Solutions for Late Work

Checking and recording late work was a major waste of my time. And it was really no favor to my students. Unless students are held accountable for turning in work on time, they will learn that irresponsibility is OK.

Nevertheless, I forget things myself occasionally, and few teachers have the heart to be severe when a normally responsible child slips up. A solution is to prepare a coupon that can be stapled to a late assignment turned in no later than the following school day. There is no penalty in this case, and no excuse is required. I copy the coupons on bright paper and give one to each child on the first day of school and on the first day of each succeeding quarter. The expiration date is the last day of school. Students who are able to save one or more of their coupons until the last week of school and who have no late work can redeem them during the last week of school for some special reward or treat. You may wish to give out more than one coupon the very first day.

Some students use their coupons immediately and continue to try to turn in late work, which I won't accept without a parent conference. I explain to parents that I do not expect perfection but I do expect responsibility. It helps to have a system in place that allows for occasional forgetting but not for perpetual irresponsibility.