Viewing Late Work Through an Equity Lens
One of the most difficult aspects of being a teacher is dealing with students who turn in late or fail to turn in work at all. In my classroom, I’ve struggled to come up with a late-work policy that will hold my students accountable while maintaining a positive environment. In order to alleviate my problems with my kids’ behaviour, I desired consistency and convenience; however, this was the wrong strategy.
Instead, I needed to put in place equity measures that empowered students while also putting a strong emphasis on their personal growth. How could I assist students in understanding that due dates were not merely arbitrary measurements of compliance, but were in fact critical to development, accountability, and learning in the real world? If we want children to connect with their learning in a way that encourages structure, dedication, and continuity, we must first define task completion as a skill that must be modelled, rather than penalised, before we can expect them to engage. Here’s how I’ve implemented an equity-focused approach in my teaching.