Students Can Be Slackers

Whenever I tell people about flipping the first question I get asked is "What do you do if a student doesn't do their homework?"  Very good question, and one I didn't know the answer to when I first started this journey into transforming my classroom. In a "normal" classroom, students not doing their homework might set them back, but for the most part they can still participate in the day's lesson. In a flipped environment, the homework is vital to the next day's lesson.

For the first unit I flipped I checked everyone's notes every day to ensure that they had done their homework. That was motivation enough (remember I'm teaching honors students). I the second unit I decided not to check everyday and switched to checking notes randomly twice a week. Still motivation enough. This unit I have only checked once- some students have become slackers.

Although slackers, my students are very honest with me and we have come to an agreement, if you didn't watch the video, let me know. You get the first 15 minutes of class to run to the library and watch your "homework". Afterwards you can return to class and work with the rest of the group. Most likely this will result in extra homework for them to finish and it will be checked in the next day.

I give students a set amount of points at the beginning of the unit (anywhere from 20 to 50 depending on how long the unit is). They keep their points by participating (2 points a day), and random notes checks (5 points each, at least once a week). If they forget to watch a video all is forgiven IF all homework is completed the next day, if not 5 points are deducted.  I know students have busy lives and sometimes life gets in the way of school; I try to respect that and give them a little bit of a cushion- I mean I don't always return tests the next day, right? This has worked out wonderfully. Students respect the cushion and for the most part retain all of their points.