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[a canadian]

Other profs at my new university have told me that students stop showing up for classes towards the end of Nov. (classes end on Dec. 7).  I didn't quite believe them.  Drawing upon cartoon imagery, I noticed today that in both classes (which have been continuously well-attended) the tumble-weed was blowin' by in the wind.  The empty seats in the classrooms made me feel a bit apprehensive (like Wittgenstein)! Any suggestions for putting some verve back into my classes or should I accept this as part of the student culture at this university and cry into my beer?

[%sig%]

[sidey]

Ah, how horrid.

I use the carrot and stick approach.

The last two classes will be

[1] a review with 'important things about the exam' in it
[2] a fun quiz on the course with Christmas prizes

It remains to see if this will work.

[wiley]

I like it when the semester is ending.

My classrooms are quieter because more of the annoying students have dropped (except for the two in the back who have no mathematical possibility of passing and yet didn't drop and are still attending), and some of my C/B students are trying harder.

I'd like to skip all of the semester up to about week 10.

[history grrrl]

Okay, so it's not just me. My class of "80" yesterday had maybe 35 students in it! I tried to make a feeble joke out of it, but they were too tired to respond. A lot of them have multiple long papers coming due right about now, and many are staying up all night to get their work done (they come into my office and tell me this, for heaven's sake). What can I say? I did the same thing.

Evaluations next week, final exam prep the week after (colleagues have said NOT to do evals on the last day, because everyone and her/his brother will show up in hopes of exam tips and will complete the evals -- including the students who never came to class and have no business filling them out).

[%sig%]

[emmie]

It's not you.  It's us.  We're at home trying to meet the countless deadlines that make November into a total blur.  This will continue until final exams are over.  Nothing to be done.  =(

[anon99]

I was hoping to use the final lecture as a course review to go through any questions that they had for the final.  My thoughts were that only those students who regularly attended class and are concerned about the final would attend.  This is an intro course with 250 students of which 70% normally attend.

I have found myself counting down the number of lectures that I have left to write.  I feel bad about it, but after writing 50+ lectures from scratch since Sept, I have to admit that I am getting a bit tired.

[agrophobe]

at my institution it's pretty much accepted that the last week of term no-one holds classes. students get a revision session in the last but one week (which is well attended) and have 'free revision' the final week. they're happy as they can revise/do assignments, we're happy as we get a week off to drink/be merry/work on picking up the cute secretary who just started working on the floor below etc.

[boyo]

I always make the last class a revirew for the final exam, so it is generally well-attended. I also have an attendance policy, so missing classes counts against their grade. For smnall classes, this is a god time for presentations (with mandatory attendance and input/feedback expected from all class members on each presentation).  However, for big intro classes there was only one way I could guarantee attendance throughout the term.  I included on the syllabus the option of in-class pop quizzes.  I usually have one about the third or fourth week. Something very simple so that anyone who even looked at the reading for 5 minutes or who listened/took notes in the previous classes could easily get an "A."  On the rare occasions when half the class didn't show up, I just gave a pop quiz on whatever.  Those who weren't there automaticvally received a zero (not an "F", but a zero). If they had a medical excuse, they could make up the assignment, otherwise, zero.  This helps clear out the slackers early on, and by threatening another pop quiz later in the term, you give students greater motivation to show up. You shouldn't have to do this, but far too many students will skip class if they can get away with it.  Try it once, see how it works.