Homework. 0%

I thought homework turnout was measly when I gave it in Theatre Arts. Little did I know turnout is almost as bad in a major subject!
Stealing from a great teacher (and equally great friend) in our building, Ms. Pick, I have come up with a more effective way of holding the students accountable for their work. Here's the layout:
If a student misses 2 homeworks in the same week and DOES NOT stay after to make up those homeworks the same day they miss the second, they will get a phone call home alerting their parents.
You'd think that would increase the amount of HW turned in AND the amount of students staying after.
Not so!
Today I had 2 students stay after. That was 2 out of 10 students. 20%. I have to call 80% of the students. I have 73 students total. In 2 days, 20 of them (or about 25%) didn't have their homework either day. That doesn't include the students who have turned in only 1 of 2 homeworks this week. Let's see...30 kids. 41% have done only 1 homework this week. which means 50 students (well over half!) have done one or less homework this week. And it's only Tuesday.
Kudos to those kids that do their homework regularly. I will certainly reward them with a homework pass at the end of this week.
But what do I do about what I can only call a homework failure rate???
I'm at a loss.

Part 1: Man oh man!

In a previous blog I described part 1 of my 2 part pantomime unit as "ok."

This week, my students proved me wrong. Man oh man did they EVER! I would like to be able to post a video of some of the scenes. Maybe I'll figure that out some time.

The scenes are not particularly deep, there is no greater understanding of mankind revealed, but their willingness to trust one another, trust their classmates and try something so creative WAS revealed.

And I am thankful to be the teacher who gets to witness the unveiling.

Next week I am starting part 2 and am a little nervous now. How can we improve after doing so damn well?!

The students are getting grouped randomly too, based on a music selection. Which...I don't think they'll be too pleased with, but they need to get used to working in a variety of groupings.

Anyway, I've settled on the following musical selections:
Carmina Burana, Carl Orff
Bleeding Love, The Vitamin Quartet
Rescued! Silent Movie piano piece
Ride of the Valkyries, Wagner
Dawn of the Dead, can't remember the title!
This is Halloween, Marilyn Manson
and maybe...
Around the World, Daft Punk (it would replace one of the above songs)

If you know of any other great songs (preferably without words) that would accommodate story telling, please let me know! I'd love to have a repertoire of songs I can turn to.