Getting the students to show up on time...
It seems to me that this generation of students are having a hard time and trouble getting to class on time, how could I stress to them that they have to be on time and not late...
If i have a clast that seems to be having problem with arriving to class on time, I use a similar system. If it is a day with a scheduled quiz, the quiz is given at the begining of the class. This has really helped in getting students to my class on time. Based on expectations discussed with students at the begining of the courses, missed scheduled quizzes cannot be made up and earns a zero.
If I have a class that seems to be having a problem with people arriving late (including coming back late from breaks), I use "quick quizzes".....very simply, I hand out index cards and have them answer a question or two over something we have just covered -- usually those present get 100% -- folks walking in late can easily see that they have missed a quiz and take a zero. This has really helped get them to class on time!
Hi Beth,
Give timed quizzes on the hour of the class and do not allow for makeup quizzes.
Patricia
I really like this approach. The problem is, there is no final exam in my class; instead they write a business plan. I can't let them be exempt from that project. Any suggestions as to what else I could offer?
Hi Paul,
Are you speaking about an attendance policy for students that take classes in seat/at school? If so, you can adopt an attendance policy very similar to my institution's policy. If they go over 8 hours of missed time for a class, they are withdrawn from the class. An absence counts as 2 hours and a tardy/early departure counts as 1 hour.
Patricia
I agree with this assessment of the student population in adult education. This is one of the reasons that online education is so popular; I can take classes when I have time and don't have to worry about meeting a school's schedule. I was working full-time while I took online classes and I was never late for my job.
So how do I convince my administrators that we need to come to some type of agreement on a new type of attendance policy? And what would be the rules?
Hi Jeanne,
I concur! Great points made!
Patricia
Hi Marian,
At my campus, we are not allowed to grade class participation or dock points for tardiness, so this is my solution. So far, I haven't had problems with starting my classes on time. I'm not strict with my students at all; there's plenty of levity in my classes. But I think if you want students to respect your rules, you have to make it clear that there are consequences that you will enforce. Basically, if you treat your students as adults deserving of your respect, they will treat you and your classroom with respect as well. -Jeanne
I like your forwardness on the topic of being late and missing class time. I feel that giving stricter guidelines is what will make the difference. I have used the points system and feel that it can also make a difference with attendance and assignments. I believe that the students should take the course start time and end time serious. If they miss time they are missing out on valuable information and skill practice needed to succeed in the work place.
My syllabus states that I will start the class on time. If you come in late, that disrupts the class, so please quietly take a seat. It is your responsibility to find out what you missed from your classmates. You are paying for this class, and I want you to get your money's worth. If you are here from start to finish, your grade will reflect that. If you are frequently late or leave early, your grade will reflect that as well.
I also give a quiz first thing every Monday. If they are late, they can't make up the quiz and will lose the points.
I don't believe in babying my students. I will treat them as adults and I expect them to behave accordingly. -Jeanne
Hi Allison,
It will certainly make a difference in a student keeping a job. Punctuality is extremely important in the workplace.
Patricia
I feel that setting the standard is definitely one way to implement that tardiness is not acceptable but i also would agree that since the students have made a commitment they should keep up with that commitment and take responsibility and be to class on time this will i further concur not hold up on the job or extern and though it may seem a trivial thing not as important as some other topics brought up i feel it is a very serious topic that could ultimately make or break a students success of obtaining a job in the future!
Hi Dayton,
What an awesome incentive. I do something similar for the final exam. If a student has both and "A" average and perfect attendance or an "A" average and all of their time made up they can be exempt from the final exam. These incentives that you and I are doing are super ways to encourage exemplary attendance.
Patricia
I have also used pop quizzes with some degree of success. One reward that I have had the most success with is assigning a research paper, setting it all out in the syllabus, and then adding a statement that anyone with no more than one absence is exempt from the paper submission. I also put in the syllabus that, for this reward, three tardies count as an absence. I also stress that the statement says "absence," not "unexcused absence" because and absence is an absence not matter what the reason.
Hi Dave,
I like your policies on tardiness. I am a stickler for punctuality because you're right, habitual lateness will not be tolerated in the workplace. You've made some great points!
True, we are dealing with a different generation but the rules are still the same in the field. Your employer schedules you to arrive at work at a certain time because that is when you are needed most to handle the expected work load. If you continually show up late, the days schedule is off. An employer will only put up with that for so long before he finds a replacement for you. I stress this to my students. I will not accept traffic as a reason. In Southern California we leave early for our destination in anticipation of heavy traffic. A tardy is considered a 4% ding in professionalism in our institution. 8 tardies will result in a failed grade. If a student knows there may be a chance he will be late because he works, he may fill out a form verified & signed by his employer that allows a grace of 30 min. per day. I will deduct the time up to a max. of 12 hrs out of a course but professionalism will not be affected. Any time a student is over 6 hrs out of a course, he signs an official document of that fact to be kept in our records.
Hello Melanie,
I also do mini quizzes at the beginning of class to encourage students to get to class on time. The quiz lasts for five minutes, and it can not be made up. I've seen where this has made a big difference in a lot of students' punctuality.
Patricia
I agree that the pop quizzes don't work in all cases. I have a regularly scheduled quiz the first class of the week or the first of the class if it only meets once a week. They lose points if they come in late because they have to pick up wherever I am.
I like the idea of earning an "exemption" for perfect attendance with the "A" average. I am not sure my institution would be amenable to that.
Melanie
Hi Tim,
We've tried the pop quizzes as well, and for the most part, they work. We have also implemented an attendance and participation grade in every course, along with allowing the students to be exempt from the final exam if they have an "A" average and perfect attendance. Students REALLY work hard on being exempt.
Patricia
