The quarter is drawing to a close and for this I am truly grateful. Some weeks ago, back closer to the beginning than to the end, I handed back a quiz. One student who had not been present for several weeks approached me in distress, and asked when the quiz had been and could he please make it up.
My makeup policies are clear and generous. No, he could not make it up. When are the tests and quizzes? Why, I went over that the first day of class. I provided a class calendar and also noted quiz and exam days on the class schedule. The quiz and exam days are on the WebCT calendar, and the dates are reproduced on WebCT in three additional locations: the online syllabus, a page marked "important dates," and in the electronic version of the schedule. For good measure, I also make announcements in class in the days coming up to the quizzes and exams. Sometimes I even send out mass email, or post quiz and exam reminders on the class blog. (It is quite remarkable that none of these efforts penetrated his skull.)
He accepted my verdict gracefully and didn't beg or plead. More surprisingly to me, jaded and cynical as I am, he never missed another day of class.
Monday, March 10, 2008
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2 comments:
Wow. Cool.
While he will go on to be the star of his own long-running and intelligent drama, he's only a supporting player in your dark comedy.
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