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Original poster

Homework, three strikes and out

42 replies

happymerryberries · 09/12/2004 06:57

I have just seen a report on a school who have instituted a three strikes and exclusion (1 or 2 days)for missed H/W. The scheme has been running for three weeks. In the first week 28 were excluded, in the second 7 and third none. the missed H/W went from over 300 in the first week to 1 on the third week.

Discuss!

Dons asbestos underpants and goes to school

OP posts:

heavenlyghost · 09/12/2004 06:59

WeLl, it obviously works doesn't it?

JJ · 09/12/2004 07:50

Wouldn't it depend on the age of the children, the homework policy (re how much, when due, etc) already in place, giving the teachers discretion to excuse missed homework, etc? I guess it's hard to judge it without knowing the details.

If it's working and the majority of the parents are happy with it, then it'd be worth looking at why it worked and seeing how that could be translated into other schools. I'm sure it wouldn't work everywhere, but it's rare that anything does, right?

Just call me Mrs WishyWashy. :)

wobblystarryknicks · 09/12/2004 07:51

For secondary schools I think it would be fab but I don't agree with primary school kids having homework in the first place so would say no.

Caligulights · 09/12/2004 09:08

I agree with Wobblystarryknicks

MarsselectionboxLady · 09/12/2004 09:12

I think it's great and clearly it works (until somebody decides that their civil liberties are being abused, sue the school and the council, make a fortune, leave the school and neglect their homework somewhere else).

People are quick to complain that they aren't being taught or that they have a substandard eductation and homework is a necessary part of school life. It should probably be implemented in more places and then possibly some of the argument about quality schools will end.

WigWamBam · 09/12/2004 09:36

Is this a secondary school, hmb? I agree with wobbly too, I think this is great for secondary schools and it obviously seems to be working, but I also think that homework in primary/junior schools is too much.

spacedonkey · 09/12/2004 09:43

Well, it does work, that much is clear. I expect electric cattle prods would work too. >

Caligulights · 09/12/2004 09:51

spacedonkey! Have an image of you galloping on a hobby horse while brandishing a cattle rod and rounding up buffalo. Must go and do some work!

spacedonkey · 09/12/2004 09:55

sounds like a fairly accurate image

JoolsTide · 09/12/2004 10:29

I agree with Marslady!

MarsselectionboxLady · 09/12/2004 10:31

Thank you Joolstide

TheHollyAndTheTwiglett · 09/12/2004 11:06

I agree with Wobblystarryknicks and Marslady

Original poster

happymerryberries · 09/12/2004 16:16

It was in a secondary school. They have a variety of schemes in place to improve h/w take up, including after school provision of h/w clubs. they had a 'hard core' of persistant offenders who would refuse to do the h/w under any circumstances. work was apparantly well differentiated and equal ops were in place with the after school club ie everyone could access books, computers etc.

OP posts:

Berchta · 09/12/2004 18:14

i hope this isnt implimented despite my best efforts i would be in deep shit

Hulababy · 09/12/2004 18:17

Well, the figures suggest it is working so far. Wonder if it will continue???

TBH, I just wish something similar could be at our school for misbhevaiour in class. None of this 7 warnings per lesson malarky. 3 stikes and out - might make some of the kids, and their parents, think a bit harder about their behaviour and attitudes in lessons.

Original poster

happymerryberries · 09/12/2004 18:25

I must confess that i have (with smt guidance) instituted a very strict policy with my Y9 'difficult' class. They find it impossible to interact withpout picking fights and will do no work at all unless constantly goaded. They now know that they get one warning. For disruptive behaviour of any kid a second incident geths them a break time d/t, the third a lunchtime and the forth an after school. Any refusal to follow requests is delth with in a similar way. One warning only and if they refuse a second time they are withdrawn to duty HOY.

The lessons have changed beyond recognition. Memebers of the class are actually begining to learn a little.

