Re: Caving in

[forinas@indiana.edu (kyle forinash)]

Keith

When I first started teaching I use to worry a lot about being taken
advantage of- that students would see me a "chump" and tell tall tales to
get out of work or cheat etc. I have become convinced over the years that
this doesn't really happen very often. Most of the time students have a
legitimate reason for wanting to take a test late, turn in something late
or take an incomplete etc. Sometimes the reason they give you is not the
real reason but usually there is a pretty good reason. Sometimes the reason
is that they are, in therapy lingo, "doing psycological work" ie. comming
to grips with the fact that they are not cut out to be a physicist, chemist
or mathematician and they are looking for someone to pin their problems on
(the instructor).

I do several things to try deal with these kinds of situations. 1) I make
it clear from the begining that the students will have to do the work in
order to get the grade. No bonus points, no extra credit. No shortcuts. 2)
I make it clear that there will be a penalty for work turned in late. Not a
big penalty but they lose something. 3) I make it clear that if they have a
legitamate problem that prohibits them from taking a test or doing a lab
they should see me as soon as they know about it. I ALWAYS give them the
chance to make it up if they come talk to me. Sometimes a makeup test has
different or more questions but they get a chance. (I feel doing the work
is more important than punishing lateness.)

My experience has been a) good students will work hard to make up the work
b) if you give a slacker enough rope they will hang themselves. In most
cases this doesn't have to be much rope; they'll realize pretty quick (on
some level) that the real problem is they don't really want to do the work
and they'll quit of their own accord, without blaming you.

Sorry I don't have any humorous stories to relate...
kyle

> A recent exchange on phys-l has provoked me to seriously ask these questions:
>
> What do kids say or do to get you to change your mind about grading, test
> schedules, incompletes, curves, etc?  What do you say or do about it?
> What has worked best, in your opinion?  Has your dept chair backed you?
> Have you found that it seems that 'most' other teachers give in, making
> you look particularly out-of-place in the scheme of things at your school?
>
> I am at the end of my rope with my kids, whiners all... I could use good
> advice, good stories or good jokes to make this end-of-year crunch a little
> easier!
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Keith
>
>
> Keith Tipton
> kctipton@tenet.edu
> Houston, Texas

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