Much of the knowledge they receive is in the readings. The subject I teach is so large and has so many variables that I do not have enough time in a semester to cover every aspect. I touch on key points in the book and elaborate on the ones I think are most important. However the students still need to grasp the concepts that we don't have time to focus intensely on. Their homework and quizzes include all the material from the readings, not just ones we focused on in class. I feel it ensures that they have devoted time to the readings also.
Students need to know you are giving relevant assignments and care about their comprehension.
By following up with my students I can tell that they stay more interested in the course.
Hi David,
Great ways to make students accountable and work hard to reach their overall goal.
Patricia
I always check progress between assignment date and due dates. I also try to find out what they find interesting about the assignment in the very next class and they know I will ask more than student for feedback. I try to make them as active in the assignments as possible
Hi David,
How do you typically follow up with your student assignments? I like to provide next-class feedback. Students want to and need to know how they are doing in a timely manner.
Patricia
You are so right the only thing i have found is there is a best way for each culprit. They do not all respond the same way so some times it can be tricky so we dont shut them down and say why me.
Yes the best way to get better projects and not rush jobs is to break the project into parts and keep monitoring the process. It sometimes seems like micro managing but it is necessary.
dave
Hi Donna,
I like to have due dates for small segments of the project in order to compelete the overall project timely.
Patricia
Hi David,
For those who test the waters, make a sacrificial lamb out of them. They need to be reprimanded so that they know and others know that you mean business.
Patricia
Yes it keeps them on task and makes the rough draft have more value. Most importantly it gets them started before the due date and reduces procrastination, of course there is always one who has to test the waters.
What a great idea! The rough draft should always have a due date, and if the assignment is too late, there comes a point when the rough draft becomes the final paper, often to the student's chagrin. I have also used outlines and preparatory questionnaires to be used as homework assignments. These get the students started on their papers, which also helps prevent procrastination.
I have found that not following up with assignments breeds procrastination. I have found over the years that projects have due dates and that translates into the night before as the start date. I have since gone to a rough draft date on all projects. My rough draft date is usually 10 to 14 days prior to the project due date. I have used the rough draft date as a homework assignment and actually given it a grade, in fact I have made the requirements very easy and have said to them this is a very easy 100. Everyone likes an easy 100, what I really have noticed is that more projects are turned in early and the quality of the projects has definitely increased. The projects have become more interesting and my students have commented that they actually enjoyed this project. They become committed to getting the job done and done right, just like we should in the real world.
Hi Larry,
I concur! We should want to know how our students are progressing so that if they aren't we can provide help. It is our job to grade papers. Immediate feedback is crucial to a student's success.
Patricia
Hi Patricia,
Oh, I am not complaining about grading - just making a suggestion for those who feel grading homework is burdensome. Grading should be done as efficiently and as effectively as the other aspects of our trade. I use the method I described above in mathematics class in which I can build a clear and representative sample of homework exercises. Normally it doesn't take much to see if a student gets a math concept or not. The sample becomes a short timed quiz in which I give immediate feedback.
One of the neat things about the method is that a student is motivated to do as many exercises as s/he needs to understand the material. Some students need to do a lot, some a little, depending on the chapter. I am measuring what they have retained and gained since the last class session, not just how hard they worked.
Larry
Hi Larry,
Grading period can be overwhelming, but it is the nature of the profession. With teaching comes grading. For some assignments, perhaps you can even give an effort grade or base the assignment on a point system, thus decreasing the amount of time spent.
Patricia
Hi Donna,
With this method, do you allow students to turn in assignments whenever they want, thus being early, on time, or late? I have my students turn in their assignments on the due date, not before or not after.
Patricia
I, too, have had to force myself to become more strict with due dates. I now have the students put two dates on each assignment: the date the assignment was DUE, and the date it was actually TURNED IN. With this method, I don't have to point out that the assignment is late; they have already written the dates on their own papers so they can see it for themselves.
It's important for me to followup with assignments in order to motivate students, help them find errors early, and reinforce the lessons. But as others have said, grading homework can be overwhelming. I've gotten good results from the following:
At the beginning of class I quiz the students with about four questions from the homework. This sample becomes a manageable grading burden. After collecting the papers, I go over the questions, using them and the answers as a springboard for the rest of lecture.
Hi Veronique,
Good habits generate good work ethic, which is vitally important in the workplace.
Patricia
