Q & A: Student Absences
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Each month we invite teachers to submit questions that they would like to have answered. This month’s question is from Denise, who writes: “My question has to do with student absences. Currently, when a student is absent, I try to remember to put any homework papers with the absent child’s name on it on the board, so that when the student returns he or she can find it on the board and take it home. I don’t always remember to do that though. I post homework assignments on the board on a daily basis (it stays up all week). I would like to hear how other teachers deal with work or papers sent home when students are absent.”
Do you have advice for Denise? If so, leave a comment below.
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Commented On August 2nd, 2010 1:40 pm
For older students (I have 5th Grade), I put the responsibility in their hands. If a team (or group) has an absent member that day, they are responsible for getting an “Absent Folder” for the student. Inside is a simple notepad which allows the teammates to write down classwork and homework for each subject, and any handouts or notes are simply tucked inside. This is especially useful when parents call at the end of the day and want to pick up work, it’s already done!
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 2:18 pm
When a student is absent in my class, the team captain for that student’s table group is responsible for picking up an “Absent folder” (A labeled, laminated manila folder)to leave in front of the absent child’s seat. Anytime papers are passed out or assignments are given, a copy is placed in the “Absent folder” which is then waiting and ready for the student upon his/her return.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 3:00 pm
Hi Denise,
I teach First grade. I am also in a school where we have frequent absences. The way I deal with it is this: Every child has a pencil box they keep on their desk that stays at school. At the end of the day, they clear all the papers off of their desk and put them in their mailboxes or backpacks. I tuck the papers children miss under those boxes. When I pass out papers, I don’t skip anyone, even if they are absent. Then children learn quickly that those papers will be waiting for them under their box when they return. Other students are very eager to make sure nobody misses out on anything, so if I do forget, they remind me and also help straighten up their absent friend’s desks.
Hope it helps,
Natalie
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 3:42 pm
When I distribute papers (a numbered student comes up from each table), my students know to slip the papers for absent students in the student’s desk. When the student returns, his table partner goes through the papers with him/her and explains what we did on the day of his absence. My students make up all work! Love, Jackie Pinson
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 4:26 pm
I have an “Absent Folder” where I put all of the days papers for those children who are absent – so that they have the days work. For HW papers I send them home with a Homework Bubby – so they can do the work that I post.
Hope this is helpful.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 4:51 pm
In the beginning of the year I prepare a handful of red folders with the label “We Missed You!” When a student is absent, I place one of these folders on their desk for the day. This way I will remember to place papers in the folder as I pass things out. I usually just place the papers on top of the folder and the child’s neighbor is more than happy to place them inside the folder. When the student returns they just transfer the contents to their own folder and return the red folder to me.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 5:03 pm
I teach 4th grade and I teach my students it is their responsibility to stay on top of absentee work. (Although I do constantly remind them during the first 5 months or so.)I purchased a set of pocket type dividers and cut off the divider. I then staple these up at the back of the room where my Take Home Tuesday papers are under a poster that says “What You Missed.” If a student is absent, I place their work, along with a short list of what they have missed inside it. I remind students consistently the first few weeks where they can find this so once someone is out they know where to go. It is easy to make your own “What You Missed” template on word. Last year I realized it was easier on me if I had a stack of these papers ready and I could just pull one out and fill in what they missed and what they would need to take home. If I had a lot of students absent-I merely opened up my word-typed it out and printed it several times. Of course, our hall shares a printer so that makes it easier!
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 5:28 pm
I use a large, yellow envelope. When I see that the child will be absent I place the envelope on their desk. Then at the end of the day I place all the papers inside. I’ve label the front “Your Work” and add Welcome back. We missed you! This is the work you missed while you were absent. Please complete it and return the work in the envelope in the next 3 days. I also put my name and room # on it. Then I laminate it. It’s an easy way to keep the absent child and you oranized.
