Provo class aims to beat national homework record

PROVO — For the first two years of her teaching career, Tiffany Rueckert hated the daily task of badgering students for not doing their homework.

This year, the students in her sixth-grade class at Rock Canyon Elementary School agreed to a lofty goal — all would complete every bit of homework for five straight days.

They floundered for three months. Slowly, however, they began to change. Some began to come in early to finish homework before the bell rang. A few times, Rueckert said, students noticed others who forgot to take an assignment home and brought it to them.

They finally succeeded just before Thanksgiving and then set a new goal: 10 straight days by Christmas.

Now, they've done more than 10 days. They're at 23 and counting, with a goal of breaking the national record of 62 days. And they have their eyes fixed on hitting 100 consecutive days of 100 percent homework done.

"That's a huge accomplishment for elementary school," Rueckert said. "A lot of kids have trouble making homework a priority. It's great to see them make school a priority, make homework a habit."

Rueckert enjoys the determination she's seeing in her students. They accomplish their work and don't put it off for any little excuse that comes along.

Student Janae Wood said her math homework was the hardest to complete, but doing it with friends helps.

"It's hard to get the whole class prepared," Wood said. "Because if only one person doesn't do their homework, we have to start over. Sometimes we call each other at home as a reminder."

Brigham Young University sophomore Kara Petersen volunteers for Rueckert two days a week. "They're really unified," said Petersen, an elementary education major. "Homework check every morning is a big deal to them."

Rueckert took the idea for the homework challenge from "The Essential 55," a book written by Ron Clark, a former teacher.

The other two sixth-grade classes at the school took up the challenge, and one has made it to five straight days. That class and Rueckert's had a soccer party for reaching that goal. Rueckert's students enjoyed a Christmas party for reaching 10 days and, on Friday, they celebrated 20 days with another bash.

"I told them that after every 10 days we'll have a celebration," Rueckert said. "If they can work that hard on their own, we can take a little bit of class time to celebrate."

The entire class must have homework and class work assignments completed on time. No partial work is accepted. Only school days can be counted, and every student must turn in their homework — no exceptions.

"I get so nervous," Rueckert said. "I called four or five students just last night to make sure they're OK and that they understand everything."

On Monday, the challenge will resume. Each day counts — and they are counting.

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E-mail: tsotomayor@desnews.com