My classes meet Tuesday and Thursday of each week. When I went to my first class on Tuesday, there were a few people who were not there that I was used to seeing. Then right in the middle of the instructor's lecture, about two people got up and left and didn't come back. I was like, don't these folks know they need to hear this stuff for the exam. Oh well, that's them. So at the end of class, my instructor said that since a few people could not stay for the entire lecture that they gonna miss out on an announcement. He said that class for Thursday would be cancelled because he had a prior engagement to attend. He said for us to write a 350 word essay in the place of class and turn it in online. He could have stopped right there but he didn't. He said that for all those people who missed class today and for those who left early, that he was not emailing them that class would be cancelled and he is not emailing them the assignment either.
So you can imagine what happened next. One student emails me and said that she was not there on
Tuesday and when she showed up on Thursday, there were about 5 or 6 people in the room. My guess is that those were the ones who did not come to class on Tuesday and those who left early. She said that she was emailing me because I was the only one she knew in class. I can tell in her email that she was furious at the instructor for not emailing the class. She went on to say that she paid her money for the class and should be informed about if class will not be held on that day or if any assignments are given out and that the instructor was wrong for that.
Now I will agree that he was wrong for trying to punish the students who could not make it that night or if they left early. I do not think he was wrong for assigning an assignment for us to make up for class being cancelled. What are your thoughts on this?
~QUEENBEE~
Well, "they" say two wrongs don't make a right, but I often disagree. The students who had reasons for missing class that night could have sent an email explaining why they would not have been present(that would have covered that). Those who needed or wanted to leave early could have just been respectful and spoken to the instructor before class began.
ReplyDeleteAlthough they're paying for class it is disrespectful and they are being graded. It is not the instructors responsibility to ensure they receive the information they need for their grades; it is the students. That said, instead of contacting you she should have been contacting the instructor.
An email stating, "I'm sorry I was not in attendance on XYZ night because of XYZ reason therefore I missed the announcement regarding class cancellation. Is there an assignment I need to be aware of?"
Then it's left in his hands. Also one of the disgruntled students can maturely address it at the next class. He can then establish/set/remind any regarding attendance rules to the entire class.
Okay, I know this is getting long, but one more thing: If I were the instructor I probably would have done the same thing. As a student, I've been on both sides: the young student and the adult student. As the young student I would have been too immature to be considerate and would have just sucked it up and had a zero. As an adult I would have already informed the instructor I wouldn't be there or needed to leave early. :-)