Remedial Sessions: Solution on Tardiness of Grade Eight- Verbena students of Balungisan National

High School

I. INTRODUCTION

The problem of student tardiness was reported by principals over the past two decades as being

one of the major problems facing 21st century high schools. One of the most recurring and the most

frustrating problem that the schools are having with their students nowadays is tardiness (Sprick and

Daniels, 2007). It creates problems, not just to the students but also to the teachers. Year after year, many

of the schools across the country share in the major dilemma of struggling with tardiness. One researcher

from Kidapawan National High School, cited an alarming statistic on student tardiness in attending the

flag ceremony as well as in attending to their subsequent classes[2].

Attendance and punctuality is important for all students whatever their age and is essential for

every student’s academic, social and personal development. Punctuality is one of the virtues beyond

reproach. Much of the time and wealth will be saved if this virtue will be carried out to the system of

every responsible citizen. Punctuality will encompass all of the positive action in all aspects. Though it

was less appreciated in other situations like productivity against punctuality, none the less, it is still very

vital in situations that needed it most.

One major consequence of student tardiness is the loss of instructional time. The time actually

spent in schools teaching is at a premium and with disruption caused by student tardiness, teachers and

students are faced with interruptions in the teaching and learning environment. Did you know that 5

minutes late every day is equivalent to 3 days of school lost each year; 10 minutes late is 6 days lost; 15

minutes late is 10 days lost or 2 whole weeks; 20 minutes late is 13 days lost and 30 minutes late is

equivalent to 19 days lost or nearly a month. Thus, it is really important for the students to arrive in

school on time.
 A good education helps to give students the best possible start in life. Students who do not attend

school regularly miss out educationally and socially, making it harder to succeed and harder to make

friends. All parents are responsible for their child’s punctuality and attendance at school.

Based on the previous attendance of all grade seven students of Surabay National High School,

the researchers observed that the number of students coming in school is only about half of the total

grade seven population. Many educational leaders have engineered a variety of methods, strategies, and

techniques to combat the student tardiness problem. A number of strategies have been successful, while

others have not. Through this, the researchers aim to reduce this problem to 0% through remedial sessions

that will be implemented by the teacher-advisers.

II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Tardiness

There is about 55% of the Grade Eight students of Balungisan National High School who is

always late in coming to school specifically during first period of classes. This problem had accumulated

from tolerable to habitual state and it has a significant impact in their performance at school. Most of the

class had been believed to be influenced by their peers and will be embedded in their mind pattern until

college and ultimately to their vocation and their adventures in life. Other students had just the difficulty

in optimizing their time as their subject related activities grows in bulk.Reported incidents on online

games cyber addiction were prominent.

Williams (1992) of New York Daily Newsquoted that experts tell that the perpetually unpunctual,

whether consciously or unconsciously, intend to be late and sometimes tardiness is a learned pattern of

behavior[1].

A 1996 report from the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educational Statistics,

entitled Student Absenteeism and Tardiness, encapsulated the dilemma with the following statement:

An important aspect of students’ access to education is the amount of time actually spent in the

classroom. When students are absent from school, arrive late, or cut class, they forgo opportunities to
learn. Furthermore, when students disrupt classes by being late or frequently absent, they interfere with

other students’ opportunities to learn].

Teachers were frustrated with the amount of classroom disruptions caused by the lack of control

in the school, especially when it came to student tardiness, and the problem was draining the life out of

the school[3].

The following guidelines in attendance and punctuality as stated in the paragraph 1.2,section 1,

chapter 3, part IV of 2000 DECS service manual shall be observed.

- Habitual tardiness specially during the first period in the morning and in the afternoon shall not

be allowed.

B. Remediation

Remedial Education is defined in the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary as ‘connected with

school students who are slower at learning than others.

The remedial teaching can also be defined as the name implies, is designed to cater to the needs

of children unable to keep pace with the teaching-learning process in a normal classroom.’Remedial

teaching will act as a safety valve for the students who are behind the expected level of

Achievement..

C. Remedial Classes versus Traditional method of Punishment

There are case studies that explores the strategies and practices used by schools to help reduce

student tardiness. A traditional method included was "students being given one hour of detention and a

letter was sent home at the fifth tardy level, suspended for three days at eleven tardies, suspended five

days for sixteen tardies, and given ten days suspension for every five tardies past that level". It was found

that suspensions were the most effective strategy while detentions were the least effective. Other

strategies included "sweeping the hallways" for students still out of classrooms after the start of class, and

having them sit in a "tardy room" to wait until the next class period. Any periods missed were to be made

up after school hours.

 Instead of these traditional punishments to lessen students’ tardiness, the researchers think of an

alternate intervention which is through remedial sessions.

III. HYPOTHESIS

Conducting remedial sessions for 3 months period an effective way in reducing tardiness for

grade 8 students at Balungisan National High School.

IV. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aimed to determine the effectivity of conducting remedial sessions to reduce tardiness of

grade eight students of Balungisan National High School. Specifically, this will answer the following

questions:

1. What is the percentage of the grade eight students who come to school late?

2. On the basis of finding the problem, the following strategies are implemented.

V. METHODOLOGY

Table 1.Percentage of Tardy Students Before Conducting Remedial Sessions

Class Involved Total Number of Average Number of Percentage

Students Students Late
Grade 8 – Verbena

Table 1 shows that out of ___ students ___ students are always late in going to school.
 Table 2.Percentage of Tardy Students of Grade Eight Verbena After Conducting Remedial

Sessions

Classes Involved Total Number of Average Number of Percentage

Students Students Late
Grade 8 - Verbena

Table 2 shows that the number of tardy students decreases to _______ after conducting
the remedial sessions.

VI. STRATEGIES OF IMPLEMENTATION

A. Gathering of daily attendance.

B. Orient/ Inform parents of their students attendance to class during the 2nd Quarter Card Day.
C. Present the intervention to both parents and students.
D. Implementation
Phase 1 : Documentation
Phase 2: Strategies
Phase 3: Evaluate

Activity Objectives Strategies Time Budget Persons Remarks

Frame Responsible
Remedial Reduce  Identify the October, Researcher
Sessions tardiness in number of 2017
grade eight students who
students are tardy per
section.
 Get the
frequency of
tardiness of
the students
 Prepare November, Researcher
lesson plans 2017 to
and remedial January
materials . 2018
 Conduct
remedial
classes.
  Get the January Researcher
frequency of 2018
tardiness of
the students
after
conducting
the
intervention.

VII- RESULTS AND EVALUATION

Based from the result which can be seen in table 2 it shows that if remedial classes will be done
regularly no students will be late because they have no time to go out from their classes.
Bibliography

Electronic Sources:

1. October 26, 2016:

[1]http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1992-08-20/lifestyle/9208190372_1_colby-boss-minutes-
late

2. October 26, 2016

[2] http://rimmon-educationalinthephilippines.blogspot.com/2012/04/action-research-on-
tardiness.html

3. October 26, 2016

[3] http://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1319&context=etd

4. October 26, 2016

[4] www.slideshare.net/jayson hernandez1612/school-discipline-rules-of-procedure

5. October 26, 2016

[5]http://indianresearchjournals.com/pdf/IJSSIR/2012/September/5.pdf

6. October 6, 2016
[6] https://askwonder.com/q/what-are-some-effective-interventions-to-reduce-studentchronic-
lateness-tardiness-at-the-high-5568810b4d58fb4f00458039

Prepared by:

HAYDEE A. RICABLANCA
Teacher I