Dealing with excessive tardiness
We have a problem with tardiness in our school, either being late for class or coming back from break. One of the ways I handle it is to give a 5-point "bonus" quiz at the top of the class. Anyone who is there by the time I finish taking attendance gets to take it. As for the ones running late, it doesn't count against them. I've seen a significant reduction in tardiness since implimenting this.
Terry,
Good strategy. Many of us face this same situation so I appreciate you sharing this successful method with us.
Gary
That's a good idea. I may borrow that. I have issues with tardiness too. Right now my class is in a situation where we break into different groups to do different activities at the same time, and my rule is the first people there get the first choice on what they do first. That seems to be working too.
Hi Stacy,
Feel free to borrow it, as I "borrowed" it from my best professor.
Stacy,
Good strategy to use in motivating students to get to class on time. Instructors need to use any leverage they have to encourage and support students being in class and on time.
Gary
That is an excellent suggestion. We have tried the same type of "pop quiz" at the end of class as well to keep students from departing class too early, or not coming back after lunch!
I like the concept. How do you work the extra points into their overall grade? Do you add it onto the next test?
Edward,
I have a certain number of points that can be earned for being on time, in attendance and participating in class. The category is Professional Points. I make the points enough to change their grades by a letter if they don't get any of the PPs. So throughout the course I continue to add in Professional Points so the students can see the value of earning them and how many they have at any time in the course.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
This is an awesome idea to reward students who are on time and prepared, will definitely be stealing this.
Our classes are 100 hrs, studentrs are allowed 15 hrs in absentee and tardiness. One of the three
legs in their average is partisipation based on one point per hour of attendance. Their attendsance should be a minimum of 85 points.
We are to give 15 minutes leeway. Those who can not get out of bed 'before the crack of noon' or for the afternoon classes 'before the crack of noon'. We have sign-in/signout sheets. Anyone who is tardy by few minutes and sign-in at 7:30AM starting time, their time starts at 8:00AM. Likewise at quiting time If someone leaves early and does not sign out I mark them out at 11:30 or 11:45 depending on if thet were flagrant sneaks.
Between docking hrs(points toward the final grade)has reduced tardiness/leave early and absinteeism greatly. Some space taking members in the class
learn how to subtact from 100 to keep their hours at least 85. Twards the end of class when three is time to finish projects they are daily asking about their missed hours when they should be working and I should be helping students.
Jim Watters
Jim,
Good points about how students see the value of being on time and in attendance. I am always surprised when students are late or sneak out early since they as adults have enrolled in a career college to expand their employment options. I shouldn't have to deal with attendance issues but I do every course phase. I take a firm stand as I can see you do in relation to attendance and being on time. I am preparing them for the work world so I expect the same behavior as if my class was a job site.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
