I remember the last months of Senior Year of high school. AP Exams were over, college decisions had been made, and our teachers were just as relaxed and done with school as we were. Except for one class. One teacher kept assigning paper, vocabulary work, reading, and nightly homework. I will admit it now – the work I did in that month, if I did it at all, was substandard and hastily thrown together. Why didn’t that teacher just give up? I think I understand now that her conscious wouldn’t let her.
When students are not completing assignments, I believe that there are 3 steps to go through, changes to make, and factors to look at.
1. The Students
2. The Assignments
3. The Teacher
1. The Students
First and foremost, I believe in looking at the students. Are they bored? Or are they overwhelmed? Either are plausible explanations for not completing work. My first course of action would be to speak to students. Remind them of the assignment, the expected outcome, and the manner in which it should be completed. This in the time when I believe that consequences, both positive and negative, should be leveled. Those who have completed or worked on the assignment would be rewarded positively. Those who have not completed their assignment will either be negatively rewarded, or told of the negative repercussions that can and will arise if their work is not completed (lowered grade, note home, etc.)
2. The Assignments
After the students have been spoken to, addressed, or warned of consequences, if assignments aren’t yet reaching completion, the assignment in and of itself needs to be addressed. Is it challenging? Does it connect to students? Why are they being asked to do this assignment? I also believe that looking at the assignment in relation to the students is a helpful step. If students aren’t completing, say, a model of Ancient Egypt because they are busy completing 2 hours of challenging math homework on a nightly basis, this is a factor to be taken into consideration. This is the time when I would change the assignment. If a great number are still struggling to reach completion, something about the work must change.
3. The Teacher
If both of these factors have been looked at, addressed, and used to change the assignment, it is now the time that I would address my own actions and practices. Have I explained the assignment fully to my students? Do they understand what is necessary for its’ completion, as well as the purpose and function of said assignments? This is the point in time when I would change my approach. I would change things such as my directions, the content and approach of my instruction, or my opinion of the assignment as a whole.
All in all, I think that if assignments are not being completed by my students, I would reflect on these three topics or areas, in sequential order. Ultimately, a combination of the three must be contributing to the lack of completion, so addressing all of them would be the most comprehensive, holistic approach.
