How to Handle Extra Credit Requests


Do you have any extra credit I can do?
 
When are you giving out the extra credit?
 
I can’t raise my grade because my teacher doesn’t give extra credit…


​​Do any of these sound familiar to you?
 
For the longest time the concept of extra credit has been so frustrating for me. Why can’t they just do the regular work?  Don’t they know that if they did the regular work, their grade would go up?
 
It’s the day before the end of the grading period. And that student who has barely turned in half the work comes up to you with that big pouty face, begging for extra credit work to raise their grade.
 
Yeah, like that’s going to happen.
 
As much as we try to help students succeed, try to make our classes manageable for them, and push them to be successful independent learners, it just doesn’t always work out the way we wish it would.
 
So what do we do?
 
I’ve actually had parents angry with me for not offering extra credit. Ugh.
 
And I’m sorry but I can’t accept late work from the first week of the grading period, on the last day before grades are due.  Nope. Not going to happen.
 
Late work has always been another frustration for me. But that’s a story for another day!
Master the 6th-grade transition with the exact systems
​I use to build independent scholars.

For now, let’s talk about what you can do about this extra credit battle. 

I will offer extra credit ONCE a quarter. That’s it. I tell my students this at the start of the school year. It’s in my syllabus. It’s what I tell parents. If students want the extra credit opportunity, they have to take it when it’s offered. And it’s not something they can do the night before grades are due, either.
 
So what does my extra credit look like? It’s different depending on what I’m teaching at the time. But let me tell you, it’s substantial work. It’s something that will expand their learning on the current subject. It’s more than a worksheet – it’s meaningful.
 

First quarter extra credit is my favorite, and what I perceive as most valuable. It involves the parents and requires students to reflect on their daily performance in class. In my school district, mid-quarter reports are only sent at the secondary level if a student is earning less than a C in a core class. So, I print individual student reports for EVERY student – it includes every individual item I have plugged into the gradebook for our entire first unit. On the back, goes the reflection/extra credit piece. Typically, these reports go out on Friday, and they are due on Monday. If students submit them later than Monday, I simply award fewer points.

Go HERE to get my Extra Credit/Reflection form.

The four categories listed on the reflection are the same four categories I use in my gradebook. IF students are already earning high scores in class, the reflection requires them to think about how they will maintain their high level of achievement.
 

Second quarter we are learning about ancient Egypt. There are so many historical fiction novels on Egypt! The first day of the quarter I make arrangements with the librarian – students have a chance to check out a book of their choosing, from my approved Egypt list! Essentially they have to complete a book report for me, and they are given about 6 weeks to do it.
 

Third quarter we are learning about ancient Greece. Depending on the year, the winter Olympics may or may not be happening. I provide a brief reading about the ancient games. Students have to write me a compare and contrast essay about the games from ancient times and the games today.
 
​
Fourth quarter extra credit is another favorite. It’s not something they can prepare for, really. It’s a chance to reward those diligent, responsible students. I always have my students track their unit test scores, notebook scores, and map test scores in their notebooks. Well, at the end of the year I award extra credit to any student who has successfully tracked all their scores for the year.
 
Students always want to know how many points the extra credit will be worth. My answer is always – that depends on the quality of your work. The more you can impress me, the more points I will award you! This helps motivate them to do their best work.
 
There are usually three types of students who will actually take me up on my extra credit offers. Students who are straight A, I’ve got to earn as many points as possible mentality. Students who are really into the topic and want to know everything they can. And students who are usually average performers, but have parents who insist they do any extra credit option available.
 
Quarter two and three are a lot of work, so I am usually generous with awarding points.
 
This is what I do to alleviate the constant nagging for extra credit. It’s not a lot of extra work for me, and I feel it’s valuable for my students if they do it.
 
Do you offer extra credit? 

If you're interested...

You can purchase my Quarter 1 Extra Credit Reflection for Students - already formatted and ready to print! Check It Out!

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Teaching with Textbooks | Teach Like Midgley

I’m Hillary Midgley, and I help teachers move from classroom chaos to streamlined success with no-frills systems that make managing student work easy. New here? Start with the Manage Student Work ebook.