HMMMMMMMMMMMM.

[Ash Wednesday]

Ah, the joys of being a university instructor.

I have a student in my class and I don't quite know what to make of her. On my syllabus, and in our program where we teach, the policy is, with 3 unexcused absences means grounds for a student to be kicked out of class. Flunked. Finito.

Today was her unexcused absence number 3.

Do I entirely agree with this policy? Not really. But I'm pretty ticked off right now. Let me explain.

I've ran into this student before at the grocery store. She is very sweet and pleasant. I think she has some promise as a designer.

But I get the feeling that because I am adjunct, and NOT tenured faculty -- just a temp, so to speak, this student feels at liberty to push the boundaries. There have been times in class where I have gotten on her case for not using her class time wisely. Anyway, I casually asked one student she befriends if he didn't happen to know where she was today -- which he did not.

I figured it would be wise for me to set any concerns aside until Monday. Perhaps she would come in with a note from the doctor, or something of that matter, which is required of the students.

This evening I went to the theater to see a movie with a friend, and as I left the theater after the movie, look who I see!

Lo and behold, the student! She must not have been sick, she was perfectly healthy enough to have movie night out with friends. Of course you can imagine my delighted surprise. I smiled ever so sweetly and said "hello!" -- and of course her reaction was weird -- I got a very cold, somewhat awkward and strange reception from her. She plowed on out of that theater to her car before you could say "Jones!"

Now, I had one student who complained to me because, well he thought he deserved an A instead of the B+ I gave him -- the horrors! (haha..) The last assignment I graded the class down considerably because I felt that they were slacking off. (Believe me, his B+ was VERY GOOD compared to what others got...)

But I'm wondering if this girl feels the same way but is finding some roundabout way to screw with my head instead of just being honest and approaching me about it.

So, obviously I am going to have to talk to her. Do I, as faculty, kick her out of the class, and in the process -- screw up her entire college sequence, making her have to wait another year to restart the program?

Again, I do not like the 3 strikes policy -- and I do not have to follow it. Right now, I am considering telling her that I have the power to kick her out of class and that I'm giving her one more chance -- that she has to show up to class on time for the rest of the quarter. Not one tardy, or she's out.

So gang. Let me know what you think. I don't like being screwed around with.



:angry:

[Balthazor]

Hey I could help I am a student...
my advice is to warn her. If she comes to you and makes an effort to make up the class or even gives and excuse as to why she was not in class then meet her halfway.
If not....well that is up to you.

But I always make an effort to meet my professors halfway if I am not doing well, if I miss a class, or if I need help. So reach out i she meets you half way I would try and help her...

Good luck
Balthazor

[IcePrincessKRS]

Hmmm... do you have the right to dock her grade for unexcused absences or just kick her out after the 3? At Christendom several professors (a few don't take attendance and see it as you obligation to show up or not, your grades will do you in if you don't do your work) have the 3 unexcused absences, and then for every other unexcused absence they can dock a third of a letter grade (so if they had a B+ you could knock it down to a B, then next time a B-, then a C+, etc.).

If you can't do that then I'd talk to her and remind her of the rule and tell her next time she skips out hasta la vista, baby.

[Ash Wednesday]

Princess Bling Bling,

It's a basic three strikes and you're out rule.

Anyway, I'm handing out a quiz on Monday, and I went over important material today concerning it. So she's still pretty screwed in that avenue. I was thinking of adding in a bonus question at the very end of the exam, i.e. "How many absences equals grounds for dismissal from class? _______" and "How many tardies equals an unexcused absence? ________"

I'm getting the feeling that she might be having a hard time in school -- she was upset the other day for flunking a midterm in another class, even though she studied for it all night, according to her.

I don't know what to make of her. I am inclined to ask her what the heck is going on -- I don't know if she is aware of her absences. Right now I'm willing to cut her the show up for the rest of the quarter on time deal.

[Ash Wednesday]

But I really don't like being messed with. :angry:

[IcePrincessKRS]

Yeah, I can kind of understand her situation if she's having trouble, but when I had trouble with a class I talked to my professors about it, asked them what I needed to do to keep my grades up. Example, to get in the major I wanted [Literature] I had to have a certain GPA from the 101 to 202 classes which fell under that major (3.5 I think, it was actually a higher requirement than for the other majors), I went to my professor after doing really poorly on his quizzes and not as well as I'd hoped on his midterm. I'd read everything, attended every single class, and didn't know what I was doing wrong--his response was "You just don't test well. If you do ok on your final and well on your paper you'll do fine." And I did.