OP posts:

tallulah · 09/12/2004 18:26

The report I read in the paper suggested the parents were less than impressed as some of the kids were using it as an excuse for a couple of days extra holiday.

It's another one of those schemes that affects the parents more than the pupils- my kids swear blind to me that they've done their homework then "forget' it. Punish the kids by all means but excluding/suspending them means someone has to be at home. The pupils need to take responsibility for it themselves & not expect their parents to have to do everything.

tallulah · 09/12/2004 18:27

hmb our posts crossed. Now your policy I do agree with- affects the kids who are breaking the rules & not their poor mothers!

aloha · 09/12/2004 18:28

If it works I'm quite impressed, actually. Though I was rubbish about doing homework myself so am great big hypocrite-pants.

Original poster

happymerryberries · 09/12/2004 18:35

But I think that having a pissed off parent would be an excellent incentive to do their homework. You should also be able to check if HW is done by having a shufti at the hw diary. that should tell you if they have any or not.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 09/12/2004 18:59

I do think that the punishment does have to be quite a harsh puishment for these things to work.

Relatively local school here got a new head a few years back. School was not a good one, failing, etc. New head set a new policy - 3 strikes and your out. And he meant OUT - for good. This was for bad behaviour. Only had to do it for first year. He got rid of some of the worst culprits quickly. Rest of the kids realised he meant business and behaviour improved massively very quickly. School lost money through "fines" for expelling pupils permanently, but at the end of the day it worked for that school.

Harsh punishments can work - but need to be consistently applied for a set period fo time.

donnie · 09/12/2004 19:02

I must admit I haven't read about this but I have had several kids in the past who just willnot do HW and there is actually, when it comes down to it, nothing I can do AT ALL!!!! keeping everything on record and logging it all is what I do but ultimately my own power is limited to say the least.I have to say I think exclusion for incomplete HW is a bit extreme, especially since exclusion for much more serious offences (IMO) is so bloody difficult to implement.It took 6 months - literally - to permanently exclude our last known drug dealer, (he was let back in on appeal....don't ask!)and temporary exclusions I feel should be reserved for graver offences than not doing HW.I suppose my attitude is actually quite selfish in a way: I keep it all logged and do all the right things but in the final analysis if a kid will not do their work, so be it.My back is covered and my union subs are up to date! am I awful?

Original poster

happymerryberries · 09/12/2004 19:27

No!

That is outrageous that you have a known drug dealer back in school. What other environment would allow that sort of going on? And why the hell to we risk our most vulnerable (ie the kids) to this sort of scum? Words fail me

OP posts:

Caligulights · 09/12/2004 20:59

That's the interesting thing about it, isn't it - nobody seems to consider that maybe the other kids in the class have the right not to be in the same class as a known drug-dealer. I wouldn't want my child to be at the same school as a known drug dealer, let alone in the same class. So how come the other parents' views aren't taken into consideration? (but I guess they don't know about it, because it's all confidential).

donnie · 09/12/2004 21:57

he was eventually excluded permanently, but had been allowed back into school on appeal, basically because he'd had a bit of a 'hard life'. The teachers went ballistic and called for the resignation of certain school governors, which very nearly happened( it's the governing body which decides these matters , another of my bugbears!)The weird thing was the permanent exclusion rested on a legal technicality which occured during the barrister's hearing and he withdrew his second appeal...but the hours, days, weeks of time staff had to spend on it is staggering. You are right about the confidentiality point caligulights, although obviously parents do get to hear via their own kids what is going on.Anyway I can't imagine how much time would have to be spent excluding kids for not doing their HW- but personally my feeling is after you've made the phone calls, written the letters home, informed management and all the rest of the palaver I really can't be bothered, and it's the knowledge of the futility of it all that's made me feel this way.BTW this boy never ever did any homework and his mother backed him all the way.....the school was victimising him you see...and even when caught doing a deal,with several wraps of class B and wads of cash she still managed to attribute the blame to the school.

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