HOMESCHOOLING TIPS THAT WORK! (PART 11 OF 12)

Grades and test scores are only part of the picture.

How to Know If Your Child Is Thriving — Not Just Passing

Grades and test scores tell you what your child knows. They don't always tell you how your child is growing. After 35 years in education, I can say with confidence: the most important signs of a thriving student are often the ones we can't put a number on.

Here is what to look for beyond the grade book:

1. Watch for curiosity, not just compliance. A child who asks questions outside of school time — at the dinner table, in the car, before bed — is truly learning. Curiosity is the clearest indicator that education has taken root.

2. Look for transfer. Can your child take what they learned in one subject and apply it somewhere else? When a child connects a history lesson to current events or uses math to solve a real problem, that is mastery. That is thriving. Not just passing.

3. Check in on their confidence. Are they willing to try hard things? Do they recover when they make mistakes? A child who is thriving doesn't just know more — they believe in their own ability to keep learning. That belief is everything.

📌 Free Resource: Internet4Classrooms offers free, grade-level academic placement assessments across multiple subjects at Internet4Classrooms.com.

📖 Bonus: The Adventures of Tommy Squirrel and Friends is a wonderful starting point for conversations about growth, choices, and becoming your best self. Get your free ebook (PDF) on the Blog Page, DrJeanWright.com.