Reporting to parents

Fifty years ago today a dear sweet thing was born in Nelson 50 metres from where I am sitting now. I haven’t come very far in the world!!! Image

While looking through some old photographs to show Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach a photo of myself and Queen Elizabeth I came across these old school reports of mine.

This one is my first school report as a five year old reporting my first year’s progress at school. It is interesting just how full and rich the reporting was in those days and how much time and effort must have gone in to making sure the parents were fully cognisant of their child’s progress and learning goals for future progress. Also of note is the rich curriculum that was reported on- reading, number, expression and printing.

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The second school report is the best they could muster after six years of primary schooling. The first thing that struck me was that after six full years at the same school they still couldn’t spell my name correctly! I must have felt thrilled that I didn’t have any problems in reading and I should continue to make progress. Being a ‘good average’ must have made my parents proud. Nothing like standing out from the crowd. No tall poppies here!

What occupations were we being educated for? Not ICT, Web2.0, global communication and collaboration for sure. I wonder how our children will look back on the school reports we give them?