Managing Student Assignments

Receiving completed student work/homework is often a common frustration teachers experience at all levels (Spick, 2009). The intent of homework and class work is often to provide students with the practice needed to achieve understanding, transfer skills, and mastery. Implementation of a system to manage student assignments is another essential component of classroom management as it could help to alleviate teacher frustration and set students up for success. Part of this means much of the first few weeks of school will consist of teaching these routines through interactive modeling.

Assigning Classwork and Homework – In my classroom part of the board will be dedicated to a section called TDL (To Do Later), which will contain all assignments given throughout the day. Students will be taught to use this section of the board as a resource to know what we are currently working on, and what they may go back to at other points throughout the day. Additionally students will be give verbal instructions, a separate written agenda for that subject, may ask a neighbor, and then can ask the teacher for clarification. Students will be taught how to figure out the class assignment by utilizing these functions (in order from what they can do independently to asking for help). Homework will also be recorded on the TDL list and will be identifiable by placing a funny symbol (that was also taught) next to it. At the end of the day students will record their homework in their agendas or a comparable method. I will also record the homework daily on my class website. Additionally supports will be used if needed.

Collecting Completed Work – Once again, students will be taught classroom routines for handing in homework using interactive modeling. Students will turn in class work most frequently by groups, or they may use the designated turn in place depending on the task. Students will also turn in all homework in the designated turn in place. To keep students accountable for their homework, they will be asked to personally check their name off (their own personal homework checklist to avoid competition) after turning in assignments. This way they will be able to visually see their progress or area of improvement.

Keeping Records and Providing Feedback – Providing feedback to students is very important to me. I will always give students feedback by the next day. I will also record students progress/work daily, both whether assignments were turned in and how students did. This will allow me to give students ongoing feedback and to also reflect on my own instruction and see how I can better set up learning opportunities for students to gain deeper, more comprehensive understandings. Information collected will also be used to inform students and create short –term/long-range personal goals based on areas of improvement.

Missing/Late Assignments - This idea of bulldog paws was one teacher’s system which was implemented to combat the everlasting late homework dilemma (Bailey, 1993).  In this system the teacher gave each student 5 paws (a bulldog was the school mascot) and explained to the students that each paw could be turned in with an assignment late and the assignment would be accepted.  This allowed each student to have 5 chances which they could use in case of an emergency.  If a student decided to use them all in the first week then they would learn that it is their responsibility to turn in the work the remainder of the year.  I found this idea very interesting because it allowed students to take ownership and responsibility for their work and took some of the late paper stress off of the classroom teacher. I would implement like to implement this system into my classroom. I would, of course, teach students what it looks like through the use of interactive modeling and setting up scenarios. I would also use a late policy for students who do not use a “paw”. These students would fill out a form similar to the “no assignment form” Sprick (2009) mentions (p. 99).