Students without textbooks

Dirac

Hi,

I was wondering how other teachers manage to cope with this. In my school, we give students the choice of joining the book rental scheme or buying their books themselves. This year, there is a huge problem with students doing neither. In one yeargroup, 42% of students have no textbooks!!!!

The school is very well equipped in terms of ict, with each classroom having an interactive whiteboard and access to electronic versions of most of the textbooks. While this allows teachers to do work in class, the problems arise when it comes to homework, etc.

Yes, I know about Moodle, etc., but the students are from an economically deprived area and most would not have net access, never mind a pc at home.

I don't want to go down the road of providing photocopies because that suggests to those that have got textbooks that they really didn't have to get them - that the material would be provided for them anyway.

Any suggestions????

Miss Lockhart

I'd also be interested to hear some suggestions.

I have a number of students who have lost their books and are refusing to replace them. These books were provided through the book rental scheme.

School policy does not allow photocopying for these students and my photocopy allowance would not cover it anyway.

I'm concerned about how an inspector would view this as well as obviously frustrated by the chaos it causes on a daily basis in terms of class work and homework.

seavill

In relation to the book rental scheme as a school and as a group of teachers it may be worth suggesting that the book rental becomes compulsory for the entire school.
I worked in a school in the past where initially the book rental was only for a small number but there was a stigma associated with this and it became a bit of an issue for the pupils involved. So you ended up with those that could not afford the books but refused to be seen to be taking up the book rental. In the end they just went for the book rental for the entire school.
Obviously you do end up with the situation where books are lost or damaged and this is a different issue to deal with. When I was in school we all had the book rental and we were terrified to even wrinkle a corner of a book and that's only 10 years ago so not that long back, but it would definitely be a consideration. as a staff.
Yes you will still have a small prob of those "losing" books (or as I discovered in the past throwing them in the bin) but I would suggest from experience that this will be come maybe 2 or 3 % of the entire school never mind 42% of just one year group.

As for dealing with the issue, in class I would always have 4 or 5 copies of the books that I have built up over the years ready on hand for anyone without one. Even old versions still have the same stuff.
For homework you don't have a lot of choice either photocopy the sheets or they borrow your books and bring them back the next day. Even the worst of lads will bring them back if you have a decent relationship with them and play the guilt card a little bit with them.

Again in the previous school the weakest group worked a lot on handouts etc. due to probs with books. There was a set in the classrooms for them in most subjects and all homework was given to them on sheets. They were given a folder with plastic pockets to put the homework in so each day they only had a small folder to bring home rather than a bag of books which for the tough guys was a big issue not a hope would they bring home a schoolbag but were willing to bring home a folder. They ordinary copies could fit into the folder too to do the homework into.
The folders became like an extension of their arms. The same folder for every subject with labelled plastic sleeves for each subject. It was presented by every student to every teacher and all homework was given with it.

This is obviously not a solution for an entire school but they are some strategies that were successful in the past that I have experienced.

F.A.S.H

Are you in a primary or secondary school? I suppose it doesn't really matter, but I cant believe your school give them the choice, normally it's one way of the other.

Could you send a letter home to the 42% informing them about the problem?

Anyway. if you are secondary it moght be easier to give them homework which they can take down from the board, maybe stay in at lunch and write it (they wouldn't be long about getting the books then) or a buddy system, where people living near each other can borrow books or do their homework together.

Another option (which may be difficult for younger children) is to get them to extend their learning, for example, do a brainmap about WWI ( obviously, if you havent already taught the subject it's more difficult), get them to come up with their own Maths questions / basic exams. Things that they do not need books for but still reiterating the knowledge they learned that day.

Have you talked to your principal about it?