In order to prevent a student from getting behind due to absenteeism, one should:
- Hire a tutor for them. This will provide extra help for them, so they can stay on track with what the class is learning. Instead of trying to catch up during class, missing even more classwork, the student can make up work after class, and still continue on with current classwork in school.
- Keep the student in from recess/P.E.. This would give the student one on one time with the teacher, and not take time away from learning in class. (This has been done many times in my field site classroom, and though the student may not be thrilled about it, the extra time is always beneficial.)
- Send a video of the lesson and handout home with the student. Last year this was done for me when I was absent due to TAFE State, and it was very beneficial because the video took the place of taking notes in class. A video allows for the teacher to talk through the steps, and also show notes and examples. If a student did this, he/she would no longer be behind in his/her schoolwork because they would complete it in their spare time at home. If they have questions, they could ask the teacher the next day, which takes less time than the teacher having to reteach the entire lesson.
Click here to view a website on absences from school.
In order to encourage good attendance, teachers should talk to parents and persuade them into bringing their children to school. They should note how two absences per month can lead to failure in graduating high school. They could also provide incentives such as letting them bring a stuffed animal to school or picking an item out of the treasure box (depending on the grade) if they have perfect attendance for a certain amount of days. Teachers could also provide consequences, such as not getting to do a fun activity or having to sit out at recess to finish the schoolwork they missed. Whether teachers decide to provide incentives or consequences, it is important for students to attend school so they do not get behind, ending up with suffering grades.
