After a busy but fun month of traveling here and there on vacation, it's back to school and back to the blog! We teachers have been at school this past week, and the kids come back Monday. Where did that summer go?
One goal I accomplished this summer was reading
The Homework Myth by
Alfie Kohn. While I do not share Kohn's apparent view that kids are generally angels who are being failed by everyone and if they were just in the right environment they'd all do the right thing and achieve all the right things (a biased summary, you can tell), I applaud and stand with him on so many aspects of traditional educational models that just make no sense. And this is from someone trained and drilled in "if the one-room schoolhouse was good enough for them...".
As I read this book, and discussed related topics on
#langchat, I have become increasingly frustrated with late work policies and other issues that invalidate grades. I've had students turn in exemplary work, but I have to give them an F because it's a week late. To me, that is academically punishing a student for something that is not an academic problem.
As I thought about this, it occurred to me that very few times in my life have I had a deadline that, if not met exactly, was a disaster. Even the water company gives me up to 2 days late to pay my bill. Now, I understand that it's a life skill to learn to budget time, plan for when things are due, etc. But also, what about when life happens? When Grandma's sick and everyone's at the ER until 2 AM? When the alarm didn't go off and I wake up five minutes before school? When because my teachers don't talk to each other I have a book review, research paper, chem test, and Spanish presentation all on the same day?
At my school, we used to have a late work policy. Everyone had to use it.
1 day late : -25%
2 days late : -50%
3rd day: Zero
If you use zeroes, you know how they kill a student's average and quickly make it impossible to bring up the grade.
Last year they let us set our own late work policy, and this was mine:
1 day late : -25%
2 days late : -50%
after 2 days until the end of the quarter : -75%
At the end of the quarter, I was forced to finalize grades and thus, to give a zero.
This is my new late work policy. Let me know what you think.
Students can turn in up to 2 assignments up to 2 days late per quarter with no penalty.
After 2 days late, the student will be dismissed to the library to complete the assignment for 60% credit and cannot return to class until it is finished, but will be responsible for all missed work.
I'm trying so hard to find a balance between grace, training, and trust. I'll let you know how it works.
