Extensions

I have a paper due tomorrow. I'm not writing it, but expecting a bunch of tenthy graders to write it. I assigned it a while ago and designed an assignment that would be interesting, engaging, challenging and, most importantly, doable in the time allotted.

I also stressed to my class that i wanted the paper printed up and ready on the due date. Tomorrow is the last day before winter break and I need the papers so I can have something to torture myself with and put off grading! Is it really a midterm break if I can't look at a pile of papers scornfully? If I can't procrastinate and feel a bit guiltier every day.

By Friday, I started getting emails from students asking for extensions. They had had left the work until now and weren't planning on having time over the weekened so could they have an extra week and a half and hand the paper in after vacation? I asked for a reason and was told that the students were open and honest about the fact that they simply didn't do the work yet. There is another paper due and life is tough -- nothing that doesn't apply to a slew of other students so I can't set the precedent.

I said "no."

Asking for an extension seems to me to be an emergency and last resort. Despite the best laid plans, life happens and occasionally, only rarely, we need a tiny bit of extra time to put the finishing touches on the work. Unfortunately, we have institutionalized the extension and have made it acceptable and even expected to ask for extra time. And I hate it.

A student emailed to explain that his flight, scheduled for Wednesday was moved up to the earlier Sunday so he wouldn't be in school this week and needed an extension. I'm not believing that. Regardless of the potential weather concerns for Wednesday, I can't imagine an airline insisting that its customers fly 3 days early (unless that airline is in the pockets of my 10th graders...). Another student reassured me that he had actually started the paper (it is a mark of pride that he didn't wait until tonight) but might not get it done and if it snows three inches tonight, all bets are off. We have set our students up to make the "night before" the proper time to start work instead of planning and pacing themselves over an extended period of time. We reward irresponsibility and punish those who stick to agreed upon dates.

And I'm getting emails from students who seem just now to have found out that their itineraries require that they pack and spend the day at CVS so they aren't planning on coming in today or tomorrow and this horrible surprise demands that they get extensions for the extra week and a half. One student, who emailed for an extension and received a "no" and now he has followed up with an email saying he wouldn't be in school this week so he HAS to hand it in after vacation. I told him to email it to me this week. I don't hold out much hope in that regard.

I resent this. In fact, I dare say I'm offended by it. I created the due date, publicized it, explained the expectations, warned them against last minute excuses and laid down the law regarding my not giving extensions. I gave them time in class to work, to ask questions, to ask for help. This seems not have dissuaded the students and the calls for an extension are flowing in. 

Are we setting them up for failure by not holding their feet to the fire nor punishing them for their lateness, or are we teaching them important life-coping skills, making them advocate and work to resolve difficulties?