Thanks for highlighting Gary’s strategy. I’ll see how I can bring it in. (Though an incomplete would probably still mean a “No.” Way to boost morale.)

(and adopt Gary Stager’s approach to grading – it’s either an A or an incomplete).

A single “No” through the 7 periods of the day means detention. And if I assign 10 “No”s during the day, I have to stay after too.

I’m hoping that if I have homework assigned two class periods before it’s due, it might help. The dreaded finish the steps you’ve been working on in class sure hasn’t been perfect. (For one, I want them to actually do the work in class…)

-Ben- I work in a district that mandates grade category weights. In 6-8 Math and Lang. Arts, we are 10% HW, 40% CW and 50% Tests/Quizzes. At first, many of the teachers balked, believing that students would NEVER do homework if they knew it was only worth 10% of the grade. (6 years later, I still have kids that point out on the first day of school that it is possible to earn an A without EVER completing homework. I use that to discuss the difference between possible and probable.) Really, it depends on the teacher. I have no problem getting students to complete HW because I put at least one problem from HW on each test and quiz. Students know that it is in their best interest to complete the assignments and pay attention while we correct the work. They ask good questions and actually study from their work and notes. (And yes…these are sixth graders.) By the end of first quarter, I have 95-98% turn-in rates and students are surprised by how well they’re doing on tests.

(I give 15% credit for homework, as per our department policy. I’m ok with it. It is high enough to get the want-points effect but not so large as to be overwhelming the grade.)

While I don’t have the kids who know the material and just shouldn’t be here, I’m still struggling to avoid fallout from the homework monster.

Teachers are being told we have to assign homework this year. Most haven’t in the past, so students are not in the habit of doing anything. We’ve also got a new program (sicker cousin to your tardy policy) where students who don’t do their homework have 2 hours of detention that day.

I do not want to become that teacher. Assigning detention first thing in the class period kills the mood for class. They don’t want to do anything. And then struggle more next time. (But we’re unorganized enough that they haven’t had to go to detention yet, so I haven’t been able to pull them out for special tutoring.)

No solutions here. I want the work to be meaningful. I don’t want to incorporate homework into the grade. But mostly, I don’t want to punish everyone over and over again.

I’m guessing the hand-raisers at your school didn’t take the question purely abstractly, though.

And I realize you can’t outfit a DeLorean to travel back in time, but you still have to assume the premise.