Heather in OK Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Enforce is probably a poor word choice in that title so I'll try to explain more about what I'm asking.... My girls are in 6th, 4th, and 2nd grades. The only thing I give a grade on is their Math tests. It really doesn't mean much other than having a gauge of how they are doing. When I go to grade their daily school work I will sometimes find questions or problems not completed. Sometimes I will make a note ("..please answer ALL of the questions..") or if they have left quite a bit left undone, I have them go back and do it. In your homeschool do you have any incentives or some kind of system to encourage all work to be completed? I know some families will do things like, "If your work isn't done you will not do this extra activity this week." The only extra activity they have right now is church and that's not something I'll use as a consequence. Does that make sense?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Dessert, computer/movie time, ability to play or do anything but sit on the bed and read books... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 My girls know that the school day is not over until they are finished with the work. With the new study we are using that is only about a 4 hour day but if they are being lazy it can become much longer. Now if they are having trouble with something we will finish it the next day. Just as long as I know they are trying and not being lazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Elizabeth - Ok...so how do you keep track of what privilege each child has lost? What is your system? B/c there is no way I could remember who lost what and for how long and.... thowell - In cases like that, if they are not done by 3:30, they finish work after dinner. I'm talking more about when I go to "grade" papers I find work left uncompleted. I go over their work on Sunday afternoons when I'm doing the weekly planning. I could do it daily I guess but I'm happy with my weekly system of going over things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 In our house math time isn't done until it's done right. Any corrections or skipped problems need to be fixed before they can move on to the next part of their day. A natural consequence to dawdling or sloppy/hurried work that needs fixed is less free time before dinner. I generally just point that out to them when they lessen their normal performance and it starts picking back up. One child in particular tends to need the sting of missing his video game time entirely, a couple times, before he gets his act together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I check independent work for completeness and accuracy, but don't give grades. There are no penalties or punishments, but corrections are made before the work is considered complete. I adhere to strict time limits to keep our days short, so if something is taking longer than I anticipated when assigning it, it's carried over to the next day (provided a reasonable effort has been put forth). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I check independent work for completeness and accuracy, but don't give grades. There are no penalties or punishments, but corrections are made before the work is considered complete. I adhere to strict time limits to keep our days short, so if something is taking longer than I anticipated when assigning it, it's carried over to the next day (provided a reasonable effort has been put forth). :iagree: this is pretty much what we do. I didnt notice how old your children are but I know with my kids if I didnt check work as it was done I would find alot not done at the end of the week. Could you just check for completeion on a daily basis and then check for accuracy on Sundays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Currently, our rule is, if it isn't done because of failure of effort or skipping things on her part, she doesn't get to watch TV. This gives her daily incentive to finish lessons. There are a few things she does independently, which I'll often leave as "homework" when I go to bed in the afternoon (I work nights), with the TV on. She knows if these things don't get done by the time I get up, she'll get no TV in the evening or at bedtime. She probably watches too much TV, but at least it doesn't displace schoolwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I have never given grades on anything but it has had no impact on whether or not my kids do the work. We don't do the work for the grade. We do the work because its what we are working on. I dont even see a connection actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Elizabeth - Ok...so how do you keep track of what privilege each child has lost? What is your system? B/c there is no way I could remember who lost what and for how long and.... thowell - In cases like that, if they are not done by 3:30, they finish work after dinner. I'm talking more about when I go to "grade" papers I find work left uncompleted. I go over their work on Sunday afternoons when I'm doing the weekly planning. I could do it daily I guess but I'm happy with my weekly system of going over things. If that happens here, I add it to the next day's work. Then they have to complete the day's work and the unfinished work. If there is a repeat offender, could you have them bring you their work daily and you just make sure all questions are answered, but check the answers weekly for accuracy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerryAtHope Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I go over any incomplete work orally, as well as anything done incorrectly. I help them see why it was wrong if they don't understand. They fix any errors and turn their work back in. When school is done for the day, they have 2 hours of freetime. However, if they did not have their work done correctly or completely, they have to go back and do it--and if they don't, there is no freetime until it's done. Not doing work really hasn't been an issue for a few years here, but when I first instituted this, I did tell them that work left undone would be "homework" to be done sitting at the kitchen table during "their free time." It makes a big difference to them to know they are giving up "their" time and not just "school" time, LOL! Merry :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 We do the work because its what we are working on.Yes, that's it in a nutshell. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thowell Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yes, that's it in a nutshell. :D :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I do most of my grading on Friday. Anything done wrongbecause of lack of understanding, we go over together. Anything that is wrong because of carelessness (not reading directions) or skipped is assigned as weekend homework. Weekend homework that is not completed by Monday morning results in loss of computer time for the entire week (my dd's currency). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Currently, our rule is, if it isn't done because of failure of effort or skipping things on her part, she doesn't get to watch TV. Wouldn't work in our house. That would mean in the evening if a sibling or the family is watching tv, the child who has lost tv privilege must spend that time in the bedroom. :( I have never given grades on anything but it has had no impact on whether or not my kids do the work. We don't do the work for the grade. We do the work because its what we are working on. I dont even see a connection actually. I agree. My OP wasn't asking about giving grades. ;) If that happens here, I add it to the next day's work. Then they have to complete the day's work and the unfinished work. If there is a repeat offender, could you have them bring you their work daily and you just make sure all questions are answered, but check the answers weekly for accuracy? I think this is going to be our best option. I have done something similar when I find a lesson where many items were done wrong. We either go over those concepts more indepth together on Monday or I reassign that portion. But I think looking over lessons at the end of the school day or evening and then adding those things to the next day's work will be enforcement enough. When school is done for the day, they have 2 hours of freetime. However, if they did not have their work done correctly or completely, they have to go back and do it--and if they don't, there is no freetime until it's done. This might work as well. They do love having computer time at the end of the day and evenings. If the above idea isn't incentive enough I could probably use this idea. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 Anything that is wrong because of carelessness (not reading directions) or skipped is assigned as weekend homework. Weekend homework that is not completed by Monday morning results in loss of computer time for the entire week (my dd's currency). Great idea! We do a 4-day week so perhaps if I graded on Thursday evening anything not completed on Friday means loss of computer time on Saturday. Hmmm...don't mind me...just thinking. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Wouldn't work in our house. That would mean in the evening if a sibling or the family is watching tv, the child who has lost tv privilege must spend that time in the bedroom. :( And maybe it would work for that reason. Our tv is in the family room, which is also where the kids' toys are kept. If one of them has lost tv privileges, they have to play outside or in their bedroom if someone else is using the tv. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Elizabeth - Ok...so how do you keep track of what privilege each child has lost? What is your system? B/c there is no way I could remember who lost what and for how long and.... thowell - In cases like that, if they are not done by 3:30, they finish work after dinner. I'm talking more about when I go to "grade" papers I find work left uncompleted. I go over their work on Sunday afternoons when I'm doing the weekly planning. I could do it daily I guess but I'm happy with my weekly system of going over things. I dole out faces after each subject. Anywhere from a super happy smile to a whit's end angry face goes next to the subject on the wipe-off board. It works two ways, ds gets to see how Mom feels about what he's done, DAD gets to see how Mom feels :p and for the rest of the day if ds wants to do things (go play, get a frozen banana) we have only to look at the board to see if he has EARNED those things. When ds refuses to complete something (handwriting) he gets a sad face. If, later, I find that he did not complete something he gets an extreme angry face. I DO let him work to get the faces changed (redo his work or apologize and finish). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 (edited) Totally makes sense! I correct all work on Friday/Saturday. I give it back to them and they have to do their corrections on top of their regular work. If they don't get both done by the next weekend then they don't get to play video games till they do have every little bit done. My oldest especially fought the workload and had several instances where she was down stairs working on hs while her siblings were upstairs having fun playing video games. That is not a problem anymore. My 2nd dd appears to have learned by watching her older sister. :D If it is a problem with understanding something, then we go over it on Monday and they are still supposed to have it completed by the end of the week. Heather Edited September 23, 2009 by siloam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Wouldn't work in our house. That would mean in the evening if a sibling or the family is watching tv, the child who has lost tv privilege must spend that time in the bedroom. :( Actually that is the point. If they don't work hard they don't get to play. Though I wouldn't just have them sit in the room, I would have them working on their hs, and if they can get it done and done well before the shows are over they get to come down and join (they did the work, now they get to play). It is a reflection of real life. In real life if you don't work hard you don't reap the rewards, and yes that might mean all your friends can afford to go to the movies and you can't. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I only have one school aged child to keep track of! (My 4 year old does a bit, but it's not required, it's only for fun at this point--he likes to do a bit of school like big sister.) Some kind of chart, maybe? Also, I would make it their responsibility to keep track of, then more penalties if they break the rules. This is all hypothetical at this point, I would defer to people with multiple school aged children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 No screen time at all during the week, and only on weekends if *all* work has been completed. This helps in two ways: 1) there's less distraction during the week to tempt them away from work, 2) there's motivation to finish everything by Friday. I would treat skipping problems or doing incomplete work without my express approval and then checking off the assignment as LYING, and there would be consequences accordingly. Now, a child could come to me for help with a problem and I will help (at my earliest convenience, which may not be that moment), or offer a reasonable argument for not doing X or Y and I might agree to cross it off... But if they indicate that they have finished an assignment without doing so, it's a lie, and gets treated as such. If they just missed problems out of sloppiness or carelessness, I might send them back to complete the work or even have them repeat the entire assignment from the beginning (depending)... But for the most part, I try to keep an eye out, and they know the consequences for incomplete work or lying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Wouldn't work in our house. That would mean in the evening if a sibling or the family is watching tv, the child who has lost tv privilege must spend that time in the bedroom. :( Yeah, lol, that's the point. :) Fortunately, missing out on that privilege once or twice is motivation to finish completely in the future. ...But I think looking over lessons at the end of the school day or evening and then adding those things to the next day's work will be enforcement enough. Yes, I think it's important to check work as soon after it's completed as feasible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 And maybe it would work for that reason. Our tv is in the