Hope this is helpful and something you can use as well.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 5:30 pm
I use a form that I complete with classwork and homework assignments that need to be made up. I paper clip any necessary worksheets to this paper and either send it home (if requested) or leave it on their desk for the next day. Once I find my trusted students, I may ask them to complete the forms for me.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 6:09 pm
Denise,
Staying on top of paperwork and assignments can be one of the most challenging things in our day. I have an absent folder prepared for just such a day. When a student is absent, I place this folder on their desk in the morning. During the day, workbooks, assignments, worksheets etc. are placed in this folder. I often have volunteers who love to help as well. Anytime a book is taken from the desks this helper takes it out for the absent friend. Therefore, by the end of the day the missed assignments are all in one neat place. If by some chance the assignments are requested at the end of the day, they are ready to go home. If not, the folder is complete, waiting for their arrival the next day. When the student completes the work they turn the folder in. Everything stays in one neat place.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 6:20 pm
Denise,
Staying on top of paperwork and assignments can be one of the most challenging things in our day. I have an absent folder prepared for just such a day. When a student is absent, I place this folder on their desk in the morning. During the day, workbooks, assignments, worksheets etc. are placed in this folder. I often have volunteers who love to help as well. Anytime a book is taken from the desks this helper takes it out for the absent friend. Therefore, by the end of the day the missed assignments are all in one neat place. If by some chance the assignments are requested at the end of the day, they are ready to go home. If not, the folder is complete, waiting for their arrival the next day. When the student completes the work they turn the folder in. Everything stays in one neat place.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 6:51 pm
I have bright orange 2 pocket/3 prong folders. These are clearly labeled with “Make Up Work” A student helper (or the person sitting next to the absent chlid) fills the folder throughout the day with copies of all the work we do, and writes the assignments on the assignment sheet. This student also pulls textbooks the absent student may need, and places them on the desk. That way if the parent comes to pick up the work, it’s all sitting right there on the desk.
Once I’ve trained students to do this, it takes me almost no time, other than putting the folder and make up work form on the desk. Then again, I’ve only taught 3rd, 4th and 5th grades, so this might not work for younger grades. However, I did the orange folder idea from a 1st grade teacher, so it might work!
If it’s something they can’t make up at home, I keep it in a box on my desk.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 7:01 pm
To help absent student’s keep track of missed work, I have a simple sheet called a “Homework Helper.” It has a place near the top to fill in the absent student’s name and 5 large rectangles. Each rectangle has a day of the week listed and a space for the current date.
Each morning when I determine who is absent, I choose a student to complete a “homework helper” for the absent child. That student then writes down all the classwork or homework assignments in the box for that day. If there are worksheets to be completed, then he/she staples the work to the back of the homework helper. At the end of the day, the recording student turns the “homeworker helper” in to me for a small prize. Then I check it quickly and save it on my desk to give to the absent child tomorrow. If the same child is absent the next day, then I choose a student to continue recording absent work on the same “homework helper.”
I use this method with my 5th graders and it works very well. I always have several students who volunteer to complete a “homework helper” even before I have taken roll for the day.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 8:32 pm
Have a student be in charge of putting the absent student’s name on the papers and putting the papers in a folder or tray especially for such work. A less complicated solution would be to always put all extra papers in the “extra papers box” and continue to write the assignments on the board. The absent student is responsible to get his or her papers from the box or folder when he or she returns.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 8:49 pm
On the 1st day of the week I give the students what I call the ” Homework Sheet” it list all the assignments for the week. If students are absent I have a homework mail box where students pick up their homework daily after I check it. If the student is absent on the day the homework sheet is given out when they return they know they can find it in their mailbox. This system is also good for when a student is absent during the week because they already have the assignment/s that are due for homework when they return. I also add weekly important events and reminders to the homework sheet such as field trips, bake sales, and holidays.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 9:12 pm
set up in the beginning of the year a buddy system. each child has a homework buddy that is responsible to give over the homework to. for example if john and mary are buddies and mary is absent it is john’s responsibility to collect amry’s homework and mary’s repsonsibilty to call john after school to see what was missed. same applies in reverse.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 10:22 pm
Denise,
Here is an idea I learned a few years ago from another teacher. I have four laminated folders in my room labeled “While you were out.” When a student is absent a team member from that team gets the student a “While you were out” folder and puts all papers passed out that day in the folder. If they are out one day or several, they have all the work they missed. This system has worked for me and it may work for you.
