What to Do When Kids Just Aren’t Turning in Their Work

beginning elementary teachers classroom management new elementary teachers student engagement

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Show Notes:

Even after investing time in designing thoughtful assignments, creating clear rubrics, and building in opportunities for creativity and student choice, the number of missing assignments can still keep climbing. It’s frustrating, and it leaves you wondering: is this a motivation issue, an organizational problem, or something deeper?

When students aren’t turning in their work, it’s easy to feel stuck. But those missing assignments are often telling you more than you think, and they can be the starting point for meaningful change in your classroom. In reality, many students aren’t lacking motivation; they need support in developing executive functioning skills. In today’s episode, I’m sharing simple strategies you can implement to improve student accountability and increase assignment completion through executive functioning support.

The good news (yes, there is good news when students aren’t turning in assignments!) is that executive functioning is a skill set that can be taught and practiced. Many students struggle with planning, organization, time management, and task initiation, which are all skills required to complete and submit work independently. Through practical ideas and easy-to-implement strategies, I show you how to explicitly teach and naturally weave executive functioning skills into your daily routines without adding more to your workload.

Remember, missing work isn’t a motivation problem to punish! It’s a skill gap to support. When students aren’t turning in assignments, it’s an opportunity to look beyond the task itself and focus on the executive functioning skills they’re still developing. When those skills are intentionally taught and practiced, students gain the tools they need to manage their work more effectively and begin building the habits they need for long-term success.

Inside this week's show, you'll learn:

How to build stronger student accountability by developing executive functioning skills.
Simple ways to teach task initiation, time management, and sustained effort that can dramatically improve work completion rates.
Why teachers may need to rethink how tasks are structured, or the gap between assignments and what students can realistically manage will continue to widen.
Whole-class celebration ideas that build community and boost assignment completion.
What students actually need more of when working on projects (even if they don’t ask for it!)
How modeling your passion and enthusiasm impacts student effort and engagement.

Links & resources mentioned inside this episode:

I hope this information is helpful as you prepare for your first, second, or third year of teaching. Until next time, remember, just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy and The Classroom Management Club, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast Beginning Teacher Talk and author of Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com.

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