Creating a Daily Report Card

Many teachers are open to the idea of sending home a little report card for a student every day. Set up a daily report card that focuses on positive behaviors. Select behaviors that you (and your child and your child's teachers) want to see increase. Think of these as positive goals for change.

While daily report cards are done to make things better, sometimes they can make things worse! This happens if it is a list of problem behaviors each day. No parent (or kid) likes to hear about problems every day! When bad daily report cards turn into punishments at home, children start to dread going to school and returning home.

Here are some ideas for creating a positive daily report card:

• Select 3-5 positive behaviors to list on the daily report card (for example, turning in spelling homework, raising hand to answer, sharing, lining up promptly, waiting patiently, or working quietly). Pick positive behaviors that would improve current problems.
• Assume that no one is perfect! If you make the behaviors on the daily report too hard it will not help your child. Set realistic goals. Maybe have the goal be working quietly 75% of the time instead of 100% of the time.
• Make up report cards (you can use the template below). Make 5 copies at the beginning of the week. Email them or have your child bring them to the teacher at the beginning of the week (or each day). Have the teacher complete it each day. Have your child bring it home at the end of the each day (not each week).
• Collaborate with your child's teacher. Ask, rather than demand, that your child's teacher do the daily report card. Ask the teacher for his/her input and ideas for goals for change. Thank your child's teacher for doing the daily report card.
• You can have a place on the daily behavior card for the teacher to write the homework for the day. Ask the teacher to call you, or send home a separate note, about problem behavior rather than write them on the daily report card.
• Reward your child for doing well. Give a small reward each day for a good report card. This could be a sticker, a special activity or just a "way to go!" Give a bigger reward after a number of positive report cards. For instance, you could go out to a movie after 20 positive report cards.

Example daily behavior report card

Daniel's Daily Behavior Report Card Please initial each thing Daniel did well today. 1) Daniel used his inside voice 75% of the day. ___________ 2) Daniel turned in his spelling homework. __________ 3) Daniel followed directions from teacher 75% of the time. _________ Homework assignments: