Teaching Character Education via Makeup Work

Makeup work is solely a student’s responsibility, at least when dealing with high school students. Completing one’s makeup work is one of the smallest responsibilities that high school students can assume. In most cases, high school students decide whether or not to attend class, and they need to be held accountable for completing their make up work in a timely manner.

Teachers have anywhere from sixty to one hundred or more students, and a teacher does not have time to run down his or her students and individually tell each student to complete his/her assignments. Now, some students may need some prodding or some reminding from time to time, but that is different. Even for students who do need prodding, a teacher does not have to verbally call these students out in class. A subtle reminder as the student enters or leaves one’s classroom is sufficient.

Most teachers keep their records in an online grade book, and these grades need to be kept current. This allows parents and students the opportunity to view the grade book online and see what assignments students are missing. If a student has not completed an assignment when a teacher is ready to enter grades, a teacher should key in “0/due before October 28 (the due date).” In doing this, the teacher documents that an assignment has not been completed and establishes when the assignment is due.

If the work goes uncompleted for quite some time and the due date is approaching, it is a courtesy to contact the student’s parents to make them aware of the student’s incomplete work. Most schools have a policy concerning the time frame teachers must give students to complete their work, but if teachers document when the assignment is due, there will be no confusion concerning the due date.