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Earlier this year I started a part time evening job at a local Community College where I teach as an Adjunct Instructor in Business Management. It has been quite an experience.
The one thing that bugs me more than anything is students who show up late. I am talking about 30-45 minutes late on a regular basis. (These are 3 hour classes) At 10 minutes after the official class start time I shut the door thinking that would send a message to the students that they are late and the class is already under way but they walk in like they own the place and expect me to stop the class and tell them what they missed.
When I ask them why they were late they usually go mute, or just say something like: "got held up, traffic, or I had other things I had to do."
I try to lecture them about the importance of punctuality but they just look at me like I am crazy and the rest of the class students freeze up and look embarrassed. I see them thinking, "just leave him alone, what's the big thing about being late!"
Are you a college instructor or student? What do you think about students who show up late all the time?
I found a free on-line course about computer programming. How many of us know what Machine Code is? Well, I quickly found out why the lectures were free. The good humored professor was constantly interrupted by late arrivals while he had to point out available seats. 40 minutes of lecture gave me about 2 minutes of education. If there is any solace to be taken, glad I'm not one saddled with student debt, tho I'm none the smarter for not tolerating more than one video.
An experienced teacher sets up rules and expectations in the first class and sets them in writing in the syllabus. On time and in class attendance required, papers submitted on time, plagiarism not tolerated, no cell phones, no eating, etc. etc. all in writing. You make the grade dependent on certain criteria as well as academic performance. It's the only thing that works. You're the boss and you make the rules as long as they're not discriminatory or illegal. Don't be a friend, be a teacher.
Next semester at the beginning of the year discuss your late arrival policy. But, locking them out or some other method of preventing them from attending class if they are late, for the community college population, is not appropriate. These are not people whose sole function in life is to attend college. Some are people with families and jobs who do have things that legitimately get in the way. Others are there because their academic drive and/or ability is more limited than your typical 4-year college student, most of them will also have jobs. Community colleges are designed to meet the needs of non-traditional students, which means you, the instructor, need to also.
That said, their lateness should not interfere with class instruction time. Tell them at the beginning of the semester, and put on your syllabus, that students who miss material in class due to absences or tardiness are expected to obtain the material on their own, either from other students during non-class time or by stopping by during your office hours if they need to get it from you. Emphasize it is their responsibility to get the material and that you will not stop class at anytime to catch up a student as it is not fair to the other students. Do this at the beginning of the year and stick to it. It may mean a few more visits during your office hours but it will save you a lot of grief.
I never liked it because the students were never punished for it, even for turning it late assignments; the professors would just ignore, tlak to thema little about it, accept late papers with no point deeductions, or jsut extend the submission deadline.
Fine and all, but for students who did everything on time, there seemed to be no advantage of doing so.
Not all professors of course did it this way, but more than a few did.
This was at a university, so it is not just something students in CC do.
Grad school was the only time where rules were enforced, and everyone showed up on time with valid excuses if they did not.
My wife went to a lesser known state university (though large), and they were strict about being on time.
Next semester at the beginning of the year discuss your late arrival policy. But, locking them out or some other method of preventing them from attending class if they are late, for the community college population, is not appropriate. These are not people whose sole function in life is to attend college. Some are people with families and jobs who do have things that legitimately get in the way. Others are there because their academic drive and/or ability is more limited than your typical 4-year college student, most of them will also have jobs. Community colleges are designed to meet the needs of non-traditional students, which means you, the instructor, need to also.
I agree with this 100%. I knew of a few students that would get held up at work just because another person was late for their shift, or there was some maintenance issue that they had to attend to no matter what scheduled time they got off. There was one girl who had an issue with a series of baby sitters who failed to show up on time when the semester started (do not worry, she was married, husband worked swing shift, this was an evening class). It can be difficult for a professor to sort the BS out from the legitimate reasons.
I have it explicitly stated on my syllabus that no one may enter the room once I begin handing out a quiz or test. I also am very specific that assignments are due at the start of class (not 10, 20, 30.... minutes later) In 4 years, only one student has ever challenged me on that, and my administration backed me up (because it was on the syllabus). Between quizzes (I do them frequently), tests, and assignment due dates, that doesn't leave a whole lot of other days for them to come in late. Of course some of them still do, but I don't say anything unless they are disruptive about it.
Earlier this year I started a part time evening job at a local Community College where I teach as an Adjunct Instructor in Business Management. It has been quite an experience.
The one thing that bugs me more than anything is students who show up late. I am talking about 30-45 minutes late on a regular basis. (These are 3 hour classes) At 10 minutes after the official class start time I shut the door thinking that would send a message to the students that they are late and the class is already under way but they walk in like they own the place and expect me to stop the class and tell them what they missed.
When I ask them why they were late they usually go mute, or just say something like: "got held up, traffic, or I had other things I had to do."
I try to lecture them about the importance of punctuality but they just look at me like I am crazy and the rest of the class students freeze up and look embarrassed. I see them thinking, "just leave him alone, what's the big thing about being late!"
Are you a college instructor or student? What do you think about students who show up late all the time?
5-10 min quizzes at the beginning of each class or the possibility of quizzes solved this problem for my college instructors/professors. They were usually 10% of our grade.
At university, a professor gave me permission to leave a few minutes early so as to walk a long distance to a lab. He still always included a question from those minutes on tests.
So far as taking up class time to fill latecomers in on what they missed... it wouldn't happen if I were the teacher. They can get the information from another student.
5-10 min quizzes at the beginning of each class or the possibility of quizzes solved this problem for my college instructors/professors. They were usually 10% of our grade.
Had this in Physics 3. 30% of the grade. Awesome idea. One of the best teachers (he was a TA) that I had.
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Yes!
