Getting Kids to Turn in Their Homework

Can he add a separate folder (one with pockets) and put it in the front of the binder marked homework. This way all homework will go there and he can pull it out before each class (or subject) is started.

Or add a homework folder for each subject rather then just sticking it into the binder.

Updated

Can he add a separate folder (one with pockets) and put it in the front of the binder marked homework. This way all homework will go there and he can pull it out before each class (or subject) is started.

Or add a homework folder for each subject rather then just sticking it into the binder.

From the get-go, I made keeping up with her homework my kid's job, not mine. If SHE didn't turn it in, SHE suffered the consequences.

At this age, what works best is to make them responsible. They won't ever learn if parents do things for them, email teachers that the work is in the binder, or if they expect teachers to collect what they want turned in.

What works best - painfully, to be sure - is to let the child face the consequences: a lower grade, missing recess or free periods, skipping an elective and working instead on finding papers, staying after school for extra help. Let him miss out on something that's important to him, and make it clear that his is his choice to face the consequences.

I think you have to stop doing binder clean out for him. He must learn to do it himself. I'd honestly have him sit with the teacher(s) (find out which days they stay after school to meet with individual kids or small groups) and work out a system and checklist that he then becomes responsible for. He will just never learn if he doesn't have to. While you don't want him to "fail" he just will not get this and become more independent by high school if he doesn't practice at it now.

If one binder is too big, then he can have one for each teacher - 2 binders is not a lot to manage at all. He's going to need 4 in high school so let him diversify now! But honestly, let this be entirely between him and his teachers.

Give him one folder to stuff everything for the next day into. If he is going to stuff anyway he may as well only have one folder to go through. Then perhaps give him a second folder to stuff the stuff after it was checked so he still has it in case it was missed that day. Then when he knows everything is recorded he can unstuff the the second folder and file it in the trash.

This is from my child's 4th grade teacher, because she said she's had the same problem for years with kids - they do the homework, but it gets buried in the folder/binder behind other stuff and isn't turned in.

So, at her suggestion, in the front we have a simple pocket folder. ONLY homework goes on the right side, so when it's opened, it's right in front of you. That's what you work on at home, and that's what you hand in when you get to school. Everything else - returned papers, study guides, school notices that stay home, etc, go on the left side, which is a little more out-of-sight. The right side is like a desk "in and out" bin. I think this is a very similar idea to your slash folder idea. It's worked for us mostly.

What about using those little Post It flags? They make them in bright colors, and they're designed so they have a clear side that temporarily sticks to the paper, and a brightly colored side that sticks out beyond the edge of the page. You often see them on forms that are mailed to you to sign - the sender sticks flags on the pages where you're supposed to sign.

So if each night, your son sticks a Post It flag on something he's supposed to turn in, it might be a visual reminder. If there's still a flag sticking out of his papers it means he hasn't turned something in. Just check each evening to ensure that flags are on the homework for the next day. This might be enough of a jump start so that pretty soon he'll get in the habit of checking and won't need the flags.

i doubt this will work for you. but we had this exact same scenario. i was tearing my hair out. my very nice, intelligent, generally cooperative child was DOING his friggin' homework and just not turning it in. over and over and over.

i was at my wits' end.

there was no option at that point in time to 'verify that they were done on the nights assigned.' i knew they were. but the teachers were having none of it, and i don't blame them. i'm quite sure they believed me, but their sensible point was that if it didn't get turned in, no credit. bam.

well, it wasn't long after that we made the difficult decision to switch him to private school (and from there moved to homeschooling.) there were several contributing factors, but this was one of them. my very nice child simply couldn't or wouldn't explain this.

he's 29 now. if you ask him about it, he'll laugh and say he was pushing. he wanted to see just how far he could get with them. i wouldn't have believed it then (and not sure i believe it now, but he's still a very nice, cooperative and intelligent person and there's no reason for him to lie about it) as defiance has never been a part of his psyche. but he's always been a curious observer of people, so i guess it does make sense. it's much easier to be all savoir faire about it now. at the time i could have brained him.

in retrospect, i guess i can see rebellion. middle school seemed to be the place where nice ordinary kids got lost in the shuffle. he wasn't brilliant enough to attract college recruiters, learning disabled enough to need intervention, naughty enough to need stern discipline, unruly enough to get sat upon. the teachers liked him, although they usually had to take a moment to shuffle through their mental file boxes to pull him up. he got along with most others (except for some fistfights that i never heard about until he was grown). he stayed after class and cleaned the blackboards, pushed the wheelchairs, helped decorate for dances. he wasn't a showboat. but he also didn't want to disappear. i guess it seemed like a good way for a non-confrontational kid to say 'hey! i'm not just a cog!'

FWIW, he's now very much like his dad. not as neat overall, but very organized in his work habits, very punctual, very well liked and respected at his job, did great in college.

i wouldn't have thought THAT would be the outcome when i was in your shoes.

good luck, hon.

ETA that's him in my profile pic. little cretin.
khairete
S.

Well, first thing. I'd tell the teacher they were done and in the folder and SHE needs to address this in class. She is the one he is responsible to. SHE is the one that tells them to turn it in. If he doesn't turn it in then he gets a zero. Life stinks but that's the only way he's going to learn.

He needs to be responsible and as PART of that learning process his teacher has a job to TEACH HIM. She is responsible for what happens at school. You can't come to school with him and remind him or be there to tell the teacher it's done, it's just in that book on his desk or in his backpack.

Then when the teacher says something I'd pull out the notebook and show her the papers. Tell her that son says she walks by and looks at it but doesn't take it up and grade it so how does she even know for sure if it's done or not.

Leave this to the teacher. It's their job to teach. Part of teaching kids critical thinking and to be responsible is the teachers job too.

My daughter went through three different kinds of binders in 6th grade (last year) until she found what worked for her. It was a $20 thing from Five Star...but she was all set once she had that. Maybe take him to Staples and show him the options of ways to keep organized.

Aside from that, we stepped back and told her that it's her responsibility to get good grades, turn her work in, etc. We communicate with her teachers still, but not nearly like we did in elementary school. She has learned to do that herself. Maybe because we pushed her to speak up or maybe because it's her personality...I can let you know that this time next year when my son goes in to 6th!

So my daughter is only in 3rd grade but we just use a specific colored folder (yellow). Anything that needs to be turned in or checked goes into that yellow folder so when the time comes she knows to grab the yellow folder because it will have whatever paper she is seeking whether it is science homework or a report on wombats. So far this is the best option and seems to be working well.

I'd have him think about what each teacher does and how HE can address it. For example, my 2nd grader can't get credit if her HW is not in the bin Monday Morning. So when I drop her off, she has it in her hand to turn in. That was a solution she helped come up with. If your son is not ready when the teacher comes around, then what does HE need to do for that class to be ready. Nevermind that it was done - she didn't see it/he didn't meet the requirement. He can be more organized but if it doesn't meet the teacher's requirements for credit, then he won't get any.

I'd have to agree, he needs to be responsible not you. If it's an organizational issue, he might need help clearing clutter (adults need this help as well) but in 6th grade, it's time to step up.