How to turn in work
The “turn in tray”
Work must be labeled with the student’s full name, section, date, and assignment title.
I use one location for turning work in, and for storing it until I am able to grade it. When I take papers out of the “turn in tray” they go into my “to grade” folder for that class/section, according to how the work is labeled. This system simplifies the task of submitting work, limits the number of times I must handle each student’s work, and keeps work out of other students’ hands. If the work is not labeled, I place it in the “ghost” folder.
The “ghost” folder
When a student is certain they have submitted an assignment that I have marked as missing, most times it will turn up in the “ghost” folder. This a marked folder, below the turn in tray where I place all work (complete or incomplete) that I find around the classroom, on tables, seats, floors, drying rack, countertops, or shelves, and all work that is not labeled with the student’s name and section. Occasionally, when a work is still in progress and we store it in the classroom, I will find it mixed into a file belonging to a different class/section, placed there by a well-meaning student.
Other places to look for missing work
Recently, a student found her missing work between the pages of her own sketchbook, another student found his missing work in his folder for another subject, and another student discovered that she had written the wrong section on her work. Students have come to me in the past with completed work on locker-clean-out day.
Why do I keep student work in the classroom?
I do not take student work out of the classroom until after it has been graded, and then only a few pieces of exemplary work for display. All work will be returned before May 22, 2026.
