Not turning in homework

[PJD1120]

My son 9 yrs. old does his homework but never turns it in the next day. The teacher said she can't give him full credit with it being late. He has a 504. I can't understand why she just doesn't ask him everyday for it. She just says he has to be more responsible. Is there anything I can do? He doesn't bring test grades home until I tell the teacher he didn't bring his test home for me to see then she'll have him clean out his desk and he brings tons of stuff home. He sits right next to her. ::)He is getting pretty good grades not like he is trying to hide anything.

[finnmom]

PJD
Sound´s funny, that theacher doesn´t ask for homework as she know´s that your son has problem´s(I assume she know´s, since the 504/IEP) I think she should also try more harder on this one, can you suggest it to her, mayby a weekly chek-in for homework´s if that hasn´t been turned in before

9y is not so old to be responsible of the homework solely if he has problem´s like our children usually have, that´s only my opinion...

My son´s theacher write´s down the assignment´s and want´s to chek homework everyday. They also get some gredit of a job well done, I think that´s very important.

I hope you´ll get some solvement to this.
Marja

[dansmommy]

My approach to this is that it is called executive function disorder, commonly part of ADHD. Your ds has more trouble organizing and needs support. Just ignoring this problem won't do anything for him. I would ask the teacher to help him get a plan about HOW to remember his homework. 504s do have teeth despite the mistaken notion to the contrary. Here's a link: www.tourettesyndrome.net/ef_cues_supports.htm
Good luck. Christie

[mskris]

I totally agree with the other posters. Telling him he has to be more responsible is not going to change anything; plus, he's only 9!

Because he has a 504, the teacher should be supporting him by asking him daily for the homework. YOu could also request that he keep an assignment book in which he must write down all assignments, the teacher checks it at the end of each day, and you sign it that night when he completes them. That way, if you've signed that he's completed something, but she hasn't received it, she can prompt him for it. Another idea is for her to set up "in" and "out" trays for him somewhere in the classroom and make it part of his daily routine to check them.

I'm soooooo tired of teachers who put the onus on parents instead of taking just a few extra minutes to help these kids!!! BTW, the 504 could be worded so that he doesn't lose credit for work that might be turned in late. I can see that happening in older grades, but not at age 9!!

Good grief!
Kris

[eaccae]

We are going through the same type of thing as well. Children with organizational problems aren't going to "learn" to be responsible on their own. They need help - to find some kind of routine that they can learn to help them. Something like a checklist in the morning might help. The teacher - at the beginning - should be responsible for reminding him to go over the checklist and then after some time goes by - try and let him do the checklist on his own, etc.

Explaining this to DS's teacher is like talking to a wall. He brings his homework home but never writes it down. The principal and the teacher made a deal that she would start initialing his homework sheet everyday to make sure he wrote his assignments down - with the hope that with some direction and responsibility on the teacher's part it would become a habit and eventually would become automatic. But the teacher has yet (since November when this was supposed to be implemented) to initial his homework assignment sheets. I have written several notes and my response from the teacher has always been that it is DS's responsibility not hers. She is totally missing the point. Maybe you can work with your son's teacher with more luck. - Maybe having a morning checklist - with one of the items being to check for and hand in homework - she can remind him everyday to follow the checklist and then hopefully he will start to do it on his own.

The thing about executive dysfunction problems is that habits/routines need to be implemented but the TEACHERS have to be responsible in the beginning for having the children follow them. I would see if you could add this to the 504 - with wording that short term goals are to have the teacher responsible for reminding your son to follow the list and a long term goal with your son being able to do this on his own. Bottom line - without the teacher's help he's not going to do this on his own.

Sorry for being so repetitive.

[LitlBaa]

I offered to stop by the classroom every morning to see if homework had been turned in. When that kind and generous (ha ha) offer was refused, I offered to call if it would help the teacher remember to specifically ask Katie every morning. Teacher didn't want that either. After I did it a few times, teacher magically remembered. ;D

[Annette]

My daughter has a folder.Every day it comes home.One pocket says return to school.The other says keep at home.The teacher and I both check the folder everyday.All the kids in her class have one.

[mskris]

These are all great ideas. All the kids in my son's class have assignment books. In it, they copy the assignment from the board, including the due date. The page is marked off by subject.

As part of his 504, T sees the resource teacher just before school ends each day (about 10 mins early). At that time, she checks that he has written the assignments correctly, and that he has the materials in his folder to do them at home. We check off at home what he has completed and send it back the next day. There is also a space for comments from parents and teachers (although I notice they never read my comments or respond to them!).

When I suggested the "in" and "out" boxes, I was talking about the teacher establishing a routine that your ds is to check them daily (eg, first thing in the morning and last thing before leaving). Of course, he would need support in the beginning until it becomes routine - to me, that's a given!!

These teachers are so reluctant to do anything that might require a few minutes extra of their time....

KRis