Robert MacKenzie suggests Friday Folders in his "Setting Limits in the Classroom." I think the book is mainly for elementary teachers, but I think I'd like to try it in my HS Spanish classes.
Students receive all homework assignments for the week in their folders on Mon. and must turn them in on Fri. Those who don't miss out on the Friday fun & have homework over the weekend. Also, parents are to review & sign folders each week, maybe commenting.
I can't just have free days like elem. classes, but my kids do enjoy cultural discussion and review games, so maybe they wouldn't be allowed to participate in those if their folders were incomplete.
I like this policy because it gives quick kids a chance to zoom ahead and slow kids a chance to catch up while getting parents involved. I'm just afraid it'll get tossed in the bag like any other assignment--perhaps getting lost even quicker.
Would Friday folders would have the intended effect with high school kids as well as elem. kids?
2007-01-07
10:52:52
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7 answers
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asked by
Huerter0
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Education & Reference
➔ Teaching
Grades are apparently not enough motivation for a large percentage of my kids.
Food is not a viable option, not only because we've been forbidden to give food that did not come pre-packaged by the district, but as a teacher facing the childhood obesity epidemic, I feel it is irresponsible to use it constantly as a reward.
2007-01-07
14:24:19 ·
update #1
My youngest, who just graduated hs, had a similiar system in her Japanese and Chem classes last year. Work was given out on Tuesday and students had until Monday (right after roll) to turn them in. No work, no points, no exceptions. This eliminated the tendency to be "ill" on due days! I think it also helped her to procrastinate less, because it wasn't possible to miss just one little assignment. Each week was a total grade, so in a nine week period one or two 0's would really hurt! We never had to review or sign. I agree with the other poster, that would really need to be the student's job to be on top of it.
As a motivator, the chem teacher held a weekly raffle for a king size Hershey bar. The name slips stayed in the whole tri, so turning in EVERYTHING really increases your chances.
Good luck.!
2007-01-07 12:19:50
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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There are really multiple questions here.
The weekly homework approach:
Think about what happens in college for many classes: you get all the assignments for the semester on the syllabus.
I think if I were to use it, I would present it more as "the weekly syllabus". And as for the turn-in, if you could allow homework turn-in to be done on any day (for the faster students) that would make it less likely to get lost or forgotten by the due date.
Consequences:
And instead of pulling them out of activities that enhance their learning, use the grades as your tool (or maybe even having a "food allowed in the classroom" day).
Parental signatures:
The getting parents involved depends very much on your student population. In public schools, you can not know their home situations (including whether they ever see their parents or even have parents at home), and it is unfair to put such students in such a position. I think that by high school the parents pattern of involvement is already set and you really won't change it (even if the uninvolved parents are forced to sign it, that's all they'll do -- and involved parents will demand do see everything anyway).
So my opinion is that the overall concept is great, but needs to be revised from the elementry school version to represent the transistion to college that high school is intended to be.
2007-01-07 11:23:24
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answer #2
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answered by contemplating 5
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That seems a little elementary to me, it seems like something you would use with 6th graders.
I think the whole idea of you get to choose when to do your assignments over the course of the week is a good idea because like you said, everyone can go their own pace.
In order for it not to get ignored, you have to have hard consequences for not doing it. Does your school work off a points system? Mine does, my teachers would just make it worth a lot of points and if youd on't do it, you get a 0. If your school doesn't, I don't think that not allowing kids to participate in review games or discussions will help. After all, that's another good learning chance, even if they enjoy doing it.
Offering food or candy on fridays might help. If a kid didn't do it, then they don't get any food.
It still seems a little childish to me. I thought high school was supposed to teach you to be a little more responsible, but I think it's an overall good idea for freshmen or sophomores.
EDIT
the whole parent signing/commenting thing... again, if this is meant for freshmen and sophomores, it might be ok, but for upperclassmen, no. Even for freshmen and sophomores...every single week? it seems a little much. Maybe every month or something might be easier. I look back, though, and when I needed our parents to sign our assignments, I was in like 4-6th grade.
2007-01-07 11:14:52
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answer #3
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answered by Debi 3
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As a high school student- this idea seems fun and rewards a job well done! The only problem is the parents signatures- this makes it seem as if there is a lack of trust! Also in this day in age, kids do not always live with parents but live on their own or have different parents and get confused on which one signed (this is where your thought-out plan will fail)
*an idea for the friday fun day could be students making spanish influenced food and presenting about the country or culture where it came from (fun but still is not deamed a "party")
Good luck!
2007-01-07 13:57:11
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answer #4
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answered by abaker410 1
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Each high school, and each teacher, are different. However, be prepared for half to an hour of homework each night per class. If you find that they give less, that's fine. Better to be prepared for more than less. Some good school supplies: A durable backpack which doesn't strain your back, a spiral notebook with perforated pages and a 3-ring binder for each class, lots of pencils and blue and black pens, a ruler, compass, protractor, highlighter, eraser, and water bottle with a lid. It's a good idea to hang on to the syllabus the teachers will give you and stick them in the front page of your 3-ring notebooks for each class. Date a sheet of paper right behind your syllabus and keep track of what assignments are due each date. As far as staying organized, a lot of it has to do with keeping current on your classwork. As soon as you fall behind, you'll want to give up. Stay on top of your assignments and be willing, if you do fall behind, to stay after school until you get caught up. Remember that these teachers look good when you do well, so most of them are willing to let you come in over lunch or before or after school to do extra credit or make up assignments. Also, for motivation, put a countdown to the next break (Christmas, Easter, or Summer breaks) on your calendar or website. This way, you can pump yourself up every time you start getting unmotivated.
2016-05-23 05:13:26
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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Have you thought about using Homework Contracts instead? These are pretty big with advocates of differentiated assessment. At the beginning of each unit you present students with a list of assigments, requirements (in the form of rubrics) and due dates. Students select which assignments they plan to complete, using your guidelines to make their selections. For example, you could say that each student has to do one activity from the "Grammar" section, one from the "Vocabulary" section and one from the "Reading in Spanish" section. Then, you create a contract that is signed by the student, his/her parent and yourself that outlines what work they'll do, how they'll do it, when they'll submit it and the date of the test. This system works well because it puts the emphasis on the projects that you'll be using as summative assessment tools (major projects, tests, etc) and lets you use the formative assessment tools (worksheets, minor assignments, etc) as they were meant to be used- for YOUR information, not the student's grade.
2007-01-07 12:18:18
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answer #6
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answered by Jetgirly 6
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Having parents sign off on the folder is too juvenille for high school studnts.
BUT
I think offering students an organized way to complete their work and take responsibility for their own actions is a great idea,
perhaps you should open this discussion with the class.
2007-01-07 16:16:48
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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