Homework Turn In

I think one important way for students to demonstrate responsibility is to turn in work on time. However, how to collect the homework in the best way is a struggle for me.

Every year I try to figure out the best way to for students to turn in homework. I tried one basket to put everything in, but that was too unorganized. I've tried baskets for each subject, but there is always someone who puts the homework in the wrong basket. I tried a pocket chart that ha 24 spaces for file folders, but the students would just shove the papers in and it ended up a mess. So I tried to come up with a new way.

In the last few years I have assigned each student a number so when they turn in their work I can just go through the numbers to see who hasn't turned in their work. In theory that should make it easy. Well, it is easier, but it still isn't easy.

Then I saw something on Pinterest that I thought would be a good idea, at least the start to a good idea. A teacher took binder dividers that have pockets in them and attached them to the wall. She numbered them and assigned students a number. It would be quick to see if a student hadn't turned work in. You would still need to gather it all out of the pockets, and I do not have wall space to hang up all those dividers. So I decided to tweak it.

I bought the binder dividers and found a binder that I wasn't using. That in itself is pretty amazing because I love binders. I have to get numbers, calendar numbers should work, and tape them to the front of the binder dividers. I will also put their names on the tabs, and those can be changed out each year. I put a nice cover on the binder that says "Reading" since that is what my kids turn in for homework. If I taught other subjects then I would make similar binders for those subjects.

When I need to check to see if there is any missing work I can just flip through and if the pocket in the divider is empty then I know it hasn't been turned in. I can look on the tab an see whose divider it is. The best part, at least I think it is, I can just grab the binder and I have all their homework in one place. I can take it home (I hate taking home work to grade but it happens) or to my desk or wherever to correct their work.

I hope this idea works out as well as I think it will.