Make Up Work

When my kids miss a day, I get all their work together. With their assignments, I put a reminder that they have 3 days from when they return to hand in all work and take all tests. I do not remind them again to turn in the work or take the test. (To remind myself they need to make up a test, I will put a copy of it in the "Make Up" folder on my desk.) If they do not turn in the work or take the test by the third day, I will call their parents and give a one day extension. If they don't finish they work by the fourth day, they get a 0 on it.

I will give them more than 3 days for long illnesses or a death in the family. It is their responsibility to remember and my students do an awesome job! I taught second grade and it worked remarkably well this year. I had only one student the whole year to get a 0 on any work.

I would advise you to talk to your principal about this before the beginning of the year. See if there is a make-up policy. If not, present your own policy to the principal and see what he/she thinks.

I write the name of the assignment in small letters on the board and underline it. Then underneath I write the kids' names of who needs to turn it in. *Everybody in class knows this is just a reminder, no big deal!!* It reminds them and myself they have to get it done. Then the student erases his/her name only after I see their completed work is being turned into me.

If you don't want the whole class to see it: Do the same on a clipboard at your desk, and have the kids write themselves a note to do their work.

I sort of set these guidelines: If they were sick, etc. and couldn't get the homework done, then I give them a while to finish. If they didn't take it home, or have it half done, it's due by the end of that school day where they work on it at appropriate times, including some of recess. Every 5-10 extra minutes they should have it out to work on including during special activities the class is doing (unless ill). Your list is handy, so you know who needs to be doing what. I *always* run an extra copy or two to have in an extra copy box so I don't have to do that later, too. Be sure they look for it first, everywhere!

I also have tried a half sheet of paper to give out when homework is not done. It has a place for name, date, and a statement that says: "I did not finish my homework for today. Below I will tell why I did not finish my homework:" Keep in their file, and it eliminates the "I did turn it in" phenomenon, and is a kid-written record of reasons why homework was not done for parents. Hope some of these ideas help!

I have always worked at a school where attendance is low, low, low. There is no "excused" on my official register. A student is either present or absent. I take attendance in the AM at 9:15 AM and again in the PM at 1:10 PM. I also have to double check my attendance after each recess to make sure no one is missing - this is a huge pain! I'd rather not bother with the two recess breaks or at least for go the one in the afternoon.

Anyways. I have NYFF - Not Yet Finished Folders for each child with their name in the top right hand corner. These are placed in a box daily. This year I used pocket folders. Each morning the children know to get their chairs and get their folder. We have 15-30 minutes each AM where they work quietly on unfinished work or silent read Inside the folder is their work that is not yet complete. If a child is absent I or my EA place the missing assignments in the folder. I teach grade 1. I don't use notebooks or scribblers very much because attendance is such a problem and I also take a lot of things home to mark and I hate taking all those notebooks! On Day 4 (We are on a six day cycle) I check the folders and if a child has more then 2-3 things I send it home with a pre-printed slip of paper explaining that it is Day 4 homework - that is work not completed during class time. The the note explains that the child has until Day 6 to complete and return his/her assignments for marking. I do accept it one day late but deduct 10%. If it is not returned I record it as "missing".

I'm lucky that if a child misses a Test/Quiz I am not responsible for having them do a "make up". I do so many each week especially in Spellings that missing one or two doesn't make a huge difference but missing more then 5 will. My grade book program allows for a "bad" grade to be removed. I usually give two chance for each assignment type and the computer does it for me automatically! YIPPEE!

On Day 6 I review the folders and pull all incomplete assignments. These papers are stapled together and I date stamp the top page. I file it under the student's "archive" (file fodler). We try and pull samples once every two weeks for our portfolios and the rest goes home. These incomplete assignments aren't placed in the portfolio but are sent home. I do my major marking and grading every Day 5 and Day 6.

