| The single most important item for the | | | | them better so that you can help them |
| school administration is the school head | | | | with any issues that may be causing the |
| count. The number one question that the | | | | attendance problem. Above all let them |
| superintendent needs to know is how many | | | | know that you care and want to help |
| students are going to be enrolled in | | | | them. Personal commitment to each |
| school for the coming year. In order | | | | student that you are having trouble with |
| for the District to get funding it has | | | | is the solution to the problem. Each |
| to have head count to justify its | | | | student has separate issues so you need |
| expenditure.Corresponding to this is the | | | | to tailor your approach to suite their |
| student count (head count) in your | | | | needs. If you do this you will find no |
| classroom. This information is vital to | | | | only is their attendance better but also |
| your administrators for keeping their | | | | you will be rewarded with having a |
| student count in line with the | | | | student in class that wants to learn and |
| District’s. Therefore, you have | | | | appreciate you, which will empower you |
| to be sure to get all of your students | | | | as a teacher to do better.I was born and |
| to be on time and in class. Absences | | | | raised on the south side of Chicago in |
| are in order if there are permission | | | | Hyde Park Township, near the University |
| slips to cover the missing time. The | | | | of Chicago. As I child I was always |
| real enemy is not absenteeism but | | | | drawing and painting. My father owned an |
| truancy due to missing classes (cuts).To | | | | art supply company, Favor Ruhl & Watson, |
| increase and maintain attendance you | | | | where I was able to get all that I |
| must on the first day of class get the | | | | needed to progress in my work.I have |
| student full attention of the class and | | | | always enjoyed portraiture and landscape |
| explain to them the protocol for school | | | | painting. In High School (Naperville |
| attendance. Explain to them in detail | | | | Central High School) I took Drafting |
| how the system works and how they can | | | | from Mr. Pierce. I quickly grasped the |
| help in you in keeping attendance up to | | | | principles of perspective and drafting |
| par. Make these a team effort by | | | | and hence made a career with both Fine |
| encouraging the students to be in class. | | | | Art and Architectural Renderings.In the |
| The best way to do this is with | | | | mid 1970's I joined the US Navy and was |
| communication with the class. Students | | | | stationed on board the USS Midway, |
| that cut classes will not be motivated | | | | CV-41. The Midway was home ported in |
| by extra points on the grade scale, if | | | | Yokosuka, Japan (A suburb of Tokyo). |
| that were the case they would not be | | | | While in service I traveled all over |
| cutting class in the first place. The | | | | Asia including such countries as Korea, |
| best motivator is working personally | | | | China, Philippines, Singapore, Pakistan, |
| with those students that are not showing | | | | Hong Kong, and Japan. While in Japan I |
| up. Call their home, see them after | | | | learned Japanese. I speak German and |
| school. Walk with them and get to know | | | | Spanish as well. |