It's sad that teachers have to put so much energy into this area, but it is a fact of life for most of us.  Many of suggestions that follow are considered 'unspoken rules' which often aren't communicated properly to new teachers by their school district leaders and administrators.  I hope that the information you learn will help you maintain records that will speak for you when you need to justify or support the educational decisions you make in the classroom.

What Exactly Is Documentation?

Let's say you have a child who has some behavioral issues and isn't do well in class.  When you bring the issue up to another teacher or your administration, the first thing you are likely to hear is, "Are you keeping documentation?".  This means, basically, are you writing anecdotal records when the child behaves inappropriately, keeping written records of your interventions, filing work samples that support your claim, and maintaining copies of all correspondence with the child's parents and school system employees concerning this child? 

Is It Really That Complicated?

No, not at all!  Once you understand when and how to keep good records, it's fairly easy to set up a system for documentation that requires very little maintenance.  It's not a fun thing to think about, but once you get the hang of it, you'll feel a great sense of relief in knowing that you've got yourself covered.

Why Bother? I Have More Pressing Tasks Right Now

Keeping good records is similar to flossing your teeth: it's a little habit that you will only recognize the true value of IF you don't do it!

The purpose of documentation is essentially two-fold:

a) it is a key element in getting services for students that you suspect have special needs

b) to cover yourself in case of a lawsuit, school records 'audit', or allegation that you did not do your job properly.

The main purpose is the first one.  No school system that I am aware of will even consider evaluating a student without having substantial documentation from the classroom teacher about the child's behavior, academic progress, the interventions the teacher has attempted, and the results of those interventions. The second is a bonus benefit- you don't have to feel stressed when unexpected problems arise, because you've already prepared.

Documentation is overwhelming in itself, but add that to your “other” responsibility of actually TEACHING the class and it's enough to turn you off to the profession altogether!  How in the world are you supposed to keep a paper trail while creating lessons, grading papers, and helping your students?  The teacher’s word is no longer taken as automatically right, and there will be occasions on which you have to prove your motives and justify your actions.  On more than one occasion, a teacher has been accused and later acquitted of wrong-doing in the classroom.  If you have a paper trail, you can prove your case against any false allegations against you. Additionally, if a child ever needs to be recommended for special education services or is in danger of being retained, you will need evidence of the modifications you made, what worked, and what didn’t.

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An example of what can happen when you keep poor documentation records:

Teacher takes a phone call with pencil and paper in hand:

“My child told me you took away his recess today”

I… think he missed recess, yes, but I didn’t have duty today, so I’ll have to check with Mrs. Jones.

“But he did all of his homework except reading!”

Let me look through all of the homework papers to see if he had it…

“Well, he said he saw a boy who didn’t have his homework and that boy didn’t miss recess!”

Who was it?  He must not have done his work, if he didn’t have recess.

“Well, this is the first time it’s ever happened.”

I think he was missing a math assignment a couple week ago- I’ll go into my grade book to see…

“I wrote a note so you would know we had football practice late that day and he didn't have time to finish”.

What did the note say?  I’m not sure I got it.

Parent’s overall impression: This teacher is incompetent.  She has no idea what my child did and did not do.  She’s not being fair and treats him differently than the other kids.  I’m going to have to check behind her every day to make sure she didn’t mess up because clearly I’m the only one with my facts straight.

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An example of what can happen with complete documentation records:

Teacher takes a phone call with pencil, phone documentation log, and documentation file in hand:

“My child told me you took away his recess today”.

Yes, I didn’t have duty today, but my chart shows he did miss it.

“But he did all of his homework except reading!”

That’s correct.  At the beginning of the year, we sent home a Third Grade Policies letter explaining that if any portion of a child’s homework is missing, that child must miss recess.  Each parent and child agreed to that policy and signed it. I can send a copy home if you’d like.

“Well, he said he saw a boy who didn’t have his homework and that boy didn’t miss recess!”

Yes, the child next to him was absent yesterday.  He will need to turn in the assignment by the end of the week or the same consequence will apply.

“Well, this is the first time it’s ever happened.”

Johnny has done an excellent job turning in his work- I can tell you work very closely with him at home.  [Looking over the weekly evaluation form] In fact, this is only the second time he’s ever missed an assignment.  But unfortunately, I have to enforce the same policy for every student, every time, in order to be fair.

“I wrote a note so you would know we had football practice late that day”.

[Flips through documentation file to make sure there were no special circumstances with the note]  Yes, I have a copy of your note right here.  Thanks for letting me know what the problem was.  Anytime Johnny will be missing a homework assignment, it would be wonderful if you would continue to write me notes.  Johnny’s a very conscientious student, so I’m sure this won’t be a recurring problem that would affect his grades. 

