Every year, the same questions come up regarding homework and grades.
If your question isn’t covered here, please feel free to email me.
Grading FAQ
What does the rubber stamp on my child’s paper mean?
All graded work is stamped when I enter it into my gradebook program. If it is stamped, then I have seen it. If no stamp appears, I have not seen it.
Should students keep their graded work?
Students should keep ALL graded work in case they need to correct a discrepancy later. Put aside a binder, a box, or a file at home to keep graded work. This work should never be loose in their desk at school! At the end of the trimester, the pile of graded work may be thrown out since you have the detail report online.
How do we access online grades and what will we see there?
Each student will receive a password to access their grades online, beginning in mid-September. You will be able to see every grade on every assignment, and the overall subject grade. You will also be able to check on missing assignments whenever you want, both how many and what they are exactly. It is the responsibility of the parents and the student to keep track of missing assignments by logging on frequently to double check, but I will give reminders in class, too. Students must complete and turn in all missing work as soon as possible. Any questions about the missing assignments or grades can be emailed to me, but please check the progress report first. You can also call or send in a note, but email is easier and faster for me.
What do the ‘mi’ and ‘ab’ on the progress report mean?
An assignment that is missing is given an ‘mi’ until it is turned in. These are current as of the date of the progress report. If the assignment grade shows as ‘ab’, the student was absent when the paper was collected and can still turn it in for full credit.
How will late assignments be scored?
Late assignments are given a zero, and this includes papers that are turned in without a name. Although completing late assignments won't necessarily help the student's grade, it is important to the student's success that they complete the work assigned. Missing assignments do not prepare the student for the chapter test, for the next concepts, or for the state testing in May.
But my child says they turned it in...
Online progress reports are current as of the date posted. Since all assignments are graded and handed back within a day or two, you should have graded assignments at home. If an assignment shows as missing, and you have it at home, graded and stamped, then your student should bring it in and I will enter the grade in my gradebook. If you don’t have the graded assignment, it was never turned in to me. Check your student’s backpack, or have them check the no name bin or their desk.
Homework FAQ
When can we expect our child to receive homework?
Homework will be given Monday through Friday as an extension of the day's classwork. Weekends are free for studying or working on projects. There will be incentives for students who complete homework on time.
How long should homework take to complete?
Students should be able to complete homework with minimal help in an hour. If you find your child struggling longer than that, please let me know and we can modify the amount of homework. The purpose is to provide practice of new skills (like practicing a sport or a musical instrument), not to beat them down.
Where will homework assignments be listed?
Students have been issued a planner that they should use to record assignments. You should be able to check their planners nightly for homework, or check my website. The website is updated regularly, but is not always 100% accurate. If I make a change to the homework, I try to get online and update it right away, but sometimes I get sidetracked. Your child's planner should reflect the most updated assignments.
How quickly will homework be graded and returned?
Students self-correct homework in class on the day it is due. Correcting is part of the learning process. It shows students what they did right and what they need to work on.
What happens to assignments with no name?
Homework/classwork with no name is put into the no-name bin and treated as missing. If it is identified and turned in late, late grading rules apply.
How long does the student have to turn in assignments after an absence?
Students who miss school for one day have one additional day to complete homework. For example, if a student is absent on Monday and returns Tuesday, the student is expected to turn in anything that was due Tuesday on Wednesday. Likewise, if a student misses multiple consecutive days of school, however many days they miss is the number of school days they have to make up all the work they missed. If there is any concern about this, please make sure to check due dates when your child returns to school.
When is an assignment considered late?
Homework consists of writing down the homework, bringing home necessary materials, completing it, returning it to school, correcting it, and turning it in. If any of these steps fail, the assignment will be late. Examples would be: I did it but left it at home, I didn’t put my name on it, I corrected it but didn’t turn it in.
Why do students have to turn in missing work if they get an F on it anyway?
It is my responsibility to make sure every student masters the California state standards for fifth grade. Completing assignments is how I know they are progressing toward standards. Also, the concepts on that missing assignment will show up on chapter tests, unit tests, and STAR tests. Missing work affects grades on more than just the missing assignment.
