Holding Students Accountable

Discussion in 'General Education' started by Loves the beach, Nov 9, 2013.

  1. Loves the beach

    Loves the beach Companion

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    Nov 9, 2013

    I was recently at a social gathering and found myself overhearing some parents complaining about a certain fifth grade teacher. The teacher allows all students who make a failing grade to redo the assignment for partial credit. The complaint was that she sends the papers home with the student in a folder for the students to redo at home. The parents were mad because their kids throw away their bad papers, so the parents don't know anything about them. The parents thought the teacher should make each child redo the papers at school. They did not think their child was old enough to be responsible with their redo papers folder.

    This is also how I handle redo papers. There is no time for me to pull kids aside to do this. At recess, I'm busy with the students who were absent the day before: catching them up on the missed lessons and activities. Recess is a very short time at that. There simply isn't time. I also like the idea of holding children accountable. I post grades on-line and send home mid-term reports, so there should be no surprises when final grades come home. And of course I send home all graded assignments with the kids each Monday. Also, almost every assignment we do in class we grade together. Students who failed have the opportunity to ask questions and clarify anything they didn't understand. We discuss the activity and I have students support their answers during the discussion. I give them until the end of the grading period to redo any failed assignment. Parents know about my policy the day I meet them on registration day. It is on my weekly newsletter and website as well.

    What is typical for you? Do you almost always make a child redo a failed assignment? Or do you generally send the assignment home with them and make redoing optional? Or do you even allow a child to redo an assignment?
     
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  3. Loves the beach

    Loves the beach Companion

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    Nov 9, 2013

    Another question. Do you call parents if you suspect the child is not taking home their graded papers?

    I usually only call when there are several failed assignments and the child has not returned them to receive partial credit.
     
  4. Go Blue!

    Go Blue! Connoisseur

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    Nov 9, 2013

    I teach high school so its different, but I can't MAKE a student redo (or do, for that matter) anything. If they care about their grade, passing and graduating; they will do the work and take advantage of any chance I give them to raise their grade.

    I give all students an opportunity to redo, retake, or make up pretty much everything. They either take advantage of this opportunity, or they won't.
     
  5. Loves the beach

    Loves the beach Companion

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    Nov 9, 2013

    Whoops. I just realized that there is already a thread on this same topic. I'll check that one out.
     
  6. nyteacher29

    nyteacher29 Comrade

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    Nov 10, 2013

    Because of those instances and because I'm up to ears in papers (450 papers per unit) I don't allow redos. I mark "conference" on the students paper and I make sure to explain the errors as well as conference with the student for the next writing. If school is about college readiness, well my college nor my grad school allowed redos. I haven't had any complaints so far from admin, student, or parent

    Edit... I also won't give a student who wrote stuff but did it incorrectly a zero. They earn a 60 this way it doesn't damage their grade and if I see it will, I make sure to figure something out
     

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