I also have a spot on my attendance check list for conduct points. (I made this up myself on my computer using a grid/table.) Each child earns 3 points a day in Social Studies. I have a 3 strike policy and for each infraction they loose one point. Once they recieve a zero they earn a 10 minute detention. I keep track of these points each day/week and at the end of the week each child has a conduct mark out of 15 (3x5). If a child is absent they loose all 3 points. This is how I place value on attendance. I can't evaluate conduct if you never come...

I hope this helps. I look forward to reading other ideas. sdwl

Our policy is one day for each day missed if the absence is excused. It is up to each teacher if the student can make it up for unexcused absences. I teach first grade and if they don't do the assignment at home within the time allowed, they don't get it in the grade book. I don't take a lot of grades because the work is guided and it is practice. But tests are graded and if a student is doing poorly on tests due to attendance problems, I would have a parent-student-teacher conference to find out what the problem is. Our principal sends letters to parents whose children have attendance problems which includes being tardy. Kids cant learn if they're not in school. I think three days is more than enough time. Maybe too much. We got really strict at our school because of past problems and achievement has gone up overall. What grade do you teach and what is Mom doing about it? There should be consequences: do the work after school either at home or at school, or miss out on some recess or gym time to do the work. We send weely grade reports out to 7-12th grade families and have gotten much better parent involvement because of it. (Our school is small.) Hope this helps. Good luck!!

When I taught 2nd grade I had made absence folders and had them laminated. When a student was absent then I put that folder on their desk and their neighbor was responsible to put the papers in them that we did that day. If the child was absent more than one day when they returned I then stapled the papers together that had to be done for a grade. Any little fun things that we did they did them at home after they completed the stapled papers. As far as test was concerned if it was spelling they didn't make it up. Any other test math,English, etc. was in a colored absence folder on my desk with their name on it when they finished the stapled work then I would give them 1 test a day which they would take in another teacher's room. Our district says that work must be returned 2 days after being absent but if a child was absent on Mon./Tue. and returned on Wed. I let them return the stapled work the next Monday; which gave them a little longer time than 2 days. I hope this helps.

At the beginning of the school year I explain this absent procedure to the kids and send home a letter that also explains it to the parents.

I have a crate with file folders that have a number (for each date on the calendar through 31) and in the folder for each day goes any handouts, copy of notes, and a short instruction sheet I do on my computer at the end of the day. This sheet usually takes about 5 mintues. I empty the folders each new week.

The calendar informs the students what homework was assigned that they are responsible for and then the file folder gives more instructions for the things missed during the day and the homework.

I have yet to have a parent hound me for homework since starting this. The kids are responsible for checking the crate and calendar. If they have further questions, then they either ask me or another student. They have the number of days they were absent plus one to make up the work.

I do have a number of students who never turn the work in, but they know the expectation and make the choice not to do the work. As we all say, we can't go home and sit with every child to force them to work!

Hope this helps!

Whenever students are absent, I have his/her neighbor take out a bright green folder and place it on the absent student's desk. On the outside of the folder it says, "Here's what we did while you were out." Throughout the day, whenever we pass out any papers, they are placed in the folder. The next morning, the student who was absent takes the papers out and returns the folder.

I've done it 2 different ways - one with 8th grade, and one with 5th grade. With 8th, I had a huge calendar (the kind that lays flat on your desk), that I wrote down the assignments every day before I left. I had a notebook in front of it. When a student was absent, they signed the book and wrote down their assignment from the calendar (in their own notebook). I kept the notebook as reference that they saw it. That works when you only teach one subject.

For 5th grade now (self-contained), I have a sheet that has the subjects listed on the side. When a student is absent, a classmate writes down the assignments and leaves it on their desk. They also add any handouts to it and staples it together.

Both ways seemed to work!

