E, S, or N

When I was in elementary school, before we reached the grades where we received numbers on our report cards, our teachers used a simple measuring system—E, S, or N. E for Excellent, S for Satisfactory, and N for Need Improvement.

 

Of course, I was the kid who wanted all Es on her report card, with an occasional S. Like me, no one else wanted the dreaded N, either.

 

Who wants to hear that they “Need Improvement”?