The syllabus is a reference for the students so they know what was covered in class and can make up any work or reading they may have missed.
James,
You raise a very good point in terms of working with a school standardized syllabus. An additional handout where you personalize the course with your own input is extremely valuable for the students so they can see that not only are you going to follow the course syllabus but the handout(s) expand on your own version of how the course is going to go.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
First, the syllabus is the contract between the instructor/institution and the student. Good contracts make for good relationships.
Second, career education leans towards syllabus that are committee created and may not meet the requirements for the students enrolled at your location. The syllabus should be reviewed and supplements should be added to enhance the syllabus and help connect with the student.
Jessica,
Like the way you demonstrate the value of a well prepared syllabus in relation to a contract with employment. Helping students to understand how the syllabus is their contract for the course will show them what they can expect from their employers in terms of outlining expectations.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find that a well-prepared syllabus is imperative to maintain order in the classroom and consistency for the students. It allows for learning to take place without having to repeat information such as due dates and homework multiple times per class. It also allows the students to know exactly what is required of them as students. In short, I find that it is much like a job description in the workplace. It informs the employee, in this case the student, what exactly is expected of him/her in order to get paid, in this case, earn a passing grade.
Anita,
Not sure I can give you a solution to this situation as it has so many components that need to be addressed. It appears that there need to be some coordination on the part of the administration in terms of how courses will be assigned, who will be allowed to enroll and what the standardized components of the course are going to be. Until these items are taken care of this chaos is going to continue. I commend you for your ability to cope at least externally with this situation. You might want to explore other teaching options in a setting where there is stronger faculty support.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Samantha,
Yes it is and this is why it needs to be clear and concise so the students understand what the expectations of the course and what they need to do to meet them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have been teaching for 3 quarters and in each quarter I am assigned different classes, which of course means different preps, presentations, exams, homework, etc. The other issue I have is that I do not receive the syllabus from the school (sometimes I do not receive the text books until the class has started) until I am assigned to the class, which has been as late as the day before classes are about to begin. The other problem I have is that I usually get a mixed group of individuals with a wide variation of educational background and there is usually a wide variation in age differences, anywhere from early 20’s to 40’s. How do juggle all of these issues and still remain in charge (it’s easy to fake it in the classroom, but inside I am usually a wreck)?
It is an important contract that will "govern" what will take place in the course, how the student will be assessed and what are the expectations, etc.
Samantha Eaddy
Claudia,
Right you are because this way everyone will start the course off with clear and concise information about the polices, expectations and requirements of the course. This will reduce student frustration because they have the information right there in front of them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Having a well prepared syllabus will give the students comfort and the right guidance to successfully complete their course.
Don,
This is a good way to personalize the course while still using the standardized syllabus that the school requires. You are stamping your personalty and career experiences on the course this way.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
In my situation we have a standard syllabus for each class, the steps on a personal level including an addendum to the syllabus that often incorporates more detail such as a grading rubric.
Reinaldo,
The syllabus gets everyone on the same page in terms of course polices, requirements and expectations. Without a well prepared one the students will be guessing as to what is required and that is not the way to conduct a class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The syllabus is one of the most important documents because it is the guide to organize the teaching process
I feel it is the framework for the class. It not only keeps you, as an instructor, on course. But, also lets the students know what to expect. And weather or not they feel the class is the best fit for them.
Kale,
This is going to be a good experience for you and beneficial for your students. You will get the opportunity to be clear and concise in your syllabus content and this will help to reduce student frustration and misunderstandings.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Teresa,
I think collecting their signature is important because as you mention it puts accountability and responsibility on them. As you know students frequently say they were not told or didn't know. The signature says that at the beginning of the course they were given the syllabus that contains critical information about the course and they need to refer to the syllabus throughout the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Kent,
Thank you for sharing your effort to create a clear and concise syllabus. This is what needs to be done by instructors as they prepare a syllabus that will inform and guide students throughout the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Wow, what an eye opener! I am using a syllabus that was written by someone else and is out of date. I can see the confusion in my students eyes while teaching my course. I will be rewriting it as soon as possible.
