tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4406077086996680954.post3409460515858920067..comments2023-10-30T02:26:52.214-07:00Comments on OrangeMath: Alternative Attendance Measure in Instructionorangemathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05099727076265177042noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4406077086996680954.post-86167357187994087282009-03-17T10:35:00.000-07:002009-03-17T10:35:00.000-07:00Thank you for the two previous comments.__________...Thank you for the two previous comments.<BR/>______________________<BR/><BR/>1. No law prevents a school from rewarding positive attendance or asking for doctor's excuses, etc. I'm not an expert on getting students to school, but offering tastier food for good attendance might help. It's a matter of trying ideas and asking what works. Making non-attendance uncomfortable is the point.<BR/><BR/>2. Attendance correlates with time on task - a key metric for learning. Efficient use of time is another, but NO TIME is not acceptable.<BR/><BR/>3. ACCESS deals with our real world. It suits a few students where comprehensive or alternative schools are not a good fit. I just don't like spending our dollars on it.<BR/><BR/>4. It best to design systems that don't have disincentives to them. The current system encourages students and parents to lie and our staff to accept those responses as OK or understandable. Please don't respond by stressing the high integrity of the staff - that's not the point, nor the issue. It's a matter of focusing on the wrong thing - increasing attendance, not identifing excused vs cuts is the measure that will correlate with increased learning and, we hope, higher API.<BR/><BR/>Consider the CAHSEE and STAR. We do everything we can to get attendance. Cuts and illnesses are the same!<BR/><BR/>Consider continuation schools, which include attendance in credit issuance (not a good policy for a comprehensive school - but a possible intervention). Excuses are irrelevant.orangemathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05099727076265177042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4406077086996680954.post-86449748221799697602009-03-17T10:08:00.000-07:002009-03-17T10:08:00.000-07:00This comment was written by another person.-------...This comment was written by another person.<BR/><BR/>--------------------------<BR/><BR/>To battle the excuse of "I'm getting a good grade, why do I have to come?" I instituted a policy of earning a credit for 12 succesful days of attendance and a loss of one credit per 12 days of absence. Miracle. Students are now in charge of their attendance. This policy applies to excused, ill, cut, or whatever; if you are gone you are gone and not able to work in class regardless of what your mom says you are simply not there. Simple and to the point. If you are ill or stoned it deosn't mtter. What matters is that you are in class. Second strand, no D's are issued. 70 % completed or no grade no credit. Has it made students out of the little darlings, NO, but we are closer to equity: Us Vs. Them. I think we are ahead. No stress. Black and white. The box has to be very small and very well defined. But, you already knew that.<BR/><BR/>Take it a step farther. Teach all day and give them credit for the classes they choose to attend. It would work. It might take a whole year but put it on them. These are young adults and they would step up and perhaps be a little bit proud of what they were accomplishing.orangemathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05099727076265177042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4406077086996680954.post-24549210753201342572009-03-17T10:05:00.000-07:002009-03-17T10:05:00.000-07:00This comment was written by another person.-------...This comment was written by another person.<BR/><BR/>---------------------------<BR/><BR/>Interesting thoughts, I believe we all agree that time in class is the optimum for all students, however:<BR/> <BR/>1. From a legal (probation involvement) standpoint, cuts and unexcused absences are all we can pursue. <BR/> <BR/>2. While I do agree that attendance is irrelevant in grading, I "do not" concur that it is always relevant in learning - - we all learn in many varied venues as CRC as shown through computerized programs and test-outs.<BR/> <BR/>3. ACCESS is not an alternative we like to use and behooves no one especially our students.<BR/> <BR/>4. We are not "pressuring ourselves to reduce the number of marked cuts" but to reduce the number of students cutting class!<BR/> <BR/>I personally believe grading should be strictly based on knowledge of the subject matter - - not on attendance or behavior.orangemathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05099727076265177042noreply@blogger.com