Parent’s Overall Impression:  This teacher knows exactly what’s going  on in her classroom.  She is consistent and treats everyone the same.  I disagree with the consequence, but I did agree to the homework policy at the beginning of the year.  Next time Johnny tells me something unfair happened to him, I’ll make sure I know all the facts and teacher’s expectations of him.

Do I Need to Keep Documentation On All of My Students?

Initially, keep good records on every child.  There are certain things that you should continue to do all year long for each student:

-copies of important tests and key assignments, preferably signed by parents

-notes to and from home

-conference forms

-progress/interim reports and report cards

-a log of the dates of phone calls with parents, and preferably, a summary of the conversation

-copies of behavior reports, weekly evaluations, or other parent communication

Staying organized makes this much easier. Read "Avoiding the Paper Trap" to find out how to keep effortless documentation.

When Do I Need To Keep More Extensive Documentation?

While you'll need to keep good records for your whole class, it will be neccesary to keep more extensive records in particular scenarios:

-Keep more in-depth records when you've had the same, semi-serious behavioral problem with a student three or four times.  When this happens, trust your instincts- you'll get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.  These weren’t just isolated incidents as the child adjusts to a new class. This is a real problem!  It might be behavioral problems, psychiatric issues  (like 'cutting'- intentionally slicing at one's own skin to feel physical pain instead of emotional pain), developmentally innappropriate behaviors (such as masturbating in class- yes, this happens), indications of abuse of any type (wearing turtleneck sweaters in eighty degree weather, scratching in the genital region, etc. ) or academic issues.  Each school system and state has it's own system for reporting allegations of abuse- you should be trained in this every year by your district so you know what procedures to follow.  Keeping good documentation is always a crucial part of that process.

-When a child is not making progress in one or more subject areas and/or is in danger or retention.  If October rolls around and one of your students is still making C's, D's, and F's on every math test, you need to be documenting this issue.  If a child is improving in math but still can't decode four letter words, you need to document.  Anytime you suspect a child may need special education services, keep additional records.  It's critical that you maintain evidence that you've notified the parent of these problems as well.

-When you have a child whose parent is particularly critical or overly concerned about you, the school, or the child.  Trust your instincts on this one, too- be conscious of parents who:

    *question minor decisions you make in the classroom

    *call frequently to check on their child's academic progress

    *often ask you to intervene in minor interpersonal disputes between children

    *badmouth a previous teacher, the administration, or the child's other parent

    *are in the middle of a divorce, custody battle, remarriage, or move

    *are attorneys, teachers, or school system employees

    *are overly protective of their children or extremely anxious in temperament

    *mention a bad experience with a former teacher or school

    *have switched their child(ren) from school to school frequently

These qualities don't necessarily mean that you will have a problem with a parent- they just indicate that you will want to keep especially careful records on his or her child.  There is a higher likelihood that you will need them to ensure that the child's needs are met and to prove that you have provided every possible accommodation for the child.

What to Document

Once you’ve figured out that you’ve got a special case on your hands, don’t waste any more time.  Start documenting anything that seems problematic to you.  If the problem is behavioral, talk to your guidance counselor to find out what your school wants you to do.  You will need evidence of what the child has done, what provoked the behavior, modifications you have made, notes that may be needed at a meeting if the child gets referred for special education or behavior modification, and proof of the child’s actions to show parents. Each school system has it's own forms for this, but your anecdotal records are almost always helpful.  If the problem is academic, make sure you are keeping copies of tests and key assignments, signed by parents whenever possible. 

How To Document

1.  Keep a documentation file for each student.  This is separate from their cumulative files.  It should contain only notes to and from home, notable evidence of academic growth or struggles, correspondence with the guidance counselor, etc.  If you don't have student work portfolios, you can keep sample work in this file.

2. Keep a copy of ALL notes to and from home. I write on carbon-copy notes that I've gotten for free from Highlights magazine.  A copy of all notes home go into the file.  Alternatively, you can type all notes and print a second copy for your records, which I like to do for more formal correspondence.  BEWARE OF EMAILING confidential information!  In my school system, email is considered public domain because it is easily hacked, and personal information about students is not to be relayed that way, even with the students' parents.  Check with your administration about the policies in your district.

3. When a parent sends you a note, write your response to the parent at the top of the paper and file it.  “Called 3/21- see phone log” or “sent note home- attached” and staple a copy of any note you write back to the parent’s note.  Never file a parent’s note without responding to it if needed and documenting that response.