Commented On August 2nd, 2010 11:23 pm
One effective way to make sure that your absent students get all the work they missed when they come back is to make a “I am absent” folder for each student to keep in thier desks. At the beginning of the year tell the class that when one student is absent, the partner who sits right next to him/her is responsible for taking out his/her folder and putting all the missed work in it, then place it on the top of the absent student’s desk. This way when the student comes back the next day, he or she does not have to ask about what they have missed at each period. This technique will also teach the students responsibility. I hope it works for you!
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 5:48 am
Any papers that are handed out during the day are placed on the absent student’s desk. Then at the end of the day I gather the papers and place the student’s name on the papers. After that I put the papers in my “Home/School planner” basket. Our school district provided planners (sprial bound calendars) to communicate with the parents about their child’s day, on a daily bases. Once the work is placed in this basket I know to send it home in the child’s planner the next day.
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 11:09 am
I enlist the other students. One of my classroom jobs is an “Assistant Teacher.” This person’s responsibilities are to collect extra worksheets/papers for each absent students when he/she receives his/hers. The “Assistant Teacher” also writes down any assignment pages, homework assignments, and any other assignments that were not on worksheets for that day. A copy of the list gets put into each absent student’s mailbox/folder for that day. I try to check the folder at the end of the day to add anything that is missing.
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 1:05 pm
This works great for me! I laminated several folders and wrote “We missed you!” on the front. Also, one of the jobs on my job chart is Absent Student Helper. The helper’s job is to get the folder in the morning and place it on the absent student’s desk. This way, any papers I pass out during the day go straight into the folder and I don’t have to try to remember to set something aside. The helper’s job is also to make a Get Well card and leave it with the folder.
Hope this helps!
Brianna, 3rd grade teacher, Virginia Beach, VA
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 4:00 pm
It can be frustrating trying to keep track of who was absent and what they missed! The easiest way for me has been to have a stack of regular size file folders (I usually choose those with a pattern so they stand out) that have I AM ABSENT written in bold letters on the front.
This folder is placed on the absent student’s desk by the student sitting closest to him/her. Throughout the day the students and I make sure that any papers that are passed out are also placed in the “absent folder”.
Good luck!
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 7:54 pm
I have special purple two-pocket folders that I keep for students missed work. My students sit in groups so I have the absent students shoulder partner be in charge of tearing out any missed work from workbooks. They also put any other handouts into the folder.
I then make a copy of that days planner page and put that in the folder as well. Then if a parent comes in for the missed work it is all set and ready to go.
The absent student returns the finished work in the folder and I reuse it as needed.
Commented On August 3rd, 2010 8:40 pm
I do not teach a class with homework of make-up work, but I have seen a system that I like very much. The 3rd grade team at my school has a form that they use for all absent students. At roll, the teacher writes the name of the absent student at the top of the page, as the day goes on, they write down all the missed work and attatch any worksheets with a paperclip. The packet is then placed on the student’s desk at the end of the day.
Hope this helps.
Commented On August 4th, 2010 3:00 am
I assign a study buddy to each student, who in addition to being responsible for getting homework to and/or for their partner when absent, they also use the classroom copier to copy any notes, get copies of any handouts, and share daily announcements. I also have an inexpensive camera that this student is welcome to take pictures of any student work that was created and shared.
Commented On August 4th, 2010 6:26 am
I have 3 folders i have decorated with the theme of my classroom. (hopefully not more than three are absent on any given day. On the front of the folder it says,,WE MISSED YOU! The folder is left on the students desk. I pretend the student is not absent. As work is given out, i put a copy in the folder. Homework also goes in the folder with a post it note that says missed homework. When the student returns, that students transfers that work to his regular folder and gives back the missed you folder..He then completes and turns in all work by the end of the week.
Commented On August 4th, 2010 7:22 am
I have several “While you were out” folders, each a colored file folder that has been laminated so that it is easily noticed. On the cover of the folder I have printed a graphic (something that shows why a student may be absent…dr, airplane, alarm clock) with the title in quotes above. When a student is absent a folder is placed on top of his/her desk and the students at the group know to put the extra paperwork for that student inside the folder for when they return.
Commented On August 4th, 2010 12:35 pm
I also enlist the help of students. I teach my students at the beginning of the year that if a student at their table is absent, the table is responsible for getting the “absent folder” (located in a designated location). The students at the table are responsible for putting the student’s name and date on all papers that are passed out and for tearing out any pages from a workbook. When a student returns from being absent, they have been taught that these papers are homework and to place them in their homework folder. They also know where to return the “absent folder”.
