momee Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I don't want to breathe down anyone's neck, but we have a history of problems in this area, with one student in particular. I also need help in the realm of follow through as far as checking work THAT day. Especially in math (blech!). I would love to read about how it looks in your home, how you help them institute their plan, helpful, corrective and natural consequences for older students, etc. (Missing out on sports events and extra curr. club things can't be a possibility, they're important for the mental well being of all of us ;)) Thanks in advance, I'll be away from the computer for a few days, but when I come back I'll read the posts with much expectation. I know we can overcome this major obstacle to our schoolyear, just need some practical advice on how. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Accountability works both ways-for the student and the teacher. We have a weekly schedule that we are pretty firm with. What doesn't get done during the week is made up on the weekend. That alone helps keep the work on track. I also have a firm rule that all work is checked daily before I get my free time and then the corrections are made by the children that same day. I don't allow overlap to the next day. Our consequence is that the children don't get their free time until they have completed and made any needed corrections to their daily work. They don't work to a time schedule for the subjects so they have the added incentive of finishing quicker to get more free time. But finishing quicker doesn't mean sloppy work because they have to have it looked at and any corrections made before the free time. This system is working very well for us but it wouldn't work as well if I didn't have a very clear daily/weekly assignment sheet for each child. It helps a lot that they know exactly what they need to have done for that day. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 We're accountable on a day by day schedule. The work gets completed every day, barring ranch type inteference, or they sit up and do it instead of their free time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Accountability works both ways-for the student and the teacher! Yep, that is my view exactly. Though I had to learn it the hard way by trying to shift the burden totally on to my child's shoulders. I had to step back and evaluate the situation for me to admit that the fault was largely mine. If I were a kid and no one was really going to call me on my work.....well, I have been placed with a huge temptation in front of me. Granted, the child shouldn't submit to the temptation, but at the same time, they shouldn't have been placed in the circumstance to begin with. Due dates are due dates. I have to collect the work and grade it. If it means staying up late or making adjustments in my schedule, than that is the decision I have made by homeschooling. The only time I do cut myself slack any more is when it comes to grading long papers from my high schoolers. I still enforce stepped due dates (narrowed topic, research sources, outline, rough draft, etc), but I do not necessarily grade their papers the same day they turn them in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 a homeschooling convention early on.. "Don't expect what you don't inspect." Follows true for chores, as well as school work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.S. Burrow Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 a homeschooling convention early on.. "Don't expect what you don't inspect." Follows true for chores, as well as school work. Oooo...I'm going to put this on my bulletin board! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 a homeschooling convention early on.. "Don't expect what you don't inspect." Follows true for chores, as well as school work. That's right! I get so annoyed when a mom complains that their child has been lying to them for months about doing their schoolwork. I don't get how that happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 momee, how old is this student? I mean, my answer for a 5th grader is MUCH different than my answer for a 11th grader. My kids know their assignments for a set period of time. They know they are responsible for them. The one even checks her own work. I check base with them as reasonable for their levels and maturity. That is much more often for my 13yo than my 15yo. Also, for outside classes, I stay out of her business. She knows the expectations and I let her take full responsibility. She has higher expectations for herself than I ever would anyway (for example, in Spanish, the goal was to average over 97 each grading period...I would have settled for ANY A, not just an A+). Anyway, I think sometimes parents micromanage too much and of course kiddo doesn't take responsibility and hold THEMSELVES accountable. Why would they? There is no expectation of them handling it. At the same time, I agree with Elaine that it is ridiculous that a student could get away with not doing work for months before mom noticed. HTHs a little, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 :iagree: This falls under the trust, but verify etc. I've also found that this street runs both ways. In my dream world, there would not be the daily need for checking and grading papers, but that is my job as the lessons are theirs. :001_huh: We have to work to make and keep this habit, and some days it isn't easy. Oooo...I'm going to put this on my bulletin board! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 For our 2 oldest, they have a daily planner/checklist. My weekly planner (for all of our kids) corresponds to theirs so that I'm on top of what they need to do. They are responsible for coming to me when they need assistance, for discussing literature (which I read along with them some of the time) and, when noted on their planner (which I fill out), for teaching time. I won't call it "lecture." LOL I check all of their work at the end of the week. Anything not done on one day carries over to the next. Anything not done by Friday at 5 p.m. can be done on Saturday if we don't have any obligations. If we *do*, they will lose a privilege, usually video games or something like that and use that time to finish up. I always enjoyed a loose, flexible schedule and it got us really behind and allowed some laziness on all of our parts to settle in. THAT stresses me out more than having less flexibility!! lol Our elementary aged kiddos still have it pretty easy, though. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I forgot to mention that an important habit in our house is to have DH ask all the kids what they did/how they did with their schoolwork each day over dinner! The headmaster doesn't mess around! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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