Hi Matthew,
I love the approach you take with your students. You seem to be very straightforward and caring when it comes to your students.
Patricia Scales
we use both the syllabus and we hand out a calender
I use lots of handouts. I pass them out on day 1 to set the expectation and give the students a visual for their own personal accomplishmet and goals. Every piece of paper and section within is explained. Following each paper I answer any questions that they may have. I like laying it all out on the line in the beginning so that we are all on the same page. As the course progresses I give them recaps and reminders ("Today we talked about this, this and this. Next Tuesday you have quiz 1 and project 1 due").
Hi Freddie,
When information stands out students tend to pay closer attention to it.
Patricia Scales
I have always reviewed the syllabus with my students on the first day of class. However, I plan to try new ways to highlight or emphasize any information I want the student to pay special attention to by using font type, bold, italics or underline and/or place that information within a text box.
Hi Christopher,
I have witnessed SENIORITIS(becoming laxed once students get closer to graduating). As instructors we have to help keep them focused until the end.
Patricia Scales
Going over the syllabus and an outline of the course expectations might seem pedantic and repetitive - especially for later term students closing in on graduation. However I find it invaluable to make certain that everyone is reminded of expectations late in the course to prevent any backsliding. The tendancy for my students is to get more lax as graduation date comes closer.
Hi Gary,
It sounds like you do a fine job with making course requirements clear. I really like how you share with your students that they can certainly follow up with you later with questions. Students like knowing we are there for them, if they need us.
Patricia Scales
I use the Syllabus to make the course requirements clear first, then I go over each project's requirement with the Projet Homework sheets I have available as downloads on the class portal. I ask the students if they have any questions on the requirements, then tell them if they have any questions later they can ask me in class or email me.
Hi Jennifer,
You do a fabulous job of making your course requirements clear. Your students know up front exactly what is expected of them.
Patricia Scales
At the beginning of every course I develope a syllabus to over view the entire course, dates of projects due, test dates, homework assignments and reading assignments. This way the student knows exactly what to expect from the course. I also include the learning objectives.
I give a written syllabus with what date assignments are due and what will be covered on each day in each class. I write on the board what we did yesterday, what we will be doing today and what will be covered tomorrow.I also always ask how people are doing and coming along with assignments.
Robert Castagna
At the beginning of the course students receive a detailed syllabus and calendar that outlines the course requirements. In addition to that I verbally go over these items with the students instructing them to highlight test dates, PST and lab dates. This ensures that the students are aware of very important information in the beginning.
I use a syllabus to outline my goals and expectations of the course. It is discussed the first day in class and it includes expectations of assignments, due dates, late papers, late work, missed attendance and other necessary items.
Hi Mitchell,
Reading the syllabus to the class is a great idea because a lot of our students will not take it upon themselves to read it.
Patricia Scales
I like to have a fairly detailed syllabus that includes predicted due dates for projects and homework for all of the students. In addition to handing this out I like to read the syllabus together in class and and field any questions or concerns that arise.
Hi Victor,
Paraphrasing from students is important because it lets you know if the student understands or not.
Patricia Scales
Hi Patricia,
Students need a syllabus so that they can reference it if need be. Also, the syllabus is a saving grace because as an instructor you can always refer to the syllabus.
Patricia Scales
Distribute handout in first class, talk with students and let them both ask questions and paraphrase the requirements
I make sure that I have discussed with the students my expectations from each requirement, as follows:
-set a deadline and a consequence for not submitting on time/not submitting at all
-a rubric on how the requirement will be graded
-I give them my official email address so they can ask for clarification when necessary
