HW Checks

Home Work Checks have always been a struggle for me.  They take too much time.  I can't find the students name on my roll.  The class is going nuts waiting on me to get all the way around the room. I'm constantly getting interupted with questions and getting distracted. Two years ago a teacher next to me showed me what he was doing.  I started using it and wow, it has made a difference.  There is still time I get distracted but I get around the room much faster.

On card stock, I put all the months in that semester.  Each Block is printed on a different color!  At the top is the students name, block, and class number (this helps with alphabetizing). These Monthly HW Sheets are kept in a hanging file that kids have access too.  The students get them when they come in and return them to file when they leave.  The students are responsible for their HW sheet being in my room at all times.  If it is missing at the end of the week, then that student receives 0's for HW that week.  Of course, it does happen by accident that a student is in a hurry and puts in in their backpack.  I do usually give them a chance to find it.

My HW grades go like this: 

• If he Attempted all problems - then get a "smiley face"  on the HW sheet on the correct day!
• If he attempted less than all problems - then I mark a "1/2" on HW sheet on the correct day!
• If he did less than half the problems - then I put a "0" on the HW Sheet on the correct day. 
• If they use a HW Pass - then I write in "HW P" on the correct day and collect 10 Leisure Bucks.
• If they were Absent then I write "A" and the date the assignment is due.

Every Friday I put HW grades in my grade book and call parents.

• "Check" = 10/10
• "1/2" = 5/10 points
• "0" = 0/10 points
• "HW P" = Bye (This grade does not count for or against the student. However, in the long run, I will be dividing by one less HW.  So it will lower their grade a very small amount but not as much as a zero.)