We all know the sound of parents yelling for missing assignments. Jenison teachers give students chances to get points on late assignments.
You may have noticed while at JHS that you can still get credit for late work. It is because your teachers want to help you.
Research confirms
Montana University did a study in a high school chemistry class. They wanted to see if flexible deadlines affect the rate of turned-in assignments. Their studies showed that when there was no late work policy, 75.6% of work got turned in. Then, when late work got accepted one day late for full credit, 80.9% of student’s work got turned in. This is a 5.3% increase.
This shows that when students get the opportunity to take their time, work gets completed.
Jenison policies
Some of Jenison’s beloved teachers give full credit on assignments until the end of the current unit.
Mrs. Elsie, a math teacher at Jenison High School, said, “A chapter is, like, two to three weeks long. Sometimes they’re longer, give or take. So I feel like, even if you’re absent here and there within a chapter, that’s still plenty of time to make sure all your homework is done. And then once we get beyond that chapter, unless it’s a medical excuse I just don’t take it. Because you know, for obvious reasons. We’ve moved on.”
Other teachers believe there should be a penalty of some sort, such as Late Credit which is taking off a few points. Taking these points off deducts the grade but at the end of the day, it is better than a zero. Zero’s on smaller assignments weigh grades down more than you would think.
Mr. Doyle, a history teacher at JHS, said, “My late work policy is that you have the opportunity to turn in either assignments or make-up quizzes or anything else that we do in class for late credit.” When asked about his late work policies when he was in high school, he responded, “There’s not necessarily like one like late work policy for everybody, because it depends on how you run your class,” he states.
What policies used to be
Yet, these methods were not in place when our parents were in school.
“Back in my day, there were no late work policies,” stated Pat Malone, a 2004 graduate. “You’d get a zero if you didn’t complete the assignment and that was that. It’s [silly] how easy they are on you guys for that. It’s an important skill in life to get something done on time.”
Are Jenison’s policies helpful?
Though he poses a good argument, these policies benefit Jenison students.
“Yes. She [Mrs. Elsie] takes homework until the unit test for full credit. This is helpful because we get more time. It takes a lot of weight off our shoulders sometimes, you know?” claims a sophomore at Jenison, Daela Norton.
NYU studies show that 49% of high school students reported feeling a great deal of stress daily. And 31% claim they feel somewhat stressed. Those due dates may be intimidating with anxiety fogging high schoolers’ minds.
Stop pushing it off. Jenison’s teachers are trying to help students. But Jenison’s student body must help by completing their work. Hearing the sweet sound of your parent’s approval will make you feel better. And seeing that grade go up will lift that pressure off your shoulders.
