I numbered my students in every class. The process was simple, I alphabetized the class and then assigned a number.  They knew their assigned number, and they put their number in the top right-hand corner of their homework and test papers.

My class was set up in tables with four students at each table, two odds and two evens. Each class period I would pick a number (largest odd number at each table) to put the homework papers from that table in a specific order. Sometimes I would ask for least to greatest on the top, or greatest to least.

I used numbering in my 3^rd – 5th-grade classes, but it can be used in any classroom above 2^nd grade. Below second grade a cheat sheet of the numbers in order was created in case the student needed assistance checking the numbers in order. The monitor would have the option of using it to check against until it was no longer needed. This just reinforced the counting and counting principles.

Then, the classroom monitor would quickly move about the room and pick up the papers based on the order given. If greatest to least was selected, they would start at the table with the greatest number first and work back to number 1, placing each stack on top of the previous one till reaching number 1 and vice versa for least to greatest. It took some thinking at first and some logic, but we ended up with a stack of papers in order from one to the last number in the room. This process allowed the classroom monitor (student of the day) to quickly thumb through the papers and see what numbers were missing.

As the monitors came to a missing number, they placed that number on the board and placed a circle on the chart next to that number for that homework day. The other students received a check for turning in their homework.

After a month or so of using this process, some monitors might even write the number on the board, turn and wait to see if that person did miss turning in their homework before putting the circle on the chart. This pause helped to produce some homework that might have been missed. Some students would ask if they could come back to them at the end of checking the papers and that they would have it ready, requesting that they wait just a minute on giving them the circle.

Now, the rule was that if you came up with the homework by the end of class your number was removed from the board and a check was placed in the circle in the chart. However, the circle remained on the chart to show that the homework was completed by the end of the period or even that day, just not at the beginning of the class period. Their number stayed on the board until they completed that homework. 

This whole process of collecting papers and recording missing homework soon took about 4 minutes from start to finish with only one student moving about the room. Within the first 5 minutes of class starting, I knew who was missing their homework without any hassle or confusion. What I loved is that the students handled it all, so I could welcome the class and get things set up for the lesson.

At the end of the class period, I would highlight the circles on the chart for homework still missing and record the numbers for that day. The rule soon became (determined at a class meeting by the students when I brought this issue to them for a solution) that after three yellow circles a parent or guardian was called.

As a result, some students started bringing me their papers before the end of the day to avoid messing up the class percentage. They already had a circle, but now at least they had a check mark before the day ended.

Soon after starting this process, the children decided that five yellow circles even with a check warranted a parent call (I told you they were harder on one another that I ever would have been).

The students came up with this rule because we sometimes graded the papers during the day and they felt that “all” the papers should be turned in before the end of the class period to be acceptable. They started to put themselves in my shoes and see the inconvenience of the late papers on the person grading them, and that was exciting.

Also, they decided for any student that must have their parent called twice, a parent visit was warranted, so they could see the chart and see that others were doing their homework and turning it in on time. The process worked like a charm; the students would drag other parents in the room and show them the chart in hopes that the parents would encourage homework to be turned in on time by their child.

We had a class goal of 100% homework per week (they thought it up for a reward) and they were on a mission to get all the homework done. The final power of the chart came on open house night or curriculum night for some.

The children and their parents walked by the chart to come into the classroom. Parents knew their child’s numbers because it was on their folders and each paper they turned into me. All the parents could see that their child was one of only a few missing some homework.

After that event, we received classroom pickles (they selected the reward) for almost three months in a row without fail. Peers were helping peers get homework done at breakfast, lunch, and recess to keep our classroom average going.  This encouraged peer-to-peer tutoring, and students supporting one another’s learning.

No missing circles were accepted, I encouraged students to complete the homework before the end of the week, so no circles were left open on their chart. The message this sent was that homework was valuable and that it needed to be completed and not just for a grade but to help them learn. I communicated the reason for the homework was to refine and recall skills which helped the student to develop a deeper understanding of the concept and better memory recall. This ownership of their learning seemed to be the very thing that helped them value the homework.

I have provided three FREE grids for you; Attendance, Homework, and a Blank Grid.