Week 2: Lessons Learned

This week I finalized my research topic by choosing “Student classroom attendance”.  So many students are missing classes for numerous reasons i.e., they don’t like the class, have homework due that isn’t completed, have a project/presentation due etc. and this has become an issue at my school that’s worth investigating and finding a resolution for. 

I’m on a committee and we’re implementing a new tardy sweep method.  If you’re unfamiliar with tardy sweep, it might be called something different where you work, I’ll fill you in on what it is. 

Tardy sweep is where students go to a certain location in school if they are late to class.  Instead of the student disrupting classroom instruction, by walking in late, they’re required to go to a specified location in school, sign in and listen to classical music for 55 minutes.  They’re not allowed to talk, sleep, etc.  Some students use tardy sweep as a “get out of class free pass” however it isn’t a privilege going to tardy sweep.  Some consequences are getting counted late/ absent from class which counts towards not being able to exempt your final exams, each tardy you receive gets you closer to receiving after school detention, Saturday detention or even suspension.

What we’re doing this year is taking about 10 minutes of our conference period, whenever we can, and we’re going down to tardy sweep and escorting students back to class.  With this students are still getting reprimanded for being late, however, instead of listening to classical music and sitting quietly they’re having to attend their regular class.  Hopefully with this new method students will realize there is no point going to tardy sweep since they will have to go to class anyway.