How to Get Students to Complete Practice Assignments
We agree on our grading philosophy, but my students increasingly choose to not do practice assignments. I actually arrived here looking for a strategy to increase students completing practice assignments.
I recently received this comment on one of my Standards-Based Grading workshop videos, and I think it gets at a frustrating reality for teachers:
How do we get students to complete practice assignments?
That’s a loaded question. Student motivation is complicated, and every class, and every student, is different. What works for one group might completely miss with another.
So rather than offering a list of tricks that will magically make students do their work, I think it’s worth starting somewhere else.
Start by asking: Why aren't students doing the work?
When students consistently aren’t completing practice assignments, it can sometimes be a symptom of something happening underneath the surface.
Think about it like going to the doctor with knee pain. The treatment depends on the source of the problem. You wouldn’t want to simply treat the pain if the real issue requires a completely different solution.
The same idea applies in the classroom.
Before adding another incentive, game, or motivational strategy, try to diagnose the deeper issue.
1. Do students understand the content?
Sometimes students don't complete practice because they don't know how to do it.
When students don't feel confident, avoiding the assignment can feel safer than trying and failing. If I don't try, I can tell myself I simply wasn't trying. If I try and can't do it, I have to confront the possibility that I don't understand it.
Start by checking for understanding.
If only a few students aren't completing the assignment, check in with those students individually. If a large portion of the class isn't doing the work, consider whether the class needs to revisit the content or approach it differently.
It might also simply be that the practice assignment is coming at the wrong time or needs to be adjusted to better match students' current understanding.
2. Do students already know the content?
The opposite can happen, too.
I've had students skip practice because they genuinely believed they already knew how to do it.
First, fact-check their confidence. Give them a problem of your choosing and see what happens.
If they demonstrate that they really do understand the material, give them something more challenging. You might also have them support or tutor another student.
The goal isn't to punish them for being confident. It's to make sure the practice is actually useful for where they are as a learner.
3. Are students tired of practicing the same way?
Sometimes the problem is simpler: we've made practice too repetitive.
If students are doing the same type of assignment in the same way over and over again, consider changing the routine.
Try rotating in card sorts, partner routines, puzzles, games, scavenger hunts, or other collaborative practice structures. Some of my favorites include Add 'Em Up, Bucket of Lies, Card Sorts, and Partner A/Partner B.
You don't need to abandon traditional practice. Just mix up the experience often enough that practice doesn't always feel like the same thing.
4. Is there a relationship or belonging issue?
If only a few students aren't doing their work, take some time to think about your relationship with those students.
Have you checked in with them personally lately? Do you have positive interactions with them? Are you greeting them at the door?
The issue might also involve their peers.
Some students don't feel like they belong in a classroom, and that can affect how willing they are to participate. Pay attention to how students interact with one another and look for subtle signs that a student may not feel safe, valued, or included.
Sometimes the only way to discover what's really happening is to have a personal conversation.
5. Do your seating and classroom structures support practice?
If a large number of students, or an entire class, are struggling to complete practice, I'd look beyond individual students and examine the structures of the classroom.
That includes your grading system.
With Standards-Based Grading, I intentionally create space for students to learn without constantly worrying about grades. That means we have lots of ungraded assignments and activities.
Occasionally, a student will interpret “ungraded” as “unimportant.”
When that happens, I don't abandon the philosophy. I recast the vision.
I remind students why we practice and why we're creating space to make mistakes, learn, and improve without the pressure of a grade.
The same applies to classroom seating and collaboration.
I found that moving students into groups for the entire class period had a tremendous impact on my classroom. When students regularly collaborate, they begin relying on one another, and that can provide another reason to engage with the work.
Of course, group seating can also create more opportunities for students to get off task. The structure itself isn't a magic solution. It requires learning how to create the conditions for productive collaboration and knowing how to teach effectively in a group-seating environment.
We have several posts on the When Math Happens blog that explore group seating and collaborative learning in more depth. You can also check out our Unlocking Curiosity workshop for a deeper look at how to make the transition to teaching with groups.
A quick way to diagnose the problem
If you're dealing with this right now, here's a simple place to start:
Only a few students aren't completing the work?
Talk to those students.
Check their understanding.
Ask what's getting in the way.
Look at relationships and classroom belonging.
A large portion of the class isn't completing the work?
Revisit the content.
Look at the practice assignment itself.
Consider whether students need a different type of practice.
Examine your classroom structures.
Students understand the content but seem completely checked out?
Change the practice routine.
Add some collaboration.
Try something unexpected.
Ask students what would make the practice more engaging.
This isn't a formula, but it gives you somewhere to start.
Once you've addressed the deeper issue, try something new
After you've investigated the underlying issue, then let your creativity flow.
I'm generally cautious about external rewards because I don't want students to expect a prize every time they complete their work. My goal is to build internal motivation through strong relationships, meaningful classroom structures, and a clear vision for learning.
But sometimes students need a boost.
Maybe it's been an exhausting week. Maybe students' stamina is fading. Maybe everyone simply needs a break from the mundane.
That might be the perfect time for a quick Minute to Win It game, puzzle, brain teaser, construction challenge, scavenger hunt, or something completely different.
Even something as simple as, “Once we finish this, I've got something fun planned for the last few minutes of class,” can change the energy.
The key is occasional, not expected.
These moments aren't necessarily about bribing students to work. Sometimes they're simply a way to change the energy in the room, break up the mundane, and build some relational credit with your students.
A simple rule of thumb
If a few students aren't completing their practice assignments, start by checking in with those students. Get to know what's happening and look for the underlying issue.
If a large group or an entire class isn't completing practice, look more closely at the structures of your classroom.
And throughout the process, don't be afraid to ask your students.
Sometimes the fastest way to understand why students aren't doing something is simply to ask them.
It won't be perfect. They're kids. There will be days when everyone locks in and days when nobody seems particularly interested in doing the work.
Practice empathy while holding onto your classroom values.
Keep building relationships. Pay attention to your structures. Try something new. Ask for feedback.
And when you find something that works?
Share it. We could all use another idea.
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