The best syllabus hack I know is really, really simple, but sometimes hard to commit to.
In the schedule of readings/topics, clear at least one day of all readings, assignments, discussions, etc., and label it a “catch-up day.” And don’t wait until the last week of the term — that’s a wrap-up day, which is not at all the same thing. Stick your catch-up day somewhere around midterm. Or immediately following the Big Difficult Book you’re planning on teaching.
But, you say, I can’t possibly fit in a catch-up day, as I have too many readings to cover as it is. Well, that probably means you of all people really need the catch up day. Go ahead, trim something from your reading list. Because stuff happens, to the best planned syllabi: your brilliant students take the discussion in an interesting direction you want to respond to; the novel you’d never taught before turns out to be really dense in the middle section; or floods, hurricanes, snowstorms, or other natural disasters cancel a class day. I’ve had all of those things happen (but thankfully not in the same semester).
If it turns out that you don’t actually need that class hour to catch up on lecture topics or discussions that you had thought you’d have already completed, you can use it for other things: film clips, field trip, peer review writing session, student-selected additional reading, etc, etc.
The catch-up day: a little cushion for your semester. Your future self will thank you.
What’s your favorite “syllabus hack”? Let us know in the comments.
Comments
1. Julie Meloni - August 18, 2009 at 05:11 pm
I'm a huge fan of the catch-up day. I'm also a huge fan of the "if your university doesn't have a fall break, make one" plan, and the "sorry you got screwed out of all the M/W holidays because class meets T/Th" plan. By that I mean I just schedule in an off day somewhere around week 6 or 7, to make at least one long weekend. It's not a bribe or a reward, and I don't frame it as a bribe or as a reward. I don't really call attention to it at all. For all they know, I have to go to a conference or something on that day. I do know that when that day off rolls around, we all end up needing it.
2. jo(e) - August 19, 2009 at 10:04 am
I schedule a catch-up day about a third of the way into the semester, and then a "creative" day about two-thirds of the way in. On the the creative day, we take a break from the usual routine and do something like skits or music or something kind of crazy to approach the topics in a new way.
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