Absent students and late work.
How do you address an absent student an assignment time line?
Hi Andrea,
They do not get any special favors. If the assignment is late they will be deducted points accordingly. If it is an assignment that can't be turned in late, they will receive a zero. If there are extenuating circumstances, I will make provisions with appropriate documentation.
Patricia Scales
Hello,
Let me explain what happen to me last term with a student. I taught two different course back to back. This student had missed both classes on this day. The following week she come to me and say I will not be able to attend the second class due to her having to be at work. I said ok. This happen two weeks in a row...where she missed the second class but not the first one. So I spoke to her and told her that it would be difficult for her to pass the second course seeing that it only meets once per week and she missed three class. Well at the end of the term she turned in the project and took the final exam for class one but not the second....so of course she didnt pass the second course.Should I have reached out to her about the second course or just let it go and she learn a vaulabe lesson?
I tell mystudents that their attendance is mandatory. If a student has something he or she feels is more important than attending class, it is their option to miss class, but an "excused" absenece does not exist. I will provide a student with any written materials are handed out on the day they are absent, and offer tutoring outside of class time to help the student catch up. If there is a test given on a day the student is absent, the student may take the test on the first day back to class. Only one test per term may be made up in this fashion. We also drop the lowest quiz score of the course, so if a student has a zero on a quiz, that zero is not averaged in. Any assignments that were due that day, I will also accept the first day back to class. We also award professionalism points, and a major part of that is attendance and punctuality.Points will be deducted for professionalism regardless of the cause of absence, if the student does not notify me by phone message or e-mail before class starts. A message delivered through a classmate is not acceptable. If there is an illness or accident that is documented (a Dr. note), I will not deduct professionalism points, as long as knew about the absnrce by the start of class time.
On the first day of class I discuss the importance of attendance, and how there is a very strong correlation between attendance and academic success. We also offer little rewards (gold star pins) for a month of perfect attendance. Bronze, silver, and gold keys are handed out for perfect attendance for the 1/3, 2/3, and 3/3 way through the program. The gold key, for total perfect attendance, is also accompanied by a letter from the dean. It makes a nice addition to a resume.
All studyent are informed during the initial class that attendence is manadatory. I strongly emphasize that should reachout to me via email or cell to let me know if they will not be attending class. In the event they are absence and an assignment is due they are expected to email or fax the assignment that day. Also,if I decide to do an in class assignment I will provide them the material have they must have it completed by the next class meeting.
I verbally inform my students of the attendance policy the first day of class as well as in writting through my syllabus. For those students that are really late with assignments or try to hand them in last minute, I meet with them in person and make them write down all their missing work (so they remember what they are missing) but I also give them a detailed written instruction describing all their work so that they do not have the excuse of not having received the appropriate instructions.
Hi Vania,
Students will give you every excuse in the book. I like how you cover yourself when it comes to students doing work late. You put the responsiblity on the student.
Patricia Scales
Here is my theory. There is alot of information given out throughout the term. If the student is absent and turns the work in late I reduce the grade a small precentage. I would rather have the student do the work, get the information, and hopefully retain that information even though it is late. I have found some students will abuse this theory of mine but will have some retention of the subject matter even though they were late or absent when first presented.
Again the flow of information is very fast and even missing one day you could miss important information to tie in the pieces of the puzzle so to speak. I would rather have the student do the work and get some points than not do it at all and possible miss information.
I have it in our classroom rules that any students who are absent must make up the work the day they return to school. Every day they miss the deadline, 10% is deducted from their assignment grade.
In my classroom a student that has missed class time can make up missed assignments within one week. A penalty is incurred for missed work, IE they can only receive a maximum of 89% of the original missed assignments grade. I still allow 100% makeup grade if it is a documented absence of hospitalization, funeral, or something completely out of the students control. Appointments do not count as they can be prescheduled outside of class time unless the student can prove otherwise, and jail does not count as it is their choice whether or not to get into trouble
Hi David,
Jail, we do encounter this too! Your rule is very fair!
Patricia Scales
Hi Patricia,
I am teaching in a clinical setting and cannot replicate a learning experience if a student misses a day. It is a pass/fail system that involes a time requirement at the clinical site, weekly journaling, and a specific clinical set of documentations correctly filled out. I am finding that the students will delay work or turn in incomplete work to meet the deadline set in my course. I have been having them re-due their work if it does not meet the standard that I have set for the course. How else can I deter them from this behavior?
Hi Jill,
You may want to require them to do little mini projects for the overall project and specific dates that they are due in order to get better quality work and ensure that deadlines are met.
Patricia Scales
I teach nursing so I use the concept of the nurse who is ending her shift not being able to leave because the oncoming nurse is late. I also tie this to the team concept where we are all working together to care for patients and calling in may result in nurses having larger work loads and therefore nursing care being negatively effected. Penalties for absenteeism and tardiness are developed and applied throughout the nursing program.
Rosemary
Hi Rosemary,
This is a good way to make students see the relevance of being on time. Students need to understand the importance of attendance and punctuality.
Patricia Scales
I think that your student knew exactly what they were doing and your stepping up and reminding them would have really not done any good. I have issues with students not turning in work. I have started using our campus' portal system that gives me date and time stamps on when things are due and also reminds students through email when projects are due.
Hi Stacy,
Students must learn how to be held accountable, and they should be reprimanded if they do not turn in their work on time.
Patricia Scales
