Meet Deadlines

In On schedule from Seth Godin's Blog, Seth Godin states,

"Don’t miss deadlines."

In my opinion, meeting deadlines is so important. When I meet a deadline, I’m saying that I respect the other person enough to do what is agreed upon by the time agreed upon. If I don’t think I can meet a deadline, I say so before agreeing to anything or taking on that project.

Currently, I’m teaching two courses that involve deadlines. If students register for a class, they understand and agree to meet the deadlines that are required by the instructor. If students don’t think they can complete the work, they shouldn’t take the course. I don’t accept any late work for this reason. If students can’t meet the deadlines set at the beginning of the course, it reflects on their commitment and professionalism.

I feel when you don’t meet a deadline you are showing a lack of respect to the other person. You are saying that your time is more important than the other person’s time and what they need are not as important as your needs.

When I was teaching in public schools I tried hard to always meet deadlines given or submit things before the deadline. I would not allow myself to turn in anything late. This is something that I could control. If there were extenuating circumstances that were not in my control, I would talk about extending the deadline if possible.

This is a simple concept to follow: Don’t miss deadlines!

How do you feel about deadlines? Please share.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Deadlines Scare Me

In Deadlines: Motivators or Stressors? From Lisa Ricard Claro – Author,  Lisa Ricard Claro asks,

“Which type of person are you? Do you thrive on the pressure of a deadline or do you use the deadline to keep you on task?”

I confess to hating deadlines. I know they are a necessary evil but I despise them. A deadline to me is like having the world hanging over my head waiting to crash down on top of me. I’m so afraid that I will miss a deadline and look like an awful person.

If I know something needs to be sent to someone by a certain time, I flag my email. Then I try to send it to them as soon as possible so I don’t forget about it.

I pay all of my bills online and make sure they are submitted a day or two in advance because I’m afraid there will be some glitch and it won’t be recorded on time.

When I taught and had to have a report turned in to my principal, I would plan on having it completed at least a week in advance.

Even with my classroom lessons, I would plan everything a week in advance. Then I would have all my supplies prepared that week in advance. I worried that the copier would break or I wouldn’t remember to bring in all the necessary materials.

I will be speaking at a conference in March and I’m already stressing out about it. I’ve had some rough notes already done and ideas are swarming around my head. I know I need to start on the actual presentation but I haven’t.

So, for me, deadlines are both motivating and stressing. I hate the way they make me feel.

In the past, I have joined knitting contests and scrapbook contests with deadlines. This past year, I only entered one contest that has a monthly deadline and I finish my project in the first week so I don’t have to worry about it all month. This has really made my knitting and scrapbooking much more fun for me.

So, I’ve decided that unless I have a deadline needed for a professional obligation, I am not putting any more deadlines on me. This is a choice I can make. I won’t let guilt or the fear of making someone disappointed cause me to make a commitment that involves deadlines. I realize that deadlines take the fun out of things for me. 

I need to remember that my students may feel the same way that I do. I don’t want to take the fun out of learning but I do think deadlines teach responsibility. When they get out in the real world, there will be deadlines that they will need to meet. But I need to make sure that if they are learning something for fun, I do not take the fun out of their learning.

How do you feel about deadlines? Please share.

Day 12 Homework

On the Free Technology for Teachers Facebook, the twenty day blogging challenge created by Kelly Hines was mentioned and I decided to give it a shot. So here is the challenge for today:
“Talk about homework. Do you give it? Why or why not? What types of HW do you give? How do you balance it with other demands?”

I give homework but I don’t give any homework unless I know that my students can be successful with it. I do not use it as a punishment. I do not give it out of meanness because I want my students to work outside the classroom. I do not want my students to work on homework for more than an hour outside of the classroom. I also do not accept any homework early so that everyone turns it in at the same time. This keeps things from being mixed in with other assignments or a discrepancy in whether something has been turned in or not.

My students and their parents are told that there will be homework every night except weekends and holidays. This way there can be no misunderstanding on whether there is homework due or not. Parents also have my phone number and email address in case their child says there is no homework or that they turned it in already.

I give homework for several reasons.
1. Homework is a good way to practice new skills.
2. Homework teaches responsibility.
3. Homework teaches doing outside work independently.
4. Homework teaches students to complete work for a deadline.
5. Homework teaches students to organize their time.
6. Homework teaches a student that there are some things that need to be done that we don’t want to do.

Do you give homework? Why or why not? Please share.

Image: 'home work routine'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/4195916777
Found on flickrcc.net

Are Deadlines for Real?

Recently on Facebook, I got into a discussion with a friend whose daughter is trouble because of low grades. Unfortunately for the student, she was going to have her Iphone taken away. The mother’s concern is this,

“I think the part that bothers me the most is that she will come home and say, my grades not that low I just need to turn this or that in. Makes me so mad that teachers allow kids to turn in assignments whenever they get good and ready. Anything to make the school look good and pass those kids. They pretty much beg the kids to please do the work. Really???? When I was in school you did it and turned it in when it was due or it was too bad for you.”

I had to agree with her but my response was,

“I think that is why many kids don't take responsibility for their actions. They feel that they don't have to be accountable. Of course, there are many parents who raise Cain at the teachers who don't give the kids leeway on assignments and threaten to sue. Usually the squeaky wheel gets the grease so these parents usually get their way. Then teachers feel tired of beating their heads against the wall and instead of setting themselves up for a fight, they usually just let kids get their way.”

I also stated,

“Better that she learn a lesson at this age then when she has a job and gets fired. Real life is so different than school life and kids need to know that. A boss would not put up with missing deadlines the way teachers do. “

I guess I saw both sides of the story from a parent’s point of view and a teacher’s point of view. But I have to say it is time for teachers to stand steadfast with their deadlines. It is time to make students accountable for the actions (or their lack of action). I don’t think we should buckle down to some of the parents who want their children to pass despite their lack of responsibility. Many parents just want their child to get good grades even though they don’t deserve it. Unfortunately these students are set up for failure when beginning a career. They don’t understand that on the job, deadlines are for real. A boss does not want to hear excuses but wants to see results. If we let students get away with failing to meet deadlines, we are doing a major disservice to them. They will eventually be unable to hold a job until they realize that deadlines are for real.

How would you have answered this parent? How do you handle deadlines in your class? Please share.

Image: 'Time'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24742305@N00/2331754875