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Graded Papers

Each week I have students take home graded papers. They have a folder in which they are to place these papers to take home. I have noticed that many of my students are not putting the papers in their folders. I have also had parents call or email about not seeing their child's take home papers. I inform them that they went home in their child's folder. I'm not sure if the students are taking them out before they get home because of some of the grades or for other reasons. How do I make sure that graded papers are getting home and seen by parents?

Solution #1
Top Solution
My children's teacher has established a "Friday Folder" that comes home at the end of each week. In the folder, are several pieces of information. There are two sheets that are permanently stapled on the inside of the folder that lists test scores that cannot be sent home, such as Unit Tests. I am required to sign next to each test score listed in the folder. In one area of the folder the teacher lists the amount of times the students name was on the board, how many times they did not turn in homework, and how many graded papers should be included in the folder. The graded papers are always stapled together. That way, all parents know how many papers to expect. They also know that if the papers are not stapled together, something is not right.

The Friday Folder sounds like a great way to cover all the bases and ensure that all necessary information is reaching the parents. Great idea!

If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this.

This is a great idea!

It would be best to start with this idea.

I love this idea and would definitely do it in my classroom.

Great idea! I love the idea of them being stapled so if its ripped or if a paper is missing that means the student didn't want the parent to see something.

I agree with this solution

Solution #2
I would suggest letting parents know what work to expect in the folder. That way they know exactly what to do look for. A signature should also be required for your students. Lastly I would suggest having an incentive for students who do return their signed folders. This will motivate more students to return the folder.

This is a good idea.

Solution #3
One thing that I have done in the past is created folder bins for each student within my classroom to put graded work. At the end of each unit, I have the students attach all the graded work together and I require a signature by their parents to show that they looked at their graded work. This was an easy way for my students and myself to stay organized on what has been turned in.

This is a great idea to use!

Solution #4
When grades are put into students folders, I make the students sign saying they put the paper in the folder and also they write the grade. This allows me to keep track of their grades and what papers are in their folders. Then the parents also have to sign. If a parent says they did not see a certain paper, I can pull out my sheet of student signatures to see if the child really did receive the paper. If so, then a consequence will follow the action.
Solution #5
I invite my parents to visit my room to view student work. I make copies of failed assignments for parents to sign and return. I do not send work home weekly. Our parent portal allows parents to see assignments and grades. If a student scores below 70% I make a copy of the assignment as send it home to parents requesting a signature to accompany it to school within 2 days. I simply cant afford to loose work samples for a class in which the majority are below level.

This is a good idea to use!

Solution #6
I would establish some sort of log where the grades are put in and the parent has to sign that they saw.
Solution #7
I have seen in other classes a system used where parents are required to sign their planner saying they saw the assignments, homework or other papers. I would suggest maybe something like this or similar to this.
Solution #8
I think in your Friday Folder you should have a sheet that the parents have to sign. I would also suggest that you give the folders to the students as soon as they are leaving class and tell them they are for their parents eyes only, and if they take papers out or don't get a signature there should be consequences in place.
Solution #9
I would try another method of sending home graded work. I would still put the responsibility on the child but utilize another method like sending out grades electronically. There are portable scanners which you can scan student work and then personally send them to the parent. This is time consuming but I would use this as an option for parents who call or email about not seeing their child's work.
Solution #10
Something that could be done in addition to the system already in place is to create a class blog. This is a great way to communicate with parents and students when not in school. You can place homework on there along with a notice that graded work will be coming home and on what day. This way the students will know the parents have access to this information and will not be able to get away with taking papers out of their folder any longer.
Solution #11
I think the folder is a great idea maybe you can add the parents into a email telling them what graded papers you are sending home and maybe making a copy of each one.
Solution #12
I would let parents know at the beginning of the week what will be sent home that week (Possibly through email or class website). I would let students know that their parents will be expecting that these specific papers are coming home. This may encourage them to be more honest with their parents.
Solution #13
I think having a different folders for the students to have just for going home paper is a great way for parents to expect papers to home and ensure that papers are actually going home. You should pick a date and make the student take home the folder on that day.
Solution #14
Have the students return the folder with all the papers inside and a parent signature on the front of the folder with the date written on it as to when it was taken home. If they don't bring back a parent signature, they then get a warning or some consequence.
Solution #15
Maybe have the parents sign and return the graded papers. And if they are not being signed then you will know that they are being thrown away or hidden.
Solution #16
Requiring parent signatures next to grades or on tests is a great way to make sure that the papers and tests are getting home. It might also be helpful to have a website that the parents can sign onto to see the quizzes and homework for the week and what they should be expecting to come home. This will keep parents in the loop and happy and alleviate the stress on you to make sure each student places the papers in their folder every day.
Solution #17
One solution, is to observe the students putting those papers into their folders and into their backpacks. If you suspect that certain students are not taking papers home, have a note with what has gone home, and a place for a parent to sign. This ensures that the parents are receiving the papers, and allows you to see that it is happening.
Solution #18
You could make sure each child puts their homework in their folder by doing a check at the end of the day. Have each child show you their folder with their homework in it and make sure they put it in their backpack right before they are dismissed.
Solution #19
Make a checklist and have the parent sign off on assignments received.
Solution #20
I have a Friday folder that I send home. It is a large manilla envelope with all the papers from the week. The parents know to expect the folder on Fridays.
Solution #21
It could be helpful to have an online website too for parents and students that communicates what is going on in the classroom and this can include what is expected to come home grade wise.
Solution #22
When I was in elementary school, we had 'take home folders.' Every Friday, they would send us home with a folder that contained all of our completed work for the week. There was a list stapled on the inside listing what should be there. If not everything was checked off, then the parents knew that something was wrong. If the student came back on Monday without a folder, then the teacher knew that they didn't show their parents the folder for some reason.
Solution #23
you could send out an email letting all of the parents know that important papers and information, as well as, graded papers will be coming home on Friday every week. Inform the parents in the email that if you are going to be out or something has changed you will send an email to let them know that papers will not be coming home that Friday but otherwise expect the papers being in the folder. That way when a parent does not see anything in the folder then they can contact you and let you know and you can talk to the student about the issue.
Solution #24
I am not sure what grade you teach, but if you teach in a classroom where you have the same homeroom students you can have each students parents connect to Class DoJo. You can then send out a message to each set of connected parents telling them which assignments they should expect to see in the folder. Sending out a stapled set of assignments, with a cover page and back page, will show your students parents if they are ripping pages out.
Solution #25
I am not sure how you can get those papers home other than mailing them. But you can keep record of what the student got on each homework assignment and such and email it to the parent once a week.
Solution #26
Something that you could do is send out a list of things to the parents in the form of a checklist that will be in the student's folder that day. That way the parents are aware of all the things you have handed out and they know exactly what to look for. Another thing you could do is have students initial somewhere that they received their papers that way they cannot claim they did not.

I would never do this! This is wrong!

Solution #27
If you want to be sure the parents are seeing the grade, you can use online grading websites that the parent can login and view.

I love online grading. Super easy to do and understand!