Create an electronic spreadsheet on your computer. Programs like Excel and Open Office can be used to make a spreadsheet, or you can use an online spreadsheet generator like Google Docs. Title your spreadsheet "Class Roster" and add pertinent information about your class under the title, such as name of class, where and when it meets and how many students are currently enrolled.
Utilizing the far left column of the spreadsheet, add each student's name in descending rows, preferably in alphabetical order for easy reference. This is also a good place to add, in parenthetical, the student's preferred name. For example: Brown, Christopher (Chris).
List contact info for the student directly under their name in their designated box. For elementary school students, add parents' contact info. Include at least an email address and ideally a phone number and mailing address.
In the top horizontal row, type every date the class meets, from the first meeting date to the last meeting date. In the box under each date, and beside each student's name, you can place a check on days the student is present in class and an "x" on days the student is absent. At the end of the semester, you can add up the total number of absences in order to determine the student's attendance grade.