I definitely agree Julie. Sometimes, there's got to be a cut off. It's not just about teaching students to be responsible. It's sometimes the only way we can get our work done.
Julie, this is an interesting observation. I have seen the work trickle in, especially in those terms where I've suspended the late policy. This generally occurs when there are many ill or military students in the same section.
During those terms my grading load has come in like a trickle, leaving me a mountain of papers to grade at the end of the term when students dump half of the class over the final days. The strategy incrementally helps with the retention rate but it does not foster good life skills -- and it's taken a health toll on me.
In the future I probably will return to the late policy and accept late work with a significant point deduction. This will teach life skills and also accommodate students who turn in good work past the due date.
Thanks for the perspective.
Chris
I have experiences similar to those that Chris mentioned. Unfortunately even when I do have a "strict" late policy there are always those that present what in their minds is an extenuating circumstance. I typically had no problems when teaching on campus, but in teaching online I noted a significant difference.
I teach solely online but students tend to submit homework assignments late. One of the universities that I teach for suggest allowing up to 7 days to submit late assignments. In the past, I have been extremely lenient and allow students to submit up until the last day of school. Last session, I begin implemented the 7 day rule. I will charge late points and will not allow past 7 days. It has reduced my stress level at the end of the session in having to race against time to have all assignments graded in order to post the final grades.
Late points are a great system Debbie. They allow us to be lenient with students and provide flexibility in assignment delivery. At the same time, they communicate the importance of timeliness.
I have this same rule and make it essentially impossible for a new student to misunderstand it. However, some still do. In this case I stand firm. I have it both written into the syllabus and stress it verbally at the beginning of the course. Some student think I must mean everone but them. Consistency is important here and actually helps get the word around school to students who have yet to take my course.
I like the way you communicate your expectations both verbally and in text. Students learn in different ways and tune in to different things. Communicating your hopes in multiple channels gives the students the best chance of processing your message.
I have found that revising my Late Policy reduced some of the stress I felt from grading late work. In the school I am with, we are given the freedom to create a policy that works for us, as long as it still falls within the overall mission of the school. For example, across the university we do have a cap on the percentage we can deduct for late assignments. However, we have flexibility in how we allocate the late penalties. Previously we were required to grade all late work that was posted during the course. That was a huge stressor! Now, we can limit the number of late assignments accepted in the final week and can choose not to accept discussion board assignments. That has helped to reduce my stress :)
That's great Jennifer. Setting expectations around late policies and other matters can really help you gain control over your schedule.
I do the same in my classroom. If you are not present, you make up a missed lab day. And if you don't hand in all paperwork when due, the result is a zero for the missing documents.
I like your approach Stan. It's important to have standards and communicate them to our students clearly. Giving students this kind of structure early helps them later on when they enter the workforce. It also helps us stay organized and timely in the present.
Since the majority of our education is hands on, make up work is a lot. If a student misses a day the have upto a week to do a "skills" lab. They are responsible for approaching their instructor, getting and filling out their skills lab contract and then making a "shopping list" so the instructor can order the food from the storeroom. The student is only allowed to recieve points for their individual dishes- they do not recieve points for sanitation, mise en place, or professionalism. (uptp 5 points each) or any class project grades (such as stock making). It is made perfectly clear on day one about this and how some days are unable to be made up. (for example we can not order on a whole rib primal for them to cut 1 steak from. Or a day such as sausage making day)
If the student knows they are going to be absent in advance or has a drs appt during class time etc, if they ask, we can get them set up in the same class just running at a different time.
It is all up to the student however. It's a lot or work to order special food in. If the students neglects to show up for their scheduled make up class, many instructors will take away professionalism points.
I also implement this as a rule. The key to this being a success and not another stressful, dramatic episode is that your administration back you on this rule and making sure the students sign the course syllabus acknowledgement that has this rule in writing. Glad others do this!
