We have all experienced this before but there are days that our students miss school for several reasons. Thus, Special Education Philippines dedicates this post for establishing that homework system in your class to help your students catch up with missed school work better.

It is advisable to think of this system before the start of the schoolyear and discussed with your students. However, it should not result to dependency from students who keep on missing their schoolwork. The idea is to build a team of independent but cooperative class and thus this system should stand for that goal.

Tips to help your absent students do their homework:

Missed Homework Special Education Philippines

a. Homework buddy system – I got this idea from diving. Just  preview in diving, it is greatly advised to dive with a buddy. Your buddy checks your gear before you dive, checks on you while you dive and keeps you company while you hang out by the shore before the next dive. However, it’s not a one way street. You also have to do the same thing for your dive buddy. So your dive buddy feels as safe as he/she is with you as you are with him or her.

And sometimes that’s what you feel when you miss a class. So to avoid the awkward feeling what you missed when you are away, it feels better to know that there is one person whom you can depend to answer your questions (especially when teacher is really too busy). I will not elaborate the procedure of a homework buddy system as it changed for me every year depending on the dynamic of the class. Sometimes I pair best friends or I separate them so that they will have an opportunity to work with others. Sometimes it works sometimes that partnerships don’t. Sometimes I even change the buddy within the schoolyear and there was a time there were three in a group and when Im lucky the entire class helps each other out I don’t really need to assign a buddy system.

b. Homework chart – This system is actually inspired by another system I learned which was called “homework helper”. The homework helper is pretty simple. It is one of the classroom chores done by the end of the day like the chalkboard or the floor helper. The homework helper’s job is to read the assignments out loud by the end of the class so that everyone knows if they were able to take note of their assignments that day. Since, attention and recall becomes a constant issue nowadays in the classroom, I cannot have the homework helper read the assignment every time.

I needed a system that the students can check anytime they want and can be easily seen by everyone. Again, the design of the homework chart is up to you to decide but mine is pretty simple. I like things simple because I have a tons of things to do as a teacher (which you probably can relate to)

Homework Reminder Special Education Philippines

c. Missed Homework Notes – It’s lucky if you have a shelves in your classroom where your students can leave their stuff or if your class uses the same classroom for the entire day. But what if that’s not the case, how will your student get all his missed homework. Well a homework buddy can help you collect the missed worksheets for you. However, you should not expect this child to bring home these worksheets or keep it with him. So at the end of the day, you can collect the worksheets from the homework buddy which you can compile as missed homework and give to your absent student once he or she gets back. This way also the subject teacher does not have to print another copy for your student and if the situation permits and your student needs to be absent for a longer time and requests to do some work at home, then the homework sheets are already compiled and easier to get than to go through each subject teacher and collect it from them. This system has the potential of saving everyone’s time.

Not all these systems can benefit you. Special Education Philippines is not claiming that. You can use one or two or even nothing. But even just one might inspire you to do something different or something better. Like any systems, it survives when it undergoes a process. And its a trial-and-error basis. Special Education Philippines hopes that these tips on how to facilitate better homework submission from your students and/or child/children has helped you in one way or another.

Find out more about homework issues and concerns next month as we discuss weekend homework and homework extensions.

Tell us about your own homework guidelines. Your comments are precious to us.