WORD to the WORD-izzle.
An email sent from my Russian professor:
I am sending out a class-wide email to bring up, again, the fact that
although there is no separate grading category for attendance, it does
count toward your grade, and measurably so. There are sicknesses,
unexpected problems, traffic accidents -- a fact of life that the four
permitted absences policy recognizes. Anything else impacts your
participation score, and gives you a zero for the day. For those that
have missed more than four classes, I have adjusted the grade records
to take account of that fact, with the result that the current final
grade, as it is now, is an accurate reflection of how you are doing in
the course. It changes daily with each daily HW assignment and
attendance grade. Although each individual missed attendance is not
worth too much on its own, a week's worth, let's say, already takes a
significant percentage chunk out of the overall grade. In other
words, those absences might mean the difference between an A- or a B+,
a B or a B-, etc. -- or the difference could be even greater.
And this does not take into account the indirect effects of missing
class -- fewer opportunities to practice the language.
Nor does it take into account the way your choices impact others. If
you miss class, you risk being less than prepared for the next one,
which means you can't fully participate in the classwork, which has a
negative effect on the students who have been there and are prepared.
If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to come to class with
a knowledge of the material you've missed, including any handouts and
any homework assigned. The constantly updated class archives on D2L
make this possible. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY to go over missed material
with you individually, if you have been absent, but it is your
responsibility to make the first step with that, come to my office
hours, ask me a question after class, or ask for clarifications over
email.
Thursdays in particular seem to have a high attrition rate. And I
understand that you might be tired and stressed out by the end of the
week -- so am I, and so are your classmates who come anyway.
All that said, we are all adults here, and we make our own choices. I
respect you too much as thinking and responsible individuals to stand
there with a long stick and to beat you into submission. Instead, I
do my very best to make sure that you guys have as much information as
possible about those choices and how they impact you, and to take into
account individualized situations as much as possible and reasonable,
while being fair to everyone. But we -- you and I -- are bound by our
choices. Everything must take place within the guidelines laid out in
the class syllabus. If you think that I will be able or willing to
"bend the rules" once it's time to send the final grade of the course
to the registrar because I am generally friendly and down to earth,
you are wrong. Though I am friendly, and down to earth, but precisely
because I am so committed to each one of you doing as well as you
possibly can, I ask that you respect the rules in the same way that I
do.
Please enjoy your weekend. The ppt on the prepositional case and
today's handouts are posted on D2L for your reference.
All best, and see you all Monday,
RP
I am sending out a class-wide email to bring up, again, the fact that
although there is no separate grading category for attendance, it does
count toward your grade, and measurably so. There are sicknesses,
unexpected problems, traffic accidents -- a fact of life that the four
permitted absences policy recognizes. Anything else impacts your
participation score, and gives you a zero for the day. For those that
have missed more than four classes, I have adjusted the grade records
to take account of that fact, with the result that the current final
grade, as it is now, is an accurate reflection of how you are doing in
the course. It changes daily with each daily HW assignment and
attendance grade. Although each individual missed attendance is not
worth too much on its own, a week's worth, let's say, already takes a
significant percentage chunk out of the overall grade. In other
words, those absences might mean the difference between an A- or a B+,
a B or a B-, etc. -- or the difference could be even greater.
And this does not take into account the indirect effects of missing
class -- fewer opportunities to practice the language.
Nor does it take into account the way your choices impact others. If
you miss class, you risk being less than prepared for the next one,
which means you can't fully participate in the classwork, which has a
negative effect on the students who have been there and are prepared.
If you do miss class, it is your responsibility to come to class with
a knowledge of the material you've missed, including any handouts and
any homework assigned. The constantly updated class archives on D2L
make this possible. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY to go over missed material
with you individually, if you have been absent, but it is your
responsibility to make the first step with that, come to my office
hours, ask me a question after class, or ask for clarifications over
email.
Thursdays in particular seem to have a high attrition rate. And I
understand that you might be tired and stressed out by the end of the
week -- so am I, and so are your classmates who come anyway.
All that said, we are all adults here, and we make our own choices. I
respect you too much as thinking and responsible individuals to stand
there with a long stick and to beat you into submission. Instead, I
do my very best to make sure that you guys have as much information as
possible about those choices and how they impact you, and to take into
account individualized situations as much as possible and reasonable,
while being fair to everyone. But we -- you and I -- are bound by our
choices. Everything must take place within the guidelines laid out in
the class syllabus. If you think that I will be able or willing to
"bend the rules" once it's time to send the final grade of the course
to the registrar because I am generally friendly and down to earth,
you are wrong. Though I am friendly, and down to earth, but precisely
because I am so committed to each one of you doing as well as you
possibly can, I ask that you respect the rules in the same way that I
do.
Please enjoy your weekend. The ppt on the prepositional case and
today's handouts are posted on D2L for your reference.
All best, and see you all Monday,
RP