Lost work – he said vs she said – Teachers.Net (HS Teachers)

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

HS Teachers

MEMBERS

27 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

High School Teachers Chatboard

Lost work - he said vs she said

by Helen

Mar 14, 2013

The age old issue:

Teacher says to student "you seem to be missing some assignments"

Student says to teacher "but I handed it in, you must have lost it"

Teacher looks through classroom, trunk of car, between cushions on couch, in the fridge.... alas no assignments.

Teacher says to student "I dont have it anywhere, can you please re-print your work and resubmit"

Student says "It was handwritten".

We are talking about 10 assignments and the student is adamant that she handed them in. Teacher is adamant that they were not.

What is the "best" way (gentlest)to handle this situation? Anyone with experience?

Thanks!

Comment

(17)

report post

view previous comments

hst On 3/21/13, Something I learned my very first year wrote: > was to never, ever, ever leave student work sitting in an > open box or basket. > > Why not? Because while I was helping a student at the back > of the room, or dealing with whatever drama had shown up at > the classroom door, or writing pee-pee passes, or otherwise > ...See MoreOn 3/21/13, Something I learned my very first year wrote: > was to never, ever, ever leave student work sitting in an > open box or basket. > > Why not? Because while I was helping a student at the back > of the room, or dealing with whatever drama had shown up at > the classroom door, or writing pee-pee passes, or otherwise > had my back turned, Little Mr. Industrious was slipping > OTHER children's assignments out of that unprotected IN box, > erasing their names, and writing in his own. > > Caught his little hiney red handed, btw, but not until after > several never-caused-a-problem students had sworn to me that > yes, they HAD turned in their work. And they had. I just > wasn't savvy enough to know how diligent I had to be about > guarding their work against theft and vandalism. >

I have had a student try to remove a test and copy it, but I no longer collect tests in an open basket. (was doing it that time due to a foot injury). I caught him anyway. Still I generally call out the names of everyone who did turn in an assignment at the time it is collected, so any funny business would be nipped right there.

> > On 3/21/13, hst wrote: >> Piggybacking on some other comments...if you have a >> system for collection >> that is known to the students, you eliminate lots of >> this from happening. I make a point to collect >> assignments from the whole class directly into my hands >> when possible. I then paper clip them with a note about >> the date assigned, due, who was absent etc. This stack >> then goes into an accordian file that is then placed in >> my teacher bag. I make a bit of a production of this, >> so it is appears obvious that I am in control of this. >> I teach science, so sometimes I have a basket in the >> room to turn in lab work as it is finished. I still >> make an announcement when I pick them up from the >> basket and count how many I have, which then helps me >> identify which ones are missing. For major projects, I >> collect them one by one and check to see all parts are >> turned in, then note this in my gradebook. In 8 years I >> have only misplaced one group of assignments. There >> were some extenuating circumstances and the student >> gave them to me outside of my normal procedures. I am >> still looking for them! Handled it at the time by >> giving the student a grade just slightly above what >> their typical grade earned was. This morning I had a >> student tell me he had turned in a lab. I am sure he >> has not. I asked him just to look in his notebook, just >> to see and he refused. Case closed as far as I am >> concerned. He still owes me the assignment. As for the >> original poster's 10 missing assignments, I liked the >> oral questioning to see if they were actually done. I >> am thinking no....just a hunch. BTW, the accordian file >> I have was bought on clearance from Staples It is item >> #20985 Top and side opening expanding file, has bungee >> cords on all 4 corners. I cannot recommend it enough. >> Has 6 dividers inside.

Mar 23, 2013

report post

mm Treat the contents on your desk as if they are your own important personal papers. You bet there's one in every class taking note of what's there, or worse. I've gone student to student to pick up important assignments and checked their names off on a list.I can deal with missing ones immediately or tell those who are not checked off to stay after ...See MoreTreat the contents on your desk as if they are your own important personal papers. You bet there's one in every class taking note of what's there, or worse. I've gone student to student to pick up important assignments and checked their names off on a list.I can deal with missing ones immediately or tell those who are not checked off to stay after class when I listen to the reasons for the missing work and set a timeline for completion then and there. And, never, ever let them come up and hand in a test or exam!! Always insist there's no talking, no leaving, etc. They raise their hand and you go to them, checklist in hand.

On 3/21/13, Something I learned my very first year wrote: > was to never, ever, ever leave student work sitting in an > open box or basket. > > Why not? Because while I was helping a student at the back > of the room, or dealing with whatever drama had shown up at > the classroom door, or writing pee-pee passes, or otherwise > had my back turned, Little Mr. Industrious was slipping > OTHER children's assignments out of that unprotected IN box, > erasing their names, and writing in his own. > > Caught his little hiney red handed, btw, but not until after > several never-caused-a-problem students had sworn to me that > yes, they HAD turned in their work. And they had. I just > wasn't savvy enough to know how diligent I had to be about > guarding their work against theft and vandalism. > > > On 3/21/13, hst wrote: >> Piggybacking on some other comments...if you have a >> system for collection >> that is known to the students, you eliminate lots of >> this from happening. I make a point to collect >> assignments from the whole class directly into my hands >> when possible. I then paper clip them with a note about >> the date assigned, due, who was absent etc. This stack >> then goes into an accordian file that is then placed in >> my teacher bag. I make a bit of a production of this, >> so it is appears obvious that I am in control of this. >> I teach science, so sometimes I have a basket in the >> room to turn in lab work as it is finished. I still >> make an announcement when I pick them up from the >> basket and count how many I have, which then helps me >> identify which ones are missing. For major projects, I >> collect them one by one and check to see all parts are >> turned in, then note this in my gradebook. In 8 years I >> have only misplaced one group of assignments. There >> were some extenuating circumstances and the student >> gave them to me outside of my normal procedures. I am >> still looking for them! Handled it at the time by >> giving the student a grade just slightly above what >> their typical grade earned was. This morning I had a >> student tell me he had turned in a lab. I am sure he >> has not. I asked him just to look in his notebook, just >> to see and he refused. Case closed as far as I am >> concerned. He still owes me the assignment. As for the >> original poster's 10 missing assignments, I liked the >> oral questioning to see if they were actually done. I >> am thinking no....just a hunch. BTW, the accordian file >> I have was bought on clearance from Staples It is item >> #20985 Top and side opening expanding file, has bungee >> cords on all 4 corners. I cannot recommend it enough. >> Has 6 dividers inside.

Mar 23, 2013

report post

Novel It doesn't look as if I can get it here in the UK. Perhaps someone in the D&T department can build something similar for me. Would thet be legal?

Apr 25, 2013

report post

Nan The problem with the collector protector is it lasts about a year and then gets "tired"

I had my hubby make one. It's not much but it at least last more than one year!

On 3/18/13, Yep...these are wonderful wrote: > On 3/18/13, this is what you need wrote: >> To prevent this from happening, there is a collector-protector s...See More

Apr 27, 2013

report post

Novel On 4/27/13, Nan wrote: > The problem with the collector protector is it lasts about a year and then > gets "tired" > > I had my hubby make one. It's not much but it at least last more than one > year!

I thought it looked a bit flimsy on closer inspection and couldn't work out how to get one in the UK anyway. Carpenter is mak...See More

May 1, 2013

report post