Commented On August 5th, 2010 11:09 am
I teach 2nd grade and keep all the papers I’m using each day in files (Monday, Tuesday …). When a child is absent, I write the child’s name on the paper and put it into the next day’s file, where I find it when I’m distributing papers the following day. If the child is still absent, I move it to the file for the day after. When a child is absent for several days (and accumulates a lot of papers), I put the papers into a 2-pocket portfolio labeled “Absent: Make-up Work.” Inside, one pocket is labeled “GO: do this work now” and the other is labeled “STOP: ask me for help.” Anything the child can do independently goes into the GO pocket; anything requiring explanation (including quiz/test papers) go into the STOP side. Putting everything into the folder helps ME make sure the child gets all of his/her work! When the child returns to school, I keep the folder on my desk but give him/her everything on the GO side and explain the things on the STOP side one by one when there is time during class. I hope this idea is useful!
Commented On August 5th, 2010 5:27 pm
I pass the homework out on their desk. If there is more than one I paperclip it. I also put a post it on it that says Wednesday Homework or whichever day it was. Then I put it in their desk on top of their textbooks. It then makes it THEIR responsibility to pull it out of their desk. I remind them once that it is in there. In 4th grade they know better. I only had one kid last year not turn in the HW the next day. And the mom understood my procedure and didn’t argue it.
Commented On August 5th, 2010 6:37 pm
Denise,
I put a manilla file folder that I have decorated with a picture of a sick kiddo and the words “We missed you. Here’s what you missed.” on the cover at the student’s seat. As I pass things out, I ask the student who sits closest to place whatever the work is in the folder. Then when the student returns, they can bring up the folder and ask any questions they have about the work they missed. Hope this helps.
Ketra
Commented On August 6th, 2010 8:50 am
My students sit in teams and one student at each team is the “team captain.” The team captain has many job but one of them is to help with absent students. I have folders labeled “Absent” which are located on my desk in a file easily accessible to kids. When someone from their team is absent, the team captain will get that folder and place it on the desk. When papers (activities are being passed out I can pass them to the absent desk as well and the captain will put all papers/activities in the folder. They will also put the date at the top of the paper. This way when the student returns, everything is in the folder awaiting. I do the same thing with “mail” (school or classroom) that needs to be sent home so they do not miss any information. There is also a routine for the returning student-when he/she has sees the absent folder on their desk, they are to immediately come to me in case there are any special directions. At that time, I staple all missed work together and assist the student with any questions they might have. It has worked pretty well for me and its just another way kids get to help out. They love that!
Commented On August 6th, 2010 11:37 am
I send home a sheet in the beginning of the school year for parents to fill out indicating who will be taking home the work for their absent child. It can be a sibling who attends the same school, a classmate,or parent. The letter also indicates a homework buddy (a classmate)to collect the absent student’s books to put on top of his/her desk. I will record the day’s work and homework on a premade sheet listing each school subject and a blank space for additional information. I leave this sheet on the absent student’s desk and write the assignments at the beginning of each lesson. It helps to do it this way because you will not forget to write down an assignment. Also, if the work is not picked up on the day the student is absent he/she will still have the assignments when he/she returns to class. I hope this helps.
Commented On August 8th, 2010 1:44 pm
I purchased a Mail Center from REallyGoodStuff and I label each compartment with a students name using a removeable label. I place the “Mailboxes” near the doorway and then place all homework, handouts and important information in each students box during the day. Even if a student is absent I still put the information in their box, this way when they return they simply collect all their items from their personal mailbox. It makes it easy for other teachers to pass out homework too, since we are departmentalized. Students know where their mailbox is all year and it makes them feel special to receive mail. I also place extra copies of each assignment in an empty slot so students can make up lost assignments.
Commented On September 2nd, 2010 8:28 am
I have five laminated manila folders – one for each day of the week. If a student is absent, the designated person at that person’s table gathers all of the papers for the child during class, paper clips them together, puts the child’s name on it, and puts it in the folder for the day that they were absent. At the start of the year, I make it very clear that I am not going to hound them to make sure that they have gotten their missing work. They are fifth graders, and I hold them to very high standards of responsibility, and I think that this is a good way to help accomplish that.