Daily Report Card - Collaborative reward approach for better classroom results

Handling distracted students is a challenge for many of us. The only way to ensure the desired behaviour i.e. focussed attention is through the method of rewards and negative consequences done in a consistent and immediate manner.

As teachers, we are limited by the range of rewards we can offer. Many of us may have points or tokens or stickers based system in place which is undoubtedly effective but add overhead to our class time. However, if we involve parents in our reward system, we have flexibility and leverage.

Another intervention we can use specifically for distracted kids is the "Daily Report Card". We can make use of the Cuemath diary for this purpose. List the target behaviour you wish to modify. Ex: "Accuracy of worksheet" or "Completes assigned task". You could have 2 to 3 such behaviours. Rate the performance for the day with a smiley face or frowning face. Have the parent sign the report after class. The parent could give daily or weekly rewards relevant to the child based on the pre-decided number of smiley or frowns. Slowly move from 50 to 60 percent compliance to 100% compliance over a time period. For example, if the child gets a smiley for sheet completion all week, he can be rewarded with ice cream or extra video game time by parents. Support of parents is crucial for the success of this method. However, the advantage is that you could focus this intervention for the specific child alone. Check here for detailed explanation: https://ccf.fiu.edu/_assets/pdfs/how_to_establish_a_school_drc.pdf

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