At the beginning of the year I have parents fill out a form that asks how they want their child to make up their work when absent. They can choose to have it sent home with neighbor, relative, friend, etc., pick it up in the office, or do it when they return. Most choose to have it sent home with someone. I have a form then that I fill out with what they need to do, I pack up the papers and books and I have cloth tote bags that they know are the homework bags. If they choose to do it when they return, then they have to stay in and do it and take home home whatever isn't finished. If it's something big and important I make sure we bring them up to speed during class. Experiments, in class projects (the fun stuff!) they just miss. Makeup tests are always given at school during my free time or recess.

Vacation absenteeism is different. I give them some of what they will be missing. The rest has to be made up when they come back, either at school or at home. :s)

I know just how you feel. I am new to teaching elementary school this year, and this is a real concern of mine. I made up two folders that said, WE MISSED YOU on the front. On the inside is a slip of paper for room to write the assignments for each subject. I do like the other poster said, and lay it on their desk. I put all the graded work in it. I make a note in my Memo book about tests and stuff. Hope this helps. You won't forget for long, if you do. I highlight every missing space in my grade book, and I do grades almost every night so it doesn't pile up, so I am able to see what's missing and what's not.

One thing that works for me is...I purchased this plastic container that is magnetic. I keep it up front, attached to my white board. When somebody is absent, I write their name on any daily jobs handouts, homework, or notices from the office and stick them in the plastic container. When a child returns, it is their responsibility to look in the container and pull out anything that has their name on it.

Like JA I too made up a form that suited the structure of my class. I also had 3 special folders for absentees. My system is to give the folder and the form to a student who will act as secretary for the absent child. The secretary records work missed on the form and collects any handouts. All of this is placed in the folder at the end of the day. I look it over and add any needed comments or directions. Then the folder and book, materials required, etc. is sent to a work messenger who delivers it to the absent student. In September, I ask my students to give me the name of someone in our class or school who is able to bring home work to them. (Brother, sister, or neighbor)
Of course I should add that all work is expected to be done out of school. Sometimes missing the math lesson prevents the absent child from doing the work correctly. I just have it stated on the form that if they have difficulty with any work, I will help them once they are back to school.
I do offer a "Sunshine Club" twice a week to my students. On a voluntary basis, any student who needs extra help or time to complete work can come to school early those two days (45 minutes before the first bell) and receive assistance.
This system works pretty well for me.

This year, with my school going to departmentalization, I figured out the best way to deal with papers from missed days was not to leave them on their side of the desk (it certainly didn't work!), but I put a WYWO (While You Were Out) folder on my whiteboard tray. My partner teacher and I told the kids that they were responsible for checking in their homeroom for any papers they missed while they were out and get them out of the folder. It really helped with students and the excuse "It wasn't in my desk." I made sure it was a bright pink folder in both classes and I put a big sign on the front of it. I would clip their papers together and put the date absent at the top so I knew when it was assigned and when it should be turned in.

I established a procedure with my class that if someone is absent, the person sitting next to them gets a "We Missed You Folder" from the back table and puts it on their desk. I purchased 20 yellow folders (10 for $1) and wrote "We Missed You...= ( at the top. Inside the folder I included a blank assignment sheet. As I pass out any handouts, they are put right into the folder. If I assign anything, a student writes it on their assignment sheet. When they come back, they get their folder and everything is in there. They have the same # of days they were absent to make up all missed work. The late work is returned in the yellow folder so that it is all together and the folder can be reused.
I hope this helps!!

Hi Robin,

Whenever one of my third graders are out, I always leave a red folder on his/her desk that says: While you were out...
Inside the folder are two pockets: to be completed and completed work. I record all of the assignments for the child on a notepaper. Children are expected to return the folder to me within 2 days. Any work turned in after that receives a penalty.

I agree with Traci who was the last post. She said that she sends the reading book & assignments home. I have also copied other students notes for the absent child to refer to. If you have audio tapes available, I would suggest that you allow the child to listen to the audio tapes. I sure hope this helps!

Happy Teaching!
Joy