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[rattus domesticus]

I agree. I excuse any university-related event--but don't post it on my syllabus for fear of students attending plays (without an assignment attached) or signing up to chair the bake-sale for their committee--knowing full well that they could easily take a spot that does NOT conflict with my course. I've had students who had to attend graduation practice (!) during the final. I, of course, came on another day and sat for another three hours just for those four students. I just want to thank my campus for its foresight in scheduling this--especially when finals week and specific times are posted a year in advance. Thanks for that! Very thoughtful.

[tea athrawes]

I don't teach math but in my Fine Arts survey course I always have a few students who simply can not write.  So, despite their best efforts and mine they end up failing the course.  LIke you I offer a number of "freebies" that should help their overall grade, I can't offer extra credit anymore due to a departmental policy, but I was getting pretty sick of extra credit anyway.

The solution I have tried may work for you.  I get them into the writing center after the first paper, or first outline.  I identify the students who are struggling as soon as possible and set up one on one time with them as well as set them up with a writing tutor.  I would assume you have access to math tutors.   I also let them rewrite that first big paper and get a brand new grade on it.  If they use the writing center.  

The biggest benefit to each student is to make use of the support structure available on campus.   My husband would never have passed a single math course without a math tutor.

However, there are always students who will just fail, even when you and they work very hard.  Life, it's a B****.

[Tenured Feminist]

For classes where regular attendance is essential (i.e., you miss more than 5 classes and you're highly likely to flunk on the merits), I have the following policy in my syllabus.  Attendance is taken and I use it as a multiplier to figure the class participation grade.  Students have  two "freebie" misses; they can miss class twice for any reason or no reason at all.  They don't need to explain or provide university-approved excuses.  Anything beyond that counts, no matter what.  I tell them that they should hold on to the freebies because life is unpredictable, so if they burn one on a hangover and then need it later because their dog needs emergency surgery, it's too bad.

This policy has worked really well.  I've only had to deviate from it a few times in the last 5-6 years I've been using it.  I also like to tell myself that it's preparing them for the brave new world of flex time.

[newbie]

someone asked me why i consider attendance EXTREMELY important.

I guess what i meant by that is partly "attendance is EXTREMELY important" and partly "attendance counts A LOT." as i say in the syllabus, poor attendance and participation will SIGNIFICANTLY lower your grade.

Call me old-fashioned, I expect students to come to class ... or accept the consequences which are of course clearly spelled out (i know, i know, i just ended a sentence with a preposition). I also tell students, I know you have important things to do (so do I); it's up to you to decide what is more important.

I had kinda hoped to NOT veer (i know, i know, split infinitive) this thread this way, actually. Really what I wanted to discuss is F students (regardless of why they are getting the F).

ps: I teach a foreign language.

[%sig%]

[tt arts]

I have strong attendance policies and I do sometimes tell my students they are certainly welcome to attend class, but they have missed so many classes it will be impossible to pass.  I let them know this if it is early in the semester, or of it is anytime in the semester and they are exceptionally disruptive.

At midterm, I  let students know their number of absences and latenesses -- they now know how many free absences they have left or latenesses. If it is near the end of the semester, I often do NOT tell a student s/he has failed, because I don't wish to deal with the arguments.

The upside of this policy is that students know I'm a bear about attendance, and will tell their peers I have failed folks based on this. So I get better attendance.

I feel it's important for students to come to class.  A class is not a series of individual tutorials: it has its own dynamic and folks learn from their peers in addition to learning from the instructor.  MIssing class mucks up the dynamic and learning of others. You don't like class structure?  Maybe college isn't for you. That's fine -- it's not for everyone.  It's for everyone who wants it. You don't want it? Learn on your own in some other way.

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the advice! I do try to get them in for help, and I regularly remind the entire class and them in particular about the math tutoring and other services. I even hold optional study groups and such before tests. But, some students won't come - excuses galore - and then I figure, if they won't take advantage of these opportunities, then there's not much else I can do.

As for your letting them rewrite a paper, I also do that with tests. It's funny though because the ones who do well are the only ones who seem to do the corrections! I have very specific criteria for corrections on tests, and those who don't follow them will not receive points back: I tell them they have to explain what they did wrong (and why), and they have to show a correct solution. Not to much to ask, but some still don't do it or do a poor job. I award up to half the points back, and I feel the ones who do the corrections are really learning from their mistakes. However, I don't want students to expect this every time either and then not study for the test. Sometimes, I give corrections opportunities only for certain tests.

I guess I've always thought you should be able to teach anyone, but sometimes I come across a student that I have no idea what to do with!

And I can certainly believe you must feel much frustration when seeing students' writing. I assign an essay each semester, and although I do not grade on grammar and such (although some say I should), I cannot believe the errors I see! That would indeed give me a headache!

[psych_teach]

After the second exam, it's usually apparent which of my students are likely to fail (as a result of poor attendance, lack of motivation, inability to master the material, etc.), so I make a general announcement to my classes that it's time for some of them to consider saving their grade point averages.  I tell them there's no sense in staying in a class which they are likely to fail, as doing so will have an adverse effect on their grade point averages.  That announcement is usually enough to spur many of my failing students to drop.  However, I always have one or two students who refuse to drop, even when they've already failed all of the exams prior to the final and when it's mathematically impossible for them to pass.  

My guess is that they are still thinking in terms of their high school classes, where they could do poorly on much (or all) of their coursework and still walk away with passing grades as long as they attended class.

[WritingProf]

If attendance and participation were only about the class-cutter's future, we'd be addressing the issue as most of the posts here have in fact done.

But there's more. Depending on the class, a student who is absent will not be able to assist his or her peers in group activities. A student who is absent may return with a whole bunch of questions that have already been answered; asking them thus distracts the class as a whole from the new day's material.

A student whose absences have *significantly* impaired his or her understanding of the course is a worse drain on the system. Even when present, a drastically unprepared student may distract the class and especially small groups from the task at hand.

None of this is acceptable.

Then there's the matter of the instructor's obligation to grade the written work of a student who is unlikely to pass; better to devote that effort to someone who stands a chance of passing.

And let's not forget that except for the select few who attend college without grants or loans of any kind, the taxpayer has a right to expect something for their money. I am a taxpayer. So are you.

A student suffering from significant illness or family problems should be counseled to drop the most rigorous classes or withdraw from school until matters are resolved.

A student who anticipates significant athletic, musical, or other school-sponsored obligations should be counseled to enroll only in courses in which absence will not abridge the rights of other students.

If a student can miss a bunch of classes yet remain current on the material, perhaps that student should be encouraged to stick around.

On the other hand, a student who attends class in body, but is stoned or unwakeful, should be treated just as if he or she were absent.

[comp prof]

Speaking of who pays the price, there seem to be prices beyond the F that are more important to students. I've advised students to drop, only to have them tell me that they can't for one reason or other. If they allow their credit hours to drop below full time they may be asked to leave the dorm or pay back financial aid, or they say they've already used up their allowed number of withdrawals and won't be permitted by the registrar to withdraw any more.