How Parents Can Track Their Children’s Progress at Schools?

Dec 16, 2020

10 mins read

Previously, it was difficult for parents to monitor what their children were learning in school and how they were doing in their classes. There weren’t many means for schools to frequently connect with parents outside conferences with parents and report cards. Thanks to advancements in educational technology, parents can communicate with instructors and learn more about the daily lessons their children are receiving and know more about their daily progress. Here are a few methods for parents to quickly monitor what their kids are doing in class.

• See what assignments are given to students:

Many schools currently use learning management systems to distribute assignments to pupils (LMS). They may be accessible online to acquire directions, reading assignments, presentations, and more, whether as the primary means of distributing tasks or as a backup in case students forget their in-class instructions. Parents may utilize these tools to see what their children are studying and what homework they need to complete. Students will not be able to conceal if they are not working on homework and tasks.

If students are required to upload assignments to the LMS as well, parents can check to see if their kids have submitted all of their assignments or if any are missing, so they will know if they aren’t doing their work on time. 

• Check class calendars online:

School calendars have traditionally been a great tool for keeping parents informed about upcoming events, programs, and marking periods. Teachers of specific classrooms can now post class calendars online, in addition to schoolwide calendars. Class calendars indicate when a certain subject unit is taught, when projects and assignments are due, and when quizzes and examinations are offered.

Parents who follow these calendars regularly can make sure that their kids are working on homework and studying for tests in advance. If parents know what topics are being taught in class, they will also have an easier time communicating with their kids about what they are learning. They will also be able to help with challenging assignments. 

• Monitor digital gradebooks:

Gradebooks of assignments and assessments are now digital and the grades for each one are shared with the student, and sometimes, the parent can view them independently rather than using their child’s account. They can use grades to see how the student is doing, if they are getting a zero or incomplete grade for not turning in assignments, and if they need additional tutoring or a meeting with the teacher to improve their performance. 

• Online Communication with Teachers:

Whether through learning management systems or email, contact between parents and teachers is more streamlined. Parents can share their emails with teachers so they can be notified of behavior or grade performance issues. They can send messages directly through learning management systems. With more assignments and grades stored online, teachers can share their issues more clearly than through a phone call. Sharing a graded essay online with the teacher’s notes can help parents see what problems the student is having. Video chat can also be a convenient and simple way to speak with teachers. 

• Get notifications about current class status:

Parents can sign up for notifications from the school and individual classes to stay involved with their child’s education. LMSs and services like Remind can let parents sign up and receive notifications by text message, email, or within a mobile app. These can be anything from fun updates about what students learned in class that day, to reminders about school events, to requests for participation from teachers or parent-teacher associations.

Following these notifications requires less active engagement from parents than monitoring their student’s LMS or scheduling meetings with teachers, but they can remain active in their child’s education and know when important