Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Go Back                 Case Posted on March 10, 2015 9:30 pm Add to Favorites VadeQa Reps: 106 Is it OK to deduct points for a late assignment? I've been teaching high school for a while and deducted 10 points a day on major assignments without a thought, but a couple of years ago my Principal challenged my thinking. What are we actually deducting points for ... or, rather, what do the points of our assignments actually stand for? If they stand for mastery and mastery is proven, then how can we deduct points for it being late? There are no standards that measure timeliness. How can you still get work turned in on time if there is no penalty?                 Submit a Possible Solution Please read response(s) below (if any) before posting your solution.                 Solution 1 Posted March 11, 2015 12:24 pm PaGuDu Reps: 101 Although, as you noted, there is no standard that relates to timeliness, as educators, we are expected to teach our students about responsibility and the real world applicability of school. The real world applicability of not turning in "work" on time is that you could lose a job or wages, hence losing points on an assignment. At the high school level, I feel that this is an important lesson in responsibility and effective time management. Votes: +13 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Rezaty Reps: 102 Thanks for sharing   Posted on: March 11, 2015 3:59 pm Add a Comment                 Solution 2 Posted March 13, 2015 1:55 am tubyzy Reps: 106 Because we are trying to teach students life skills as well as content, you should be able to deduct some points for late work. One solution would be to have due dates for long term assignments and have deadlines. A due date would be the original date it is due to get full credit, but a deadline is the last day you will take it for a small penalty of your choice. This way students can still show mastery for some credit. Votes: +5 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 3 Posted March 16, 2015 12:44 am QeRary Reps: 101 Your principal has an interesting POV. I teach middle school and deduct points from projects that are late. I usually deduct 5 points a day. When a student doesn't turn in the project, they have to attend Saturday School to complete missing assignments. I find it very difficult to get students to turn in assignments on time or at all. Votes: +2 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 4 Posted March 10, 2015 11:23 pm MateJa Reps: 100 I understand both sides of the debate here. There has to be some level of accountability for turning in assignments in a timely manner. It is easier for me because I teach at the elementary level. Rather than deducting points, my students lose valuable free time (recess, etc.) until they turn in the assignment. I am not sure if you can take away the students free time at the high school level. If so, that would be my solution. Votes: +1 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Rezaty Reps: 102 Thanks for sharing   Posted on: March 11, 2015 3:58 pm Add a Comment                 Solution 5 Posted March 11, 2015 5:52 pm Jennifer Dowdy Reps: 101 We used to have a policy to take 5 points off per day for an assignment being late, but it would result in students often not being able to earn a passing grade for the assignment, so after a certain amount of time, they would just not turn it in. We were also talked to by our principal about this issue, and do not use that policy anymore. I have had more work turned in on time now that there is no penalty. However, I do give students deadlines they have to make before the grading period is over. If they do not turn in an assignment by that deadline, there is nothing I can do for them. I also usually don't give higher than an 85 for super late assignments though, as an unspoken rule. But, the students know that they aren't going to make an A if they turn in something late. Votes: +1 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 6 Posted March 12, 2015 2:31 pm maTaTy Reps: 103 Yes you do need to set boudaries, but each sitution is different to why the student may be late turning it in. Do suffer a loss of pay when we are late? There are other ways to assess students also other than the point system. Totally agree I can see both sides of this! Votes: +0 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 7 Posted March 12, 2015 6:09 pm PejuQe Reps: 100 I too see both sides of this debate. I understand that grades are meant to show mastery of the content and taking points away does not aid in this. I also firmly believe that students need to be taught that there are consequences for not doing what is asked of them. I have the same issue with students not turning in assignments at all and will assign a zero sometimes. This is not showing whether they have mastered the material or not. I have begun taking free time away from them to complete the assignments. This has worked with some students and not with others. Votes: +0 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 8 Posted March 13, 2015 1:54 am tubyzy Reps: 106 Because we are trying to teach students life skills as well as content, you should be able to deduct some points for late work. One solution would be to have due dates for long term assignments and have deadlines. A due date would be the original date it is due to get full credit, but a deadline is the last day you will take it for a small penalty of your choice. This way students can still show mastery for some credit. Votes: +0 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 9 Posted October 18, 2015 1:20 am vaWety Reps: 82 I deduct points for late assignments as well. In the real-world there are consequences for not being responsible. Students need to be held accountable for not completing assignments on time. Votes: +0 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 10 Posted October 19, 2015 1:15 am uGaLaz Reps: 77 I absolutely deduct points for assignments being late. While I understand your principal's point of view, we are raising future citizens. In the real world, you do things on time or there are penalties. My goal, as a teacher, is not grades, or testing, or even content. My goal, as a teacher, is to raise students who are going to make productive citizens one day. Teaching these students real life lessons and skills is just as important as content mastery. If your principal is so against it, or says you cannot do it, then I guess you can't, but I would not want to work for a principal that didn't want to hold students accountable. Votes: +0 / -0 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Solution 11 Posted October 11, 2015 5:44 am deRudu Reps: 82 While, in theory, I agree with your principal. In the real world (where we are teaching children in hopes that they will function there), if you don't pay your bills on time, guess what, a late fee is added? Why? Because things are expected on a timeline. School deadlines should be no different. Votes: +0 / -1 This Solution Is Useful   This Solution Is Not Useful   Comments posted for this solution Add a Comment                 Submit a Possible Solution Please read response(s) below (if any) before posting your solution.