Do your kids ever tell you that they didn't have time to finish an assignment that you gave them weeks to finish? The boys tried using that line this morning as to why they aren't done with two reports (one is 1 page typed and the other is 2 pages typed, and both are on topics that coincide with each other), when they had over 4 weeks to complete these assignments. But I can see how they ran out of time when they waited until like a week and a half before they were due, to even START their research. They were supposed to finish their last "regular" day of school yesterday. But what are they doing today, and most likely tomorrow, and possibly Monday? Working on their reports. What a fun way to spend their first weekend of summer vacation.
I never did deadlines...so I kinda think you're punishing yourself more than them...lol. That said...here's a suggestion. Sometimes when kids put things off, it's because they are either very bored, very confused, burned out, or feel overwhelmed. If you really want them to write researched papers, maybe you could break it into smaller, clear goals. First week....turn in three sources you're using, and 25 3x5 cards for each source, with facts you've gathered. Paraphrase only. No copying! Second week....make piles out of the cards, dividing them into the different subtopics of the topic that you want to cover in your paper. If you come up short on information for a subtopic you think is important, add another source/sources, and add more cards. Make a rough outline of your paper from the subtopics. for example: Report on frogs subtopic one: kinds of frogs and where they live subtopic two: physical characteristics, life cycle of the frog subtopic three: reasons frog populations might be declining subtopic four: current research that is helping frogs subtopic five: how to identify frog songs to help count frogs subtopic six: hypothesis of what might happen to frogs in the future Third week: Write a rough draft of your paper using your outline....have it read by three people, and get input for improvements. Contact an expert about your topic. Fourth week: Write a final draft of your paper. Kids are just learning to write papers. It's a HUGE organizational effort...or it should be. Learning HOW to write something that is convincing, factual, and interesting...isn't something you do without a lot of direction and help at first. Unless these guys are high school age and well versed in research writing, maybe dial back the expectation to more bite-size goals? If they already know how to research and write....what's the point of making them do busy work? If they don't know how to organize and outline...start there instead of giving them a nebulous task.
The boys are ending 7th and 9th grades. We do research papers a few times a year. Usually one big paper and then a few small papers.
Phillip would be off the computer until it got done. That means HE is the one who determines how long he's off.
My high schooler was supposed to do a lightunit (workbook) the very first thing this year for English that required writing a paper. Not huge, on the subject of her choice. The unit gave her all the hand-holdy step by step things to do. Every time I asked her for it, she said "I'm working on it". Well, that kept on until I finally demanded she bring it in on a certain day. Well, she brought me something, but it did not follow at all the layout and parts the unit specified. I gave it back and told her to do it in the format that the unit specified. She had thrown the unit away. She got a zero for the unit and now she has to deal with graduation looming two years from now and being behind because of putting off and putting off. She WILL have to complete all the work required, or she won't graduate until she does. I've explained this numerous times, and have made this HER dog to walk. I've made a calendar of sorts, showing each unit of work that needs to be done in each subject from now until graduation, and how much time is available to work in 5 elective credits. I think it's finally beginning to sink in that she will NOT graduate until it's done, whether it takes an additional semester or an additional year. She's going to be 17 in August before we start up again, because she was behind a year from public school, so I'm trying to prepare her for college deadlines and how stuff must be done according to instructions. She is a "slow and methodical" worker anyway, but with writing especially she gets overwhelmed because she thinks she can't write well.... but she does, if she'll ever get around to it. I think it's perfectly right that your boys, my3legacies, spend part of their summer finishing up their papers, with no electronics until it's done. I can't do that with my girl because she doesn't belong to me.
If they've done this type of assignment a few times before, then yeah, it's all on their heads. If not, I'd give clear, specific goals to meet at several points before the due date like what was said above.
