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| Our December 4th Teaching Matters session was full of laughter, nods of appreciation, and thoughtful conversation. The group shared effective approaches to attendance, late work, engagement/contribution, and technology policies. We talked about the purpose behind various policies and the importance of communicating that purpose clearly to students.
One participant described evaluating each policy from three vantage points: how it facilitates their work as the professor, how it supports an individual student’s learning, and how it shapes the classroom community. We also explored policies that build student agency, such as allowing two discretionary absences or giving each student one “get out of jail free” card for a missed lab report. For late work, one helpful strategy was asking students to submit whatever they have completed on the due date (as a final submission or as part of requesting an extension), a practice that can help to ease student anxiety about getting things “perfect,” while maintaining honesty and accountability. Throughout the discussion, a shared theme emerged: the mechanics of teaching rely on an interplay of consistency, structure, flexibility, and thoughtful exceptions. Overall, the session was a productive, positive, and purpose-centered conversation that energized our group on a cold December day. |