It sounds to me like the girl is sluffing off (skipping classes and then going out to movies?) so her poor grades are her own fault. I'm willing to give her the benefit of a doubt, but it just doesn't sound like she's taking things seriously or putting in all that much effort. I guess in your shoes I'd give her the show up for the rest of the quarter deal, and if she doesn't keep up her end of the bargain it really is her loss. If it means that much to her she WILL show up.

[Ash Wednesday]

Yeah, a couple of students with two absences I warned them ahead of time. I had made it a point to warn her but for some reason, I had to go help another student and then class was finished.

This girl, actually this gives me the opportunity to really lay down the law, because she's been unpredictable all quarter. Sometimes I wonder if she's really down on her luck, or if she is playing games.

We will find out. Keep this in your prayers.

[homeschoolmom]

I like the added questions on the exam... you could additionally ask, "and how many unexcused absences are on your record for this class."

I would cut her slack [b]if[/b] she comes to you, but if you have to go to her, I wouldn't. Someday she will (hopefully) hold a job and she can't just not show up for work. College is more than learning your craft, it's learning valuable life skills...

[Andrea348]

That's the hard part about being a teacher. You want everyone to do well, but at the same time you have to set standards for the students to reach. I worry about this when I become a teacher. I don't think I could fail a kid if they didn't meet the standards at all, but really did try. Anyway, I think you definately need to have a conversation with this girl to find out what the deal is. You definately need to remind her that she has reached the quota for unexcused absences and explain that this is grounds for failing. Find out what she has to say about her unexcused absences and maybe make a bargain with her for the rest of the term. I know it is breaking the orignal policy, but if you make the resolution firm, she will probobly get the point that she is walking on a thin rope and hopefully straighten up.

[homeschoolmom]

another thing... it's not really fair to let this slide. There could be other students who bent over backwards to attend class on a day when it would have been more prudent for them not to... but you just didn't know about it.

[Sirklawd]

i agree with that last post. rules are rules. it is unfair to those who actually attempt to follow them, if those who dont follow them dont take the full punishment.

but (to completely counteract what i just said ) - if for some reason you cant/dont want to give the full penalty (would your adminstrators look down on that? - ive seen it happen) maybe taking FULL letter grades off. - but then again, your administrators may not like you for making up your own rules...

[Andrea348]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Nov 20 2004, 10:35 AM'] another thing... it's not really fair to let this slide. There could be other students who bent over backwards to attend class on a day when it would have been more prudent for them not to... but you just didn't know about it. [/quote]
good point

the student side of me says this person deserves to fail, the rules are the rules

but the teacher side of me says i want everyone to do good

ARGHHHHH!!!!!! Teachers have hard jobs!!!!!!....i think i picked the wrong field.....j/k i love teaching, but it isn't easy

[Paladin D]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='Nov 20 2004, 10:35 AM'] another thing... it's not really fair to let this slide. There could be other students who bent over backwards to attend class on a day when it would have been more prudent for them not to... but you just didn't know about it. [/quote]
I agree, it's not fair to the other students.

[toledo_jesus]

as a student who believes the great majority of college students don't belong in college at all (don't get me started) I think you should discuss her situation with her, and if there is no compelling reason to excuse her absences then nail her to the wall. The worst thing you can do for a student is to hold them to a lower standard. I would rather be held accountable than pass, but that's just me. You're bound to make her angry anyway, so I would say to do the fair thing.

[Phazzan]

I don't think teachers who draw the hard line get the best out of their students. This particular student may have snobbed you at the movies whatever, I don't think this should influence you in your decision. Whatever you do, it should be in her best interests, since she's the one paying for her education. I did four years at uni, teachers who generally had a relaxed approach got the best out of me, as opposed to teachers who were dead serious on deadlines and class attendence. That just wasn't my style, handing things in on time and stuff. I just did it when I felt like it, and handed whatever it was when I finished, whenever that was. When teachers understood this, I got confidence and wasn't so stressed all the time. Teachers who didn't understand, they would deduct marks for lateness whatever but it still didn't improve my results, whatever, WHATEVER!! It don't make sense, but that's just the way it is.

The appropriate thing to do is to give this student a stern WARNING. It serves no purpose, neither for yourself or the student to kick her out of class cause she missed some lessons. Rules are rules, but some just aren't worth enforcing, that's why they allow discresion on the teachers behalf.

Whatever.