Attempt: 1
We, as teachers, should be careful of this issue. Yes, it is complex. Late attendance can be function of mutual disrespect, less interest in the subject, inadequate teaching methods, age of the students.......one strategy fit for all may not work.
Attempt:2
Create competition among latecomers. Mention in class that only first 5 latecomers will be allowed
Attempt:3
Giving a responsibility to late comers may be one of the strategy to give more attention to late comers.
Attempt:4
Make a friendship approach and appreciation for punctual students
Ask the reason for becoming late and remind in the next day the previous reason/ document each day reasons. If that is so the student may regret by him/herself
Lateness is a specific behaviour of a child, it is not a behavioural disorder. Their specific disorder may have a connection with the following one or two reasons:
• Students don’t take responsibility for themselves.
• Students’ expectations are out of line with the teacher's
• Students don’t recognize how their lateness affects others.
• Students don’t perceive the beginning of class as important.
• There is no consequence to being late.
• Students are trying to challenge the teacher’s authority.
• Students are experiencing emotional or psychological problems.
• Students have physical or logistical reasons for coming late.
Reason: 1 Students are learning from their teachers
Teachers who habitually arrive late to class themselves are poor models for their students and should find any reasonable means possible to correct this form of unprofessional behaviour.
Reason:2 Learned from parents and friends - A way of showing off
Habitual lateness to class, much like when friends or family members habitually arrive late for social gatherings and usually infuriate us because of their thoughtlessness, is typically a sign of devaluation of and contempt for teachers and other students who have arrived to class punctually.
¶ How do latecomers disrupt learning?
Latecomers disrupt the learning of the rest of the class, give negative attention to the latecomer, disrupt the teacher's train of thought, often become disruptive talkers after they sit down, and then ask questions about what you just explained
Tips: How can you curtail those problems?
• Leave one or two empty chairs by the front or back door for latecomers. Students who are late are not to walk in front of the room or to go to their regular seats. They must take one of the "late seats" by the door. This will prevent latecomers from disturbing the class already in progress.
• Do not talk to latecomers. Don't accept a late pass or an explanation during class. Ignore them as they come in and motion them to take the "late seat."
• At the bell, mark anyone not in his or her seat absent by marking a small a in your attendance book. Make sure students understand your "latecomer policy" from the first day of school: If you come in late -- after I've taken attendance -- you have been marked absent. If you want me to change your "absent" record to a "late," you must see me after class. Then, I'll change your a to an l. If you forget to see me after class, your a remains." That policy shifts the responsibility of being on time to the student, who now has the burden of remembering to remain after class to change their absent record to a "late."
• Decide on some system like: three ls equals an a and three as equals 5 points off the class grade. That will motivate students to be on time, and to remain after class to change an their as to ls.
• Post a "do-now!" activity on the board or a sheet of chart paper; this is a quick activity that students do each day at the start of the class period. The assignment is always collected 5 minutes after attendance is taken. If a student comes in late and can't complete the "do-now!" activity, he or she doesn't get credit for it. (You might use the collected papers as a means for recording attendance.)
• Give tests back at the beginning of the period. Students who arrive late do not get their tests back until the end of the period or at the start of the class period tomorrow.
• Sometimes the coordination of an entire school policy on lateness is the best strategy. For instance, one school worked collaboratively to institute a strict policy of locking the classroom doors as soon as the late bell rang. That, coupled with "hall sweeps" of any stragglers, was quite effective. • Latecomers were channeled to a detention room where a careful record of lateness was kept.
Each infraction carried a consequence:
× After the first lateness, the student got a warning.
× After the third lateness in one day, the student's ID card was held until a parent came to school.
Parents got letters informing them about the plan and enlisting their cooperation.
