Around 9:00pm on the second night of school, I received a phone call from one of my scholar’s parents.  I answered the phone and heard the pleasant voice of my scholar’s mom.  She began by explaining that her son was upset with her because she had not completed the contact form that was part of his homework on the first night.  Since he had not completed all of his homework, he did not receive a sticker for Homework Hoopsters* earlier that day in school.  He was one of three students who had not had this part of his homework completed.

I was thrilled to receive the phone call because it confirmed for me that my scholar was invested in class.  He wanted to be a Homework Hoopster and his mom assured me that he would bring it in the next day.  I explained to her my homework policy and she understood that he would not receive a sticker for that day.  It is best to have a hard, consistent stance with homework or else I risk students making up excuses for not returning homework in the future.   I will be sure to give him a shout out in school on Thursday morning.

*Homework Hoopsters is a monthly homework incentive program that I created last year.  On Monday a homework packet is sent in each child’s homework binder with a class newsletter that includes a place for parent’s to sign each night.  The homework for the week is included in each packet, but students only have to complete that night’s homework.  The next day, the homework is checked by a City Year Corps Member and a sticker is placed by a student’s name on a homework tracker prominently displayed in the room.  At the end of the month, the top homework returners receive a sweet treats (ie cupcakes, cookies, brownies, etc) party.  The treat varies from month-to-month.  Those students also receive a Homework Hoopster certificate.