What should be done about students who show up late?

Question

I teach at a local vocational school in the evening, in career certificate programs. All classes are on a pass/fail basis. In the past if you showed up in class and did your time and attended all sessions, you passed. Somewhat similar to regular High School before NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.

Anyway, all kinds of students show up for class late and walk in without any excuse as much as 30 minutes late. I have started to lock the door after 15 mins but the students start pounding on the door and I get weak and let them in and still count them as attending.

I do not think it is fair to the other students who arrived earlier to give the late arriving students credit. But I don't know how to proceed. Advice?

Answer 1

ask first the reason why is he/she late. then if the answer is to common and looks like he/she making some alibi..then let the student get in.. but marked the student absent.

Answer 2

Let them in, but count them as absent.  Ask the school board what you should do about late and disruptive students.  I don't think this "No child left behind" rule is doing us any good in any school.  I didn't like the "No Pass, No Play" rule, but most of all my class graduated in 85.  Now they are just turning out burger kids, in my opinion.  Just find out the school ruling on your problem and I hope it gets better for you.

Answer 3

Is it possible to break down your class days into points?  For example you have 10 classes each one is worth 10 points making a 100 possible points.  This would allow you to take points away for every 15 min. late and for poor attitude, class participation excreta...  I don't know how the grading scale works for your program but I have seen this work for physical ed. classes.  Good luck!

Answer 4

If the school will back you on this, you could start counting a ceratain number of lateness of more than a few minutes (five or ten max) as an absence.  If students get credit for completeing the course just by attending, then there must be a maximum number of allowable absences, and repeated latenesses could add up to putting people over the limit.  However, be aware that the same students who saunter in when they feel like it are the ones most likely to protest to the administration about any tightening of policy.

Another thought; if it's the same people who are always late by about the same amount of time, they may have other responsibilities that make it impossible for them to get there sooner.  If you have any who fit this description, I suggest talking with them to find out whether they get off work later than most or have to go home and cook dinner before class or what, and if this IS their situation, just ask them to slip in quietly and then stay afterwards to catch up on what they missed.  (Like you, I'm a softy.)

Answer 5

. The only thing I can think of would be to offer some sort of incentive for them to be on time. For instance, at my school, they serve breakfast from 7:30 - 8:00 for free. If you arrive after 8:00, you don't get breakfast. So a lot of parents rush their kids out the door because they want them to get something  to eat and it saves the parent time from having to cook.

Parents who have several children especially appreciate the breakfast. I had one little girl who has FOUR brothers and sisters and TWO cousins living with her. That's a total of seven kids. They were on time to school everyday because again, it saves the Mom time and money in the morning.

Answer 6

You could have a party for all the students that comes to school on time. And the Students that are always late cannot attend the party.

Answer 7

Honstly, the problem persists because you're giving in.  Adult students are the same as kids.  You have to be tough and stick to your guns when it comes to policy and procedure.  If you don't, they'll walk all over you.  

Tell the students that anyone who arrives late to class will be marked as absent.  Personally, I say, keep the door locked on students who show up late.  Don't let them in.  If they're pounding on the door, go out into the hall, and tell them that because they are so late, they are absent and will not get credit for being in class that day.  Tell them that they need to go home and to be on time to class from now on.

Answer 8

You need to do exactly what you are doing with a couple huge exceptions.

First you are already giving in by closing the door 15 minutes after the bell.  On a friday or something you need to tell them the new rules and let them know that once the bell rings, your door will be closed and locked.  If you are not in when the bell rings you DON'T come in, and you consequently will get zeros for anything done or turned in that period.  If they miss a test, zero (although I DO let them do test corrections as to not get a 0 on a test, but they won't pass...

You have to stay the course.  If they are banging, open the door and dismiss them from class, tell them to either go home or send them to the ISS or principle's office if applicable.

You are letting them run the course...you need to step up and take control over your own classroom...

Answer 9

First, find out what the late policy is for the vocational school; then enforce it.  As a teacher, you should have had a talk with the students who show up late and let them know what the policy is. At our school, detention and parent involvement is considered when students are late after three times. I am not sure how it would work with a vocational environment, but you should give it a try.  Students do not have the right to disrupt the class once started.  It is not fair to the other students, or to you.

Answer 10

I would let the admin know the names of late students