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Since I wrote the original post, I had been cracking down on late comers and I have been attacked by all sides as racist, sexist and incompetent. A few have complained to the administration that I don't understand the needs of a single mother who is black or Hispanic. They told me to loosen up and let it slide!
Next semester put your lateness policy in large letters near the top of your syllabus. And remind the class during the first few lectures and I doubt if you will have very many problems.
Remind administration that you are helping to prepare your students for the real world. Will those single mothers who are black or Hispanic be allowed to frequently come 45 minutes late to their job or medical appointments or even to parent teacher conferences at their children's school without having any repercussions?
so between friday the 7th and wednesday the 12th you've already had time to "crack down" and then have feedback filter through the administration? just how often per week do your 3 hour lectures meet?
something doesn't smell right to me. this all came up, with no related background whatsoever, in the past few days? coincidentally after the post quoted above?
This poster has a history making up all kind of scenarios just to arrive to some bigoted conclusion. Obviously he is not ok. I think the internet board environment allows many people with mental disorders and with altered state of mind to pass as normal. If this poster (and posters like him) said the same things in real life people would realize things don't add up right away, plus these people probably don't look or act very normal in person. The lack of body language helps them blend in with the other posters.
This poster has a history making up all kind of scenarios just to arrive to some bigoted conclusion. Obviously he is not ok. I think the internet board environment allows many people with mental disorders and with altered state of mind to pass as normal. If this poster (and posters like him) said the same things in real life people would realize things don't add up right away, plus these people probably don't look or act very normal in person. The lack of body language helps them blend in with the other posters.
Not referring to the OP one way or the other, but when I get mad about someone here on CD saying this or that, my son tells me, "Mom, if they were ranting and raving on the street corner you'd blow 'em off as crazy, but because they are on the internet you are giving them attention!?"
Are you a college instructor or student? What do you think about students who show up late all the time?
I would take points off their grades for being late - that should help solve the problem. In the business world, being late is also inappropriate. But I am not an instructor or student so maybe this approach is not acceptable. I am all about tough love so students would probably hate me... LOL...
It's been already said... the students are your customer who shell out enormous amounts of money. Just upload the slides to your website so the students can read up on it later. It's none of your business if somebody comes to class or not. Again, they pay YOU. It's your job to teach well so students can actually understand it, and be a little accommodating by uploading it to the website.
Unless somebody is disrupting the class...then that's it.
It's been already said... the students are your customer who shell out enormous amounts of money. Just upload the slides to your website so the students can read up on it later. It's none of your business if somebody comes to class or not. Again, they pay YOU. It's your job to teach well so students can actually understand it, and be a little accommodating by uploading it to the website.
Unless somebody is disrupting the class...then that's it.
It's not disruptive and disrespectful to the entire class if someone walks in late during a lecture? (I haven't read all the posts).
Can you lock the door 5 minutes after class starts?
It's been already said... the students are your customer who shell out enormous amounts of money. Just upload the slides to your website so the students can read up on it later. It's none of your business if somebody comes to class or not. Again, they pay YOU. It's your job to teach well so students can actually understand it, and be a little accommodating by uploading it to the website.
Unless somebody is disrupting the class...then that's it.
This is the craziest thing I have ever read! Why not close down all college campuses and give everyone an A and have all classes online so no one has to come to class.
This is the craziest thing I have ever read! Why not close down all college campuses and give everyone an A and have all classes online so no one has to come to class.
That's what I was thinking! A lot of education happens with class discussion/interaction with teachers/peers - not by simply reading slides/websites. The classroom environment should be protected/respected.
Even some teachers of online classes don't allow a student to enter the live online classroom late. They will block access or boot out latecomers when they log in... The whole thing is disrespectful to the teacher and other students who are participating and may be (even momentarily) distracted by a latecomer. It can affect people's concentration/train-of-thought and diminish the quality of the learning environment.
