Two weeks ago Wednesday I started covering a special ed. social studies class. The teacher was going to be out for the rest of the calendar year, starting from Tuesday. But on Tuesday, I was already covering the band class.
So, they got a different sub to cover the class that Tuesday. (I don't know why that other sub wasn't given the gig for the next couple weeks. I'm just grateful that I got the work.)
When I went to take roll for the first class of the day, I noticed the big red note: "Attendance not submitted". This note pops up all the time because the time in the attendance software for the classes isn't the time they're actually meeting. But in this case, the note was letting me know that attendance hadn't been submitted for the previous day.
Sigh.
One of the main functions of a substitute teacher is to take attendance. Sure, we're supposed to teach the lesson plan and make sure the kiddos don't get up to no good (very easy to do virtually), but attendance can't be forgotten.
I could, of course, just ignore this. I wasn't there on the Tuesday, so I didn't know who had been there. Not my problem.
But I hate red notes in attendance.
The virtual schedule has each class meeting on alternate days. So, on Thursday I did the only thing I could do. I asked the classes for honesty. I asked them if they had been "in class" on Tuesday.
The students were seniors. Yes, they could lie. But I rather thought they wouldn't. And didn't.
I haven't heard any complaints about students being marked absent that were present since then. So, I think I'm safe. (And I could go in and fix that if necessary.)
Attendance not submitted... Someone was being careless.
ReplyDeleteGlad they were honest
ReplyDeleteSeniors tend to be. Not always, but mostly.
DeleteWell, that's not your fault and they will see that you were not there on the Tuesday...if this does show up.
ReplyDeleteOh, they know that. It wasn't something I had to do, but I felt like I should. Things are difficult enough for the attendance clerks as it is.
DeleteThat isn't fair to you to have to do that, but hopefully they were honest.
ReplyDeleteHonesty is so refreshing. ~fingers crossed~ And thanks for commenting on my kitty's behavior. Yes, it's chilly outside in southwest Ohio but she's been like this for a while. I'll take it for as long as Jezebel's healthy enough to stay with us. :)
ReplyDeleteHopefully that's for a while longer.
DeleteSeems to me the teacher that didn't take the attendance for that day should get "docked" somehow. Should be standard procedure to do it, shouldn't it?
ReplyDeletebetty
It was awfully nice of you to lighten someone else's load.
ReplyDeleteI try when I can.
DeleteThere you go being good again. Just thinking of this; I punch a virtual time clock at work, and it records my "punches" for time in, time out for lunch, time back from lunch, leaving. Too bad they couldn't have a system like that for students to do their own attendance. Except, would they? As someone who has never taught, I am probably quite naive.
ReplyDeleteWould they? In person, I have no idea. The vast majority of the students are honest. But the ones who would take advantage are the ones who need the supervision. (Some students are terrible about attendance, and they would be the ones most likely to cheat.)
DeleteVirtually, I have my little attendance thingy running in the background, so I know who was in class when. Nothing to do on their part.
Maybe that's why they didn't offer the gig to that sub?
ReplyDelete