Okay here is my vent of the day: Why is getting students to do their homework like pulling teeth???
I am leading the honors class through their novel (which is on top of their regular classwork) and every time I assign homework, they always moan and complain. Here's the kicker: the only day they get homework in every other class is on Fridays!!! I'm giving them reading assignments and worksheets to go with it, so it's not impossible and should only take they 30 minutes tops to finish it, but it's like pulling teeth! I "lost it" (okay not really, but I was really frustrated) today in class because they have had the book over a week now, have only been assigned the first four chapters, and yet I still have over half the class who didn't even start the book. When I told them they had a test on the first five chapters on Friday, it was like the floodgates opened and all of the excuses started pouring out. The only thing I could do what stress to them the test is going to be open book, but they were encouraged to read because they would need to know where to find answers in the book.
I had to giggle during class today because I was going over what their homework assignments were throughout the week and the assistant principle walked in and listened to me haven the class repeat back to me what their homework was. It was when one of the students said, "Miss we get it," yet he couldn't tell me what his homework was. I just looked at him and said nothing. It was the assistant principle who looked at the student and said, "Really???" The thing is, it's like that every day!
Now that I've vented longer than I wanted to, does anybody have any suggestions on how to get the students more involved and doing their homework? My co-op and I really don't know what to do at this point.
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I honestly don't know if our kids are used to homework, Kortny. My co-op never assigns homework, and if she does, it's only to the honors class and it's just to read at home. She says the kids will never bring homework back if she gives it to them....well how are they going to learn responsibility if they are never given the chance? once they don't return a few assignments and see that grade drop, maybe they would start to get the concept.
ReplyDeletepersonally, i think these kids are getting spoon-fed a bit too much, but maybe that's just the hard-ass in me coming out.
I say go for it and let them see the results of not learning responsibility. Start small, so as to not harm their grades too much, but if they still don't want to comply, heighten the consequences. Hopefully they'll get it eventually. Stick to your guns.