Make up work
It is helpful to know school policy regarding make up work and having policy in writing.
Discuss with students the procedure for make up work, and penalties for late assignments.
This is very true. I want to be flexible with students and nurturing to their educational goals. However, it is imperative that I abide by my school's policies. These policies have been adopted to create an unbiased, equitable learning environment for all students. Thank you for sharing that important reminder.
Angela ,
It's good to have all the policies, practices, and information pertinent to grading in writing and discussed up front. However, students will still challenge, whine and complain. At least when it's written, students can't complain they didn't know. I have students sign that have have read, received a copy of, and understand all the salient components of my syllabus.
Barry Westling
Lissa,
Right. Part of the instructional process is accountability and student responsibilty.
Barry Westling
Make up policies must be clearly outlined and coincide with the institutions policies. I include my requirements the first day of class within the syllabus and a copy of a standard student-instructor contract to be signed and turned into the department head including completion date and possible points to be awarded.
The points will never equal those that could have been awarded for perfectly completing the assignment but they do add weight to the grade point average usually no larger than 65% of the grade that was possible. I also state that only 2 labs and 2 lectures have the availability to have any points awarded and that these can only be made up within 4 days of the actual due date of the assignment. This works well in a Total Points within Category grading system.
Eugene,
What's most important is that these policies are clearly discussed, written, and rigidly followed. There will always be those instances where a student will challenge the policy, but I've learned not to give in, but kindly and firmly state, "these are the rules".
Barry Westling
From the first day of class, my students are informed that as far as make up work, you can only make up for a exam that they may have missed, and that they only have five days to make up that exam or else its a zero!
June,
Policies like this, when discussed at the beginning of a class, help reduce the pleas for variance later on. Everything I say I also make sure is in the syllabus.
Barry Westling