As I said, if I were a teacher, I'd have zero tolerance for it. Once you are lenient with a latecomer, you are opening the floodgates. I'd set expectations upfront.
Since I wrote the original post, I had been cracking down on late comers and I have been attacked by all sides as racist, sexist and incompetent. A few have complained to the administration that I don't understand the needs of a single mother who is black or Hispanic. They told me to loosen up and let it slide!
Unfortunately this is a common knee jerk reaction to anytime someone of a race or sex has a problem. They play the race/sex card. Sometimes it is warranted. Other times no.
As for the admin saying let it slide, who knows if you were reported by the students or they just hear the race/sex card and side with them based on that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HumanNature
I would never teach a college class where the students got no benefit from attending. I rarely lecture but if I did it would be about things not in the text book and the student would be required to understand and remember what I said in class to pass the test.
These boring lecturers talking about things in the text book talking to a sea of students playing with their Smart Phone are a problem with Higher Education today. But that is not the situation in my class.
Most of the late arriving students come during class activities that we need their participation, so they are holding up the rest of the class by their lateness.
I would make sure cell phone use (this includes smart phone use) is written out in the syllabus and you remind students to follow this on day one and when you catch a few people using them casually. At some point everyone should catch a hint.
I understand people coming later interrupting class activities however how common do people e-mail you before hand saying they will be late. Of course some are unavoidable and you cannot foresee say accidents, speeding tickets, ect. Perhaps putting an e-mail me if you know you will be late or not able to attend in the syllabus as well. I always e-mailed professors if I knew I was missing class.
Quote:
Originally Posted by germaine2626
Next semester put your lateness policy in large letters near the top of your syllabus. And remind the class during the first few lectures and I doubt if you will have very many problems.
Remind administration that you are helping to prepare your students for the real world. Will those single mothers who are black or Hispanic be allowed to frequently come 45 minutes late to their job or medical appointments or even to parent teacher conferences at their children's school without having any repercussions?
I agree with both of these issues. Course policies (lateness, distraction and absence) should be EXPLICIT in the syllabus. This works as a CYA when students question you. If you do not mention lateness of say up to 15 minutes is a tardy while lateness of 15 minutes or more counts as an absence. X number of tardies makes one lateness, Y number of latenesses makes a drop in a letter grade and then whatever the number of your school's cut off for drops are, they can question it and often win if brought up to administration.
I would not just tell admin that being 45 minutes late to a job will not be tolerated and I am preparing you for the real world.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glucorious
It's been already said... the students are your customer who shell out enormous amounts of money. Just upload the slides to your website so the students can read up on it later. It's none of your business if somebody comes to class or not. Again, they pay YOU. It's your job to teach well so students can actually understand it, and be a little accommodating by uploading it to the website.
Unless somebody is disrupting the class...then that's it.
Yeah. Posting slides online helps for notes purposes as well as those who miss class. I found filling in slides printed out with three per side (the ones with note pages) gives room to make side notes to points on the slide. If they do not attend the course, they have a basic knowledge based on the slide. Though I would say they should also read the text book and try to talk to classmates as well. (Of course, not during class hours.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by HumanNature
This is the craziest thing I have ever read! Why not close down all college campuses and give everyone an A and have all classes online so no one has to come to class.
It's not saying they shouldn't go, but they have a LIMITED resource when it comes to class. I remember e-mailing a professor who I said I would miss class for and she said alright but I was responsible for the information received during that class for the test. It's not like reading all the slides will help for every single test answer. They also need to take initiative to read the text book and then ask you for help if they are confused on a topic. Even if they miss it because it maybe a point that is a building block for future course topics.
If this thread is legit, which I am not sure of, it is strong evidence why a tenure system is needed in higher education to maintain standards. If I had a problem with tardiness and instituted a policy to curb it and the administration didn't like it, I would tell them to pound sand, provided I was not in violation of a university policy.
The administration wants to make money, and they often don't look beyond the next budget year. Principles of shared governance give checks and balances that are better for the long term interests of the students and the institution.
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