family room, which is also where the kids' toys are kept. If one of them has lost tv privileges, they have to play outside or in their bedroom if someone else is using the tv. Yes, I realize what the point is. And no, it wouldn't work. I will not use seclusion from the family as a punishment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yes, I realize what the point is. And no, it wouldn't work. I will not use seclusion from the family as a punishment. I also refuse to use family time as a punishment, which is why I focus on the weekends when the kids get video game turns. In the evenings we do crafts, dh read to us, painting, board games, ect... that I wouldn't cut the kids out of. I just don't consider TV a family activity, though if you were watching educational shows I can see how that might be different. There has to be some privilege you can cut, though. You have to have some way to take it to the next level if simply giving it back to the to correct doesn't work because either they continue to do inferior work or because they just don't get around to making the corrections. These are the sort of issues that will be issues as adults in their work habits. Better pain now than later. It will hurt more and be a harder habit to break later (I know because I was allowed to get away with things because it was easier for Mom to ignore it and just do it herself and Dad was in his own world-they didn't do me any favors.) Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetTN Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 We don't do the work for the grade. We do the work because its what we are working on. :iagree: We deal with expectations, not incentives or loss of privileges. Fortunately, our dd loves school (so far :001_smile:) and has very high standards for herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I will not use seclusion from the family as a punishment. I don't, either. However, I don't really see "Sorry, you can't watch tv this evening because you chose not to do your schoolwork" as seclusion from the family. Unless maybe your house is set up so that the only way your child can't see the tv is if he or she is in the bedroom? Anyway, I wasn't advocating seclusion, I was advocating loss of tv privileges. Regardless, in our house the kids don't move on from a subject until I have checked their work. Perhaps that gets harder to do as kids get older and assignments get longer. Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 At this point it becomes a parenting issue not a schooling issue. Whatever is your typical parenting policy, how you "get them to do" anything else, really. :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 I have never graded anything, but my kids are young. My expectation is that they complete everything and that's really not been a problem. Not that it sometimes doesn't take too long! They all like their 1 hour of TV/video games a day so they don't want to miss that (which is what would happen if they didn't finish their work), but I rarely have to mention that to them. They like to be done as early as they can so that often times drives them. I check for completion and accuracy every day (completion at school time and accuracy in the evening while I set up next day's school). If they have errors I put it on their workspace to be fixed the next day with their errors marked. I think checking for errors daily is important because in so many of the subjects mastery depends on getting each day correct. My kids would be very frustrated going back and having to fix a whole week's worth of work... or not being able to do their math the next day because they didn't "get it" the day before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 Unless maybe your house is set up so that the only way your child can't see the tv is if he or she is in the bedroom? Exactly the reason this method won't work for us. Thanks for the ideas. I think I've found something to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heart'sjoy Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 My second grader and 4th grader have earned the privelege of doing their work in any order they choose during the week. If it's not complete/ sloppy by 4 pm friday, they get me for their minute by minute schedular the next week.:tongue_smilie: There are a few ground rules. Some subjects like math drill, memory work have to be spaced at least 4 hours apart. If you don't take the teacher up on her offer for spelling, math help, writing instruction, she is not obligated to offer additional services. Teacher goes off duty at 4 pm each day. 4th grader has been playing the deadline razor thin for two weeks, even getting up at 6 am to finish on Friday. The inevitable happened. CRASH! It took 4 th grader all Sat and half of Sun to finish. We had a long talk. Where were you making unwise choices? etc. This week has been instructional/ not punitive. Set bedtime earlier by 30 min. Alarm clock 15 minutes earlier. Starting morning with a hard task. saving easiest for later in the day. 4th grader is pleased that it can get done each day and still have time to ride bikes and chase monarchs.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 (edited) Elizabeth - Ok...so how do you keep track of what privilege each child has lost? What is your system? B/c there is no way I could remember who lost what and for how long and.... thowell - In cases like that, if they are not done by 3:30, they finish work after dinner. I'm talking more about when I go to "grade" papers I find work left uncompleted. I go over their work on Sunday afternoons when I'm doing the weekly planning. I could do it daily I guess but I'm happy with my weekly system of going over things. Honestly, from my experience, daily is much better for older children (that's what I did with my eldest) and after each subject is better for younger ones (that's what I do with my 10 and 8 year olds). I think weekly is what makes it easier for a child to "get away" with not completing the lessons and it makes it harder to know "when" a child begins having difficulty with something. For the younger ones, the same applies as it does to the oldest, but I really think staying close by and keeping them accountable all day is necessary. It's also so overwhelming to have all of those corrections given to you at once. I always require every paper to be corrected. If I detected laziness or apathy as the problem, removal of "fun" was implemented. Some children just have a harder time with so many problems on a page and can miss some -- especially problems with many parts. Oh -- and I don't grade anything until high school. But I am pretty strict regardless. I will let Nathan take his work in his room sometimes, though I still check it throughout the day. Ben has a much more difficult time staying on track -- with anything -- so I pretty much hover around him all day. He even forgets what he is saying if he is interrupted while Nathan can just keep on going like a machine. LOL Edited September 24, 2009 by nestof3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 They do the work because I say so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 They do the work because I say so. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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