I have provided 3 types of documentation and instructions on the Argumentative Essay my students have to write. I provided digital and hard copy outlines, and gave thorough instructions. I walked the room, prompted, and given guidance! One week in, and some students tell me today that they have no clue what they are writing about. The assignment is due tomorrow!!! Should I extend the due date, or let them face the consequences?

I’m afraid I would have to let them suffer the consequences. Students have grown accustomed to pushing the limits without any consequences because of weak administrators and COVID Crutchitis! Whenever I give a major writing assignment (one per quarter), I send instructions, the Rubric, the deadline, the sequence of events, AND the penalties to the parents AND administrators. This way no one can claim that he or she did not know the scope and sequence of the assignment. My district is all electronic (?) so all notes, models, prompts, etc are there for administrators (plans submitted the week prior to the lesson and its product), students (daily), and parents (if they bother to check the Learning Platform). I will say that penalties for late work are outlined by the district (ten points per day).

Kids have to learn that consequences happen when they are respond for something and don’t complete it. Out in the real world they would never get away with this. However, I wouldn’t start with giving them a zero. I give them extra days with penalty. It’s unbelievable to me that some kids say, “ I’ll take the 0.” I always tell kids that opting out of work is unacceptable. It must be done.

Yesterday, I got the excuse, "I lost my rough draft and I can't remember what my topic was!... I was finished with it!" I'm like, "You mean you wrote 5 paragraphs with an introduction, 3 sources, a counterargument, and a conclusion, and you can't remember what your topic waa???!!!!" ... I'm sure my infamous eyeroll and headshake surfaced!

This is tough these days. I have sophomores, and they still struggle with writing arguments. There has been so much hand holding that they struggle to write anything on their own. I review elements, give them a sample to annotate, and walk through the process of writing, writing examples in front of them along the way. Anyone who refuses to even try has a 0. All I can tell them is that improving their writing is a process and we will be writing all year.

consequences. A growing problem is learned helplessness.

In my experience, students never learn anything by having the deadline extended. They have to learn how to suffer the consequences at some point. Nothing good ever comes from enabling them by just letting them have longer to finish the essay. I say stick to your original deadline OP.