Monday, April 30, 2012

Keeping up with paperwork for absent students

Keeping up with the paper shuffle created when students are absent can be a daunting task.  I have a strategy I use to make sure that I do not forget who was absent and also to make sure that students receive any papers that were passed out when they were absent.

I have a file sorter with five slots.   I teach four math classes: Hr 1, 2, 5,  and 6 so each class period has a slot in the sorter.  When papers are passed out during class  I will immediately label them with the student's name, date, and class hour.  Students know when they are absent, they should check the file for any papers that were handed out.

Papers filed for absent students.
The reason I prefer this system over other systems for dealing with late work is because I can keep track of who has picked up their missing work.  It also saves me from having to dig around and find missing papers after they have been filed away.  If I get a homework request from the guidance office I am able to go right to file and grab the papers I need and send them down.  Saves time and frustration!  Students always know where to check for missing work.  This also works well when students come into class late from an appointment or music lesson.  They go right to the file and I do not have to interrupt my teaching to go and get papers for them.

How do keep on top of handouts for students that are absent?

9 comments:

  1. I struggle with this very task.
    I'm always looking for a "better way," because nothing I have tried has worked yet!

    Thanks for getting me thinking about this...

    Kim
    Finding JOY in 6th Grade

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  2. I wish I was this organized! I just have my board for make up work at the front of my room.

    Love your blog! Stop by and visit me...

    http://mrswsmathconnection.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wish I was this organized! I just have my board for make up work at the front of my room.

    Love your blog! Stop by and visit me...

    http://mrswsmathconnection.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. I struggle with this too. I wanted to try and scan all my documents for my students to print online, but it was too difficult to keep up with! I think your system works!

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  5. I have a small bulletin board for each of my classes (3 @82 minutes each). There is a file jacket hanging on each one that says "While You Were Out". Any papers that are passed out during class are put in there with the student's name on it. I train the students at the beginning of the year on several "chores" in my classroom. One of those chores is putting students names on papers and putting them in the "While You Were Out" folder.
    To go along with that folder, is also an "Absent Work" file jacket. If a student is turning in an assignment and it is NOT what is due that day, they put it in there. I try to get to it daily, but my planning period is quite often "hijacked" by other "team leader" duties, so I at least catch up on those papers during my NJHS Peer tutoring times on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school.

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    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. What other chores do you assign your students?

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  6. What 'chores' do you assign? I have a few, but could use more. The kids like it and it keeps me from forgetting to do things.

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  7. I have a huge white board. I have 5 classes and they are labeled by colors. I put the colors up on the board. Then I have magnet clips. When a student is absent I write their names in the paper and then hang it up under their color on the board. The students know to go to their color and retrieve their work.

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