Evaluating my Student's First Quarter Progress...
In Nogales, we begin school the middle of the second week of August. We ended first quarter last week and I am exhausted already. Is it because I earnestly tried to meet the diverse needs of my freshmen and senior students, or is it because I spend so much time trying to get them to understand that "because they went out of town for the weekend" doesn't mean that they do not have to repect due dates? I find that writing lesson plans, expecting to follow them and move through our curriculum at a reasonable pace for my student's abilities has nothing to do with their real life schedule. Let's face it, unless they get a zero for late work, they do not care if they turn it in on time.
I spend far too much time correcting late work. I am conflicted about this because I want to know if they learned the material and I will never know if they understood the material if I do not collect the work. As you can see, I am not able to write about this coherently. I blame it on the brain melt I am suffering due to reading all my student's late work.
I am interested in learning how you would manage this situation in your high school classrooms. I repeatedly explain that in the real world of working for a paycheck, if you do not turn in your work, you get fired. They do not care. They realize that no one will fire them from school. No Child Left Behind means I am obligated to keep all the students, even the ones that do not want to be there. I am pretty good at finding ways to reach them and teach them but this particular problem is getting to me.
Help!
I spend far too much time correcting late work. I am conflicted about this because I want to know if they learned the material and I will never know if they understood the material if I do not collect the work. As you can see, I am not able to write about this coherently. I blame it on the brain melt I am suffering due to reading all my student's late work.
I am interested in learning how you would manage this situation in your high school classrooms. I repeatedly explain that in the real world of working for a paycheck, if you do not turn in your work, you get fired. They do not care. They realize that no one will fire them from school. No Child Left Behind means I am obligated to keep all the students, even the ones that do not want to be there. I am pretty good at finding ways to reach them and teach them but this particular problem is getting to me.
Help!
Comment
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Comment by Toni Weingartner Vladimirova on October 23, 2009 at 5:38pm - I like the mandatory study hall idea. I think I will assign mandatory detention/tutoring if they do not turn it in. We have to be available for 30 minutes after school for tutoring three days a week so I could have them stay then. I think that the schools in which the students create their independent learning units are charter schools or private schools so the kids already have an intrinsic motivation established, having chosen to attend that school. Our local alternative school has classes that work along those lines, but for those kids, it is the last hope of getting a diploma. thanks for the input. We just had conferences last night; it looks like the parents are on my side with this issue so I may be able to make some progress.
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Comment by Dan Mindich on October 22, 2009 at 9:25pm - Hey Toni, that is a great issue with no easy answer (that I know at least). If we give them zeros for late work, then many kids end up failing. If we keep giving them chances to hand in late work, then they get no sense of responsibility for due dates and for their own work in general. I have always been understanding of the need for extensions, but I really try (not completely successfully) to make kids at least come to me when they do not have their major assignments finished and acknowledge that fact and ask for an extension (as opposed to waiting for me to come find them to ASK them to turn it in). And if they don't turn in smaller homework assignments, they get a zero. To me there is no sense in giving credit for something that was needed for a discussion or activity for a previous day of class. I think we need to find ways to have kids take more ownership of their academic goals and responsibilities. I'd like to know more about schools where kids set up independent learning plans to see if they have fewer of these types of problems. I have also heard of schools that have mandatory study halls for kids who do not turn work in. In either case, I think the answer lies in creating a culture where kids take ownership of their work, but that is easier said than done. Thanks for sharing your struggle. I am sure your kids benefit from your concern.
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