4. Keep a phone log to document all conversations.  You can find a copy of the phone doc log I use here.  This can help remind you what was said and when.

5. Send home weekly evaluations documenting the child’s behavior and whether class work and homework assignments were completed on time.  A parent cannot legitimately argue that s/he was not kept informed about these two crucial issues if a note is sent home weekly for the parent to sign.  See more about weekly evaluations here. 

6. Have a daily behavior log for children who need more immediate reinforcement. (or for all children in place of weekly evaluations).  Confer with parents to plan a reward schedule for meeting agreed-upon expectations for kids who need it.  I use an agenda book to write how many checks (negative behavior marks, like tallies) a child in my room gets each day, and a code to explain to the parent what each check was for.  For example, I might write “2 checks, T, NF” which means the child got one check for talking and one for not following directions.  The child is responsible for giving me the agenda book at the end of the day and giving it to the parent to be signed. This takes literally ten seconds of my time at the end of the day and holds the child accountable for the day’s actions.   It also lets the parent know what to expect on the weekly evaluation, if you do them.  Read more about daily reports here.

7. Send progress reports home mid-quarter if you suspect a child may receive a “C” or lower in any area, including behavior.  Surprises are your worst enemy.  Parents hate finding out too late about a situation they could have corrected.  Requiring a signature ensures a parent has seen the information and is thereby accountable for it.

I keep the whole class' conference forms and interim reports in one folder.  On the inside of the folder, I list all of the students' names and write the date of each conference (in blue ink) and interim report (in black ink).  This way I can tell at a glance how many conferences I've had with each parent and who has been notified of their child's progress.

8. Have your principal initial any potentially controversial notes you send home.  This keeps him or her informed, covers you in case a parent responds negatively, and lets the parent know you are to be taken serious and have backing for your classroom practices.  Many administrators require that you gain their approval before sending home anything, even class newsletters, so this is a good habit to get into.

9. Document each time a child is removed from your classroom.  If you send him/her to the office, use the referral form provided by you school district.  In one particularly troubled school I worked in,  teachers would often send children to one another's rooms for a 'time out' if a behavior was disruptive enough to warrent removal but not severe enough to incur suspention, or administrative action.  I created this form to have a record of the incident and provide information to the teacher I senr the child to.  I would then photocopy it and send it home for the parent to sign and return as well.   That's not appropriate in all school settings, but there are situations in which you may want to use the form.

10. Utilize your guidance counselor’s services and keep a copy of information, notes, and resources s/he can provide you.  When a social situation seems beyond your scope of expertise, don’t be afraid to approach the guidance counselor for advice.  Sometimes s/he can speak with the children and/or the parents on your behalf.  Jot down the date and time of the any meetings and file it for future reference.

Making Time to Document

When students first enter the room and unpack, have them turn in any notes from home.  You can respond to the notes while the kids do their morning warm up.  Have students file any non-confidential information you need in your documentation folders so it doesn't pile up.  Use your time at the end of the day during dismissal to complete any further documentation.  When you need to contact a parent, make sure you have done all other necessary tasks first.  In other words, if you chose to call during your lunch break, make sure you have eaten first and made copies for the afternoon, etc. so that you are able to get everything done.  I have a phone in my classroom so I will call parents while the kids are working independently rather than during my planning time.  Even when I didn't have a classroom phone, I used my cell phone.  (You can press *67 before dialing if you don't want them to have your number). I also try to schedule impromptu parent conferences before school hours, rather than after.  That way, you are guaranteed to end on a timely basis because children will be lined up in the hallway waiting to come in.  After-school conferences can easily go on unchecked because there will be no interruptions.  There are times when you want to meet extensively with parents, but trust me, when you’ve stayed after school for an hour and a half discussing one child, you’ll seriously consider scheduling your meetings for a different time of day!

What the heck does this have to do with teaching?

Unfortunately, teachers now do a lot of things that have very little to do with teaching.  I have always taught for very large urban school systems, and I know more than a few of my dedicated colleagues in similar districts struggle with issues such as being accused of racism, harassment, and negligence.  Perhaps in your school system, these issues don’t pertain, and I am very happy for you!  But support for teachers facing these types of issues is minimal to non-existent, and nothing fosters burn out faster than a lack of appreciation and support when teachers are trying to do their very best.  This information is for those who work hard to provide the best possible education for their students and have gotten caught up in issues they were never prepared for in teacher’s college.  If you have a teacher's union, I STRONGLY suggest you join and utilize the resources your union offers to protect you and help you do your job to the best of your ability.

Documenting Behavior and Work Habits With Parents: Weekly Evaluations

Documenting Academic Progress With Parents: Bi-Weekly Work Samples