get too excited about what one may deem as an excellent report card (especially in a public setting). Conversely, it is helpful to not get too excited about what one may deem as a poor report card. In reading your child’s report you may feel a strong urge to voice your opinion and thoughts right away. This approach tends to result in frustration on the child’s and adult’s part. It is kind of like eating junk food in place of a meal - it feels good going down at the time, but quickly leaves you unsatisfied, hungry and perhaps a bit disappointed (even in cases when your child may have earned a stellar report card).

The information found in report cards presents an opportunity to ask open ended questions. Generally, it is more fruitful to ask questions related to effort, habits, preferences, and well-being. Doing so can create the atmosphere, and sometimes the conversation that could lead to your child asking you to share your opinion naturally. Examples of some open-ended questions or prompts related to report cards / “how is school going” are as follows,

• What are some of your highlights of the school year so far?
• Tell me about the subject you work your hardest.
• What are some of your habits that help you learn?
• What are some of the habits you have that make it difficult for you to learn?
• If you could press rewind, what is something you would do differently this school year?
• Tell me about the things you most enjoy doing at school?

It is recommended that you do not ask your children the following questions.

• You graduate in five months - when do you plan on stepping things up?
• Why do you have an F+? Does that mean you are positively failing?
• You are in grade one, it is about time you start thinking about university. What are you going to do about it? You can’t even write a five paragraph essay and I don’t think you are in the top 10% in your class?

For some fun, perhaps perspective of time, and the chance to open further conversation with your child - if for some reason you can find your old report cards as a student yourself - it helps to look at your old report cards, particularly the comments and even share these with your child for a laugh - not to mention doing some field work on the question…To what extent is the adage, “the older I get the better I was,” true?

Wishing you a wonderful weekend - sincerely,

Jim

Jim Urquhart

Director - Cayman International Schoo