High Marks: How a Daily Report Card Can Bring Out the Best in ADHD Children

Use this handy tool to effectively shape better behavior in the classroom for your child with ADHD.

by Laura Flynn McCarthy

Most experts believe that the centerpiece of a good behavioral program is a daily report card for a child with attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD).

At the beginning of each school year, meet with the teacher to create this tool that will allow her to record how well the student has performed on several specific target behaviors in the classroom each day.

The child brings home the report card (this can be done via e-mail, if you’re afraid it won’t get home) and parents can then recognize and reward their child for specific good behaviors at school on the very day that they occur. Rewards could include an extra half-hour playing his favorite video game or controlling the car’s CD player for an hour.

Be specific when discussing with the teacher the skills and behavioral goals you’d like to reinforce: “Completed assignments within the designated time” or “kept hands to himself” are more helpful than “Johnny had a good day.”

You can download a daily report card from the Center for Children and Families at the University of Buffalo.

Sometimes, weekly report cards are equally effective but less burdensome for a busy teacher.

This article comes from the Summer 2008 issue of ADDitude.

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