You can't pass the class if you don't do any work...

I do allow my kids to miss, then make up, up to 3 homeworks per marking period.

Sometimes life gets in the way of school. We don't always realize it, but it's true. And our kids aren't always comfortable with telling us the reasons, but they exist anyway.

It helps my kids a lot. They're still responsible for doing the work, and it's normally only 3 per marking period (out of a typical 30-35.) But when it's Grandma's birthday dinner in Brooklyn, or when the dog dies unexpectedly, or when their brother breaks his leg and they spend the evening in the ER, or when they're coming down sick and get off the bus and head for bed, my policy helps them.

It doesn't matter to the chronic offenders, since they never get around to making up the homework. But hit makes a huge difference to the vast majority of great kids who sometimes get overwhelmed.

 

Wow! What a lovely message to send. Gee seniors, you can goof off all year, but don't worry, you'll still graduate cause hey, you made it this far so who are we to hold you back? That's crazy. I have a senior who had a ton of absences and as it turned out he had doctors notes for most of them so I was more flexible with lateness than I usually am. He'll pass my class by the skin of his teeth. But he'll go to summer school for one or two other classes and he can't walk at graduation. He fell too far behind and basically chose my class to get caught back up in because it's not offered in summer school. I would be so annoyed if I was told to just pass him without making up all his work simply because he's a senior. What possible lesson does that teach?

 

Here's one of my faves "What work do I have missing?"

Me: "Um missing, was your work abducted by aliens, kidnapped by homwork bandits, because I just thought you failed to turn it in. If it's missing, we need to send out a search party at once!"

 

I agree that students do need some leeway. Depending on the student, I occassionally allow a student to bring in a late assignment for credit, but usually I am sympathetic but demand that they bring in a parent note stating what interfered with the assignment. I've received probably one note for every 20 kids I've told to have a parent write a quick note. That tells me one of two things: the kid was very creative with an excuse, or they don't care enough to ask mom/dad/guardian for the note.

 

I agree that students do need some leeway. Depending on the student, I occasionally allow a student to bring in a late assignment for credit, but usually I am sympathetic but demand that they bring in a parent note stating what interfered with the assignment. I've received probably one note for every 20 kids I've told to have a parent write a quick note. That tells me one of two things: the kid was very creative with an excuse, or they don't care enough to ask mom/dad/guardian for the note.

 

How funny; I don't want notes from parents.

My kids are high school-- basically 14-18 year olds. I think they're too old for notes from mommy.I'm not scary; I think I'm pretty reasonable. So, all other things being equal, I would much rather the kid told me himself.

Of course there are exceptions-- the divorces and kids living with incredibly rough circumstances. But I normally find out about them through guidance.

 

That's a novel idea. I've never been told anything from guidance. I usually find out while being cursed out by the parents.

This year I had a student whose brother was killed while I was having emergency surgery. The siblings didn't have the same last name (none of the 4 do) so I didn't make the connection. The student wasn't doing any work and wouldn't take her head off the desk. I should have never said anything, but I didn't know.

 

I am curious, have you ever said to a student "How many times do I have to ask you ________?"

How would you respond if the child said, "I'm not sure, but start with 7 and go from there."



I would be surprise to meet any teacher who was willing to accept disrespectful sarcasm from their students and often wonder why several think it's ok to give such responses to their students. If you're not willing to take it, don't dish it out.

 

That is just so WRONG!!!

Guidance doesn't always get the heads up from the parents. But if they do, each of the kids' teachers gets a confidential note telling us as much as they're free to say.

When things were going crazy in my house last year, I kept the teachers informed (sometimes weekly or daily, depending on the crisis du jour.) I didn't expect any special favors or breaks, just that they keep an eye out and let me know if the stress was showing itself in any way I should be aware of.

Some kids are under incredible stress. Their teachers NEED to know what's going on.

 

Good point Muttling.

One sure way to lose respect from kids is to refuse to give them respect.

No one, adult or kid, should be spoken to in without the same respect we would like to receive.

 

Never said I said it out loud . . . nor have I ever said "how many times do I have to ask you" . . . I don't dish it out. Next time I will make it clear these thoughts go on in my head

 

Again, never said I said it out loud . . . lots of things go on in my head but I am the adult and do know the difference between whats ok to say in my head vs what I say out loud

 

I wasn't so good at that when I first started teaching...10 years later...there's alot I keep in my head.

 

Meanwhile, I spoke with a student this morning. He wanted to know if I would give him until Friday to finish the class. I pointed out the following:

1. The last day for seniors was May 28th
2. I had given him until 3pm on the 10th to hand in overdue assignments
3. Yes, the original date I had been given was the 18th but I had posted the date change in a gazillion places
4. He had turned in THREE assignments since January and would probably not make a 60% in two days.

I could hear him shrug when he asked to talk to his guidance counselor about summer school.

 

My apologies. I'm not at my best these days.

But I think there ARE teachers out there, maybe around here, who speak to kids that way, and it's wrong.

We all play the game of "Here's what I would love to say"... and it's theraputic.

 

Not my best of days either - hope I didn't come off snippy - today is my 25th anniversary and my husband is out of town (not really that big of a deal as we have spent many apart before) but a former student passed away yesterday at the age of 21 from mouth and throat cancer. This is the second death from that graduating class in less than a year.

 

INteacher!