Although I taught a number of courses at Western before coming to Dickinson, it’s fair to consider this my “rookie” year. After all, I taught a larger number of courses, was a full member of the faculty, and had more responsibilities integrating my work into the broader department & college-wide curriculum. So it’s fair to say that I’ve learned a number of things from my first year at a private liberal arts college. Here are my top seven lessons learned:
1. Late papers. Despite my attempts to strictly enforce late penalties for papers, students still tried to wiggle out of deadlines. Only a few of them, mind you. But enough that it turned into a hassle. My new policy: I don’t accept late papers. Period.
2. Attendance. Students frequently think that a large number of absences can be excused, for various reasons. It becomes another hassle to determine which absences are “legitimate” & which aren’t. My new policy: Every student gets 3-4 (depending on how frequently the class meets) absences for any reason (including “personal” days); after that, absences count against participation grades.
3. Class deans. The whole concept of “class deans” is new to me. But I’m starting to enjoy them. Class deans are college administrators who oversee an entire academic class (e.g. the “sophomore class dean”). I don’t have to worry about students scamming me (or, at least, I can worry much less). My new policy: In “extraordinary” cases (e.g. more than 3-4 “legitimate” absences or someone really needs an extension on an assignment), ask the class dean to verify/approve the situation.
4. Writing center. Some students have writing problems. Other students tend to procrastinate on their papers. Since the result is the same (poorly written & unpolished papers), the solution is the same: send students to the writing center. My new policy (successfully beta tested this semester): Give extra credit for papers pre-submitted to the writing center. Not only are those papers better written, but because writing center appointments are made (at least) a day or two before assignments are due, this cuts down on last-minute all-nighters (which are almost never well written, even under the best circumstances, no matter what students think).
5. Student research papers. It’s become clear that too many students think that a 10-12 page research papers can be written in 48 hours. The solution: break up the major paper into a series of small assignments that “trick” students into spreading out their research over the course of the semester. This fall, students will have to submit: 1) a 250-word abstract, 2) a bibliography, 3) a literature review, and 4) a structured outline.
6. PowerPoint. It rules. Basically, every classroom is a “smart” classroom (computer w/ overhead, DVD, and VHS). So why not take advantage of it? Lectures are often boring. But in 10-15 minutes I can put up a map or some illustrative pictures into a file, then walk across the hall into my classroom, and toss them on the overhead projector. I still love chalk; but I also love PowerPoint. And if David Byrne can do it, so can I. (After all, like any innanimate object/software, PowerPoint isn’t stupid; but sometimes stupid people do use PowerPoint.)
7. Grade grubbing. This is the bane of all teachers’ existence. Students regularly think they should’ve gotten a better grade than what they actually earned. There are, of course, rare occasions when a real mistake is made. At Western, most students accepted their grades, asked what they did wrong, and then strove to do better next time. But this semester the grade grubbing was too much (plus, it’s counter-productive). So I’ve borrowed a page from a colleague. My new policy: Students can only request that their grade be reconsidered in writing, in a formal memo giving clear rationale for why they believe a better grade is warranted.
