Question: Do most art teachers have a solid end date for a project, and if so, how do you determine this? My colleague never gives a definite end date. I am constantly being asked when the due date is, though. When I give a definite date, I have picked poorly—either too early or, even worse, too late. Many students are done and start having behavior issues because they’re bored. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!
Answer: This is how I approach the situation. I set a due date, but not immediately when the project starts. If they ask at the beginning of the project, I tell them I will observe how the class paces before deciding on a deadline. Too many variables can influence the work speed of the students. I wait until the end is in sight, and then I have two critical dates I post on the board:
- The first date I post is the last workday dedicated to the project. I expect about 50% of the students to complete the project on that final day.
- The second date I post is the final turn-in date. That date is about a week after we stop working on the project in class. This allows the student time to arrange completion, whether after school, during study hall, or by bringing work home if necessary.
This system is a pretty standard system arrived at by many art teachers.
One caveat: I allow students who can’t complete projects to email an extension request. In that email, they must explain a reason for the extension (for example, they tackled a more complicated project or were ill, etc.), explain their plan for catching up, and set a date for the completion of the project. This keeps a written record and makes the student responsible for completing the project in a set time frame. Make it clear to the student that most projects must be developed during class. You never want to allow a student to turn in something you’re unsure the student created.
Some teachers, like the colleague of the question writer, don’t set turn-in deadlines. For some people, that might work, but be prepared for an onslaught at the end of the semester, which might leave you scrambling to grade projects at the end of the term. You can mitigate this by reminding students of work that hasn’t been turned in. If report card grades are online and accessible to parents and students, adding a zero as a placeholder can be a motivator.
Some teachers give an estimated due date when they begin a project, but that deadline can be extended if the whole class works well and needs more time. Some teachers will deduct points for projects handed in late. For more information on this topic, visit the article Late Work Policy Options for Art Teachers.
Life would be a lot easier if students worked at the same rate of speed. But, alas, each learner is unique. Some students act like it is a race they desperately want to complete first, while others will work painstakingly slowly, trying to make everything perfect. How to narrow the gap between the quick and slow workers goes hand in hand with this question. To read more about that, see my article, Narrowing the Divide: The Art Room’s Early Finishers & Laggards.
