Revising the Syllabus...
This is the first time for me to teach the class I am teaching this quarter. Sometimes things happen because of outside scheduling that doesn't correspond with my outline for the class. I'm a little frustrated with how often I have to change things up. I'm hoping the next time I teach this class, I will have my timeline figured out a little better.
I find that I am revising the syllabus slightly depending upon the actual students.
This is my third term teaching the same subject and i've found that after the first term it gets much easier. practice makes perfect and the same goes for teaching, the more you do it, the easier it becomes and the easier it becomes for you to adjust to things that are beyond your control...hang in there Heather!
Hi Jessica,
This is very common in teaching. Students will use whatever leverage they can to force you into doing something that is to their advantage. In this case, even though corrected immediately the student used the leverage. You did the right thing and let her have a pass on the assignment. Now you are in a position to remind the class and her point on when the next assignment is due. The corrected schedule has the right dates and those dates are when the assignments are due. You can discuss them in class and then pause after going through the deadlines to see if there are any questions. Don't let your confidence wavier you are in good shape because you have a printed schedule and use verbal reminders in class.
Gary
I'm new to teaching and put together my first syllabus this winter quarter. I had a typo in my schedule that I handed out the first day, caught the mistake while going over it and was able to collect the incorrect schedule immediately and redistribute a corrected version after a short break that same class. Unfortunately, there was still a student who claimed she did not understand and therefore did not turn in the assignment due the next class period. The policy outlined in my syllabus is that late assignments are not accepted. I was put on the spot by this individual and felt my confidence waver. I relented and allowed the student to hand in the late assignment without penalty. Any thoughts? Did I cave or was it appropriate to be flexible? I felt like the student wanted me to admit it was my fault when I felt I had gone over the change and clearly, 90% of the class understood with only this one individual obviously confused. It is harder than I thought it would be to make things black and white.
Hi Takamasa,
Good question. I teach all of my classes at night and in three hour blocks. The classes meet once a week just like your so I understand where you are coming from with the question. I follow a similar pattern with my content. I cover as much content as I know my students can digest. I do a status assessment the next week to see how far they have gotten with their practicing and homework. That way I know where to start with that class. I may not be at the place the college syllabus suggests but I know my students have the content and procedures down to the point they can make adequate progress in the course.
Gary
I agree that experience makes it easier to predict what might necessitate the change in outline/schedule. I just finished teaching a quarter of algebra, and I had to revise the outline three times. I had not anticipated such diverse levels of math preparedness in my students, and I had to slow down considerably, and cover less material as a consequence.
This brings up another point. Since at career colleges classes usually meet once or twice a week, for one 4-hour period or two 2-hour periods, teaching math is extremely challenging, to put it mildly. I am in a conundrum when I have to teach math like algebra to a class that meets only once a week for 4 hours. Math requires a great deal of time outside of class to digest and practice what is learned in class, and this fact inevitably leads to not enough material covered each week in a 4-hour class period because there is a limit to how much new math the human brain can process in a short period of time. Math is cumulative, building on ever-increasing material learned previously. It is important to understand the previous material to learn the next material. If the student has not mastered the material presented in the first hour, she cannot be ready to understand the material presented in the second hour which immediately follows the first hour, and the problem is compounded for a longer class.
My way of coping with this situation is to not cover as much material as suggested by the college's official syllabus,
so that students have enough time to digest and practice in class before moving on to the next material. But this will leave the students without knowledge of some portion of algebra expected of them.
Are there better ways to deal with this situation?
I agree going over th echange have the students write it down so they have the change, things happen in a class so just adjust scheudle
It's not unusual to get off schedule. It happens sometimes and it doesn't mean you're not organized. Whenever it happens, I go over the changes that are necessary with the students so they are clear on any changes to assignments, due dates, etc.
I constantly find that my students are all at different levels of learning. I will have them complete individual in class assignments and half the class will finish prior to the other half. I try to offer extra credit assignments that can be completed in class or at home to occupy the time of those students that are finished so they are not distracting the students that are not finished.
Hi Jennifer,
One of the ways I cope with making sure the students know what is going on after a change has been made due to circumstances beyond my control (schedule change by school administration) is to put the new due dates or other needed information on the board, announce it in class and send each student an email reminding them of the change. This has worked very well and the students appreciate the reminders.
Gary
Hi Heather,
I commend you for your ability to adapt to the situation and come up with a solution that works well for your students. This is what being an instructional delivery expert is all about and you are certainly developing into one.
Gary
I have a difficult time with this as well. If I get off schedule, my students often get due dates wrong b/c they assume that if we're behind in the lecture, it affects the due date of a particular assignment. I'm updating all the time. How does everyone else deal with that?
Teaching a new Pharmacology course in Medical Assisting school proved to be a task. The syllabus and course outline the school provided me with requires a new chapter and test every class in order to complete 24 chapters in 24 classes. I adapted by pulling out the information that they would use everyday in their careers. Thankfully I have gotten support from my school and have continued to teach this course for over a year now.
Hi Scot,
I find I have to do the same thing. Students change, content changes as well as the dynamics of the class so I have to revisit my syllabus to make sure it reflects what I am going to do that semester. Is this how it works for you?
Gary
I change my syllabus each semester. It simply has to be done to meet the demands of the students and the changing technologies offered and timelines the college gives.
I've found that there will always be eventualities that necessitate alterations. Of course, we work to minimize these and that happens with time and experience and by modeling the others' best practices. Where the student is concerned, change can be uncomfortable. I've found that the best approach when there is a need for change, is to explain that need clearly, offer your considered recommendation, and ask for the input of the class. Once you've had a chance to consider any offered input, ask for the class to accept and support the change. It's been rare for me to have someone at this point fight against the change because I've made it the responsibility of the group to resolve it and have involved everyone in the resolution.
Hi Leslie,
Right you are. As with anything the more experience you have the better you get at it. Your assignments, projects and quizzes will change as you see them fitting into your class structure. So keep looking for ways to adjust and improve your ability to be an instructional delivery expert. Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Heather,
Welcome to teaching. I wish you much success in your efforts. Don't become frustrated with all the bumps that occur in your teaching process, this is common. Yes, it will get better the next time you teach because will have some experience about how to overcome the schedule changes or other events that take you out of your outline plan. It is like everything else the more you do it the better you get at it. Experience helps with the development of expertise.
Gary
This is my first term teaching too and my first syllabus. I went back and forth before publishing it as to how many projects I expected from my students. Initially I wanted them to produce something each week, but then thought that may seem too hard, so I backed off. Now I see that they are bored and get restless in class time if they rush through to finish a project. So I'm revising the syllabus to include more projects.
Live and Learn huh?
