Good school attendance often starts with smaller steps, such as arriving and leaving on time. At Athlos Academy, some of the most important learning opportunities for students occur in the morning where they often participate in class huddles, morning announcements, and develop relationships with their peers.
Students Who Arrive and Leave School Early Miss Out on Key Learning Opportunities
Chronic tardiness is when students are consistently late to class and can have dramatic results on a student’s future education and career. Similarly, students who leave school early miss out on valuable instructional time.
Athlos students who arrive late and leave early from school miss out on key learning opportunities such as morning huddles, morning announcements, academic activities, tests and quizzes, and social interactions with peers.
Chronically tardy students are more likely to accept that absence altogether is tolerated, often leading to chronic absenteeism. This not only reflects poorly on the students and the school, but can affect their peers as well. Research has found that not only do students who are chronically tardy perform worse on their test scores, but so do their more prompt peers. The less time students spend in the classroom means the less they can contribute; often leading to class being disrupted, placing group and class projects on hold, and making less significant peer connections.
How to Encourage Punctuality
Studies have shown that using praise as a positive reinforcement is an effective strategy for student attendance. However, family participation is also key to good attendance for younger students. Some of the Athlos tips for good attendance include:
- Establishing and keeping a schedule; children thrive on routine
- Going to bed and waking up earlier
- Preparing for the morning the night before by laying out outfits, packing backpacks, and pre-packing lunches
- If work schedules conflict, investigate other means of transportation, such as carpooling with other families
If your family consistently struggles with school attendance, professionals suggest tracking the average time you’re late by and adding that time accordingly to your schedule. For example: if you are consistently 15 to 30 minutes late in the morning, set your alarm 15 to 30 minutes earlier. Doing this creates a cushion of extra time for unexpected delays.
On Time Students Are Successful Students
Student attendance is one of the most common predictors of academic achievement. Students who consistently miss school hours develop habits that will lead into their adult life, affecting their education, career, and social connections. In contrast, students who participate fully in school activities will have more opportunities to achieve academically, make healthy and informed lifestyle choices, and develop Performance Character traits.
Absence and tardiness in the classroom are some of the most challenging and powerful factors to student success, but through careful self-examination and a little grit, Athlos families will find what can be done to improve attendance in the classroom.
