Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Handout CL: Classroom Policies and Expectations

What it means, ideally, to be a good student
Your primary responsibility as a participant in higher education is to (strive to) be a good student:

Good students attend all classes and arrive on time; put their electronic gadgets and other distractions aside; participate regularly, thoughtfully, and respectfully; consistently strive to produce high quality work and meet all deadlines; consult with the professor during office hours when necessary; seek out assistance when required; and, most generally, openly, deliberately, and with care, enthusiasm, and humility embrace this and other formal opportunities for intellectual, scholarly growth; that is, for pursuing the life of the mind (or, more accurately from my physicalistic perspective, the life of that part of the body we call "mind").

My class policies and expectations, consonant with this understanding of what it means to be (or strive to be) a good student, are as follows:

Attendance
Missing class (or arriving late/leaving early) is not an excuse for missing a deadline or an assignment.  Furthermore, since all of my seminars/courses center on informed, respectful, and inclusive discussion of assigned readings/exercises, attendance -- like its counterpart, participation (see below) -- is obviously required to benefit from or contribute in any significant way to the seminar.  However, in the context of a noncompulsory, post-secondary educational setting, it strikes me as patronizing and pedagogically ineffective to award official credit to those who satisfy this basic requirement. Therefore, aside from those instances when the College requires it, I will not take attendance.  (I imagine that, in some seminars, our biweekly tests -- often involving materials only discussed in class -- will have a salutary influence on attendance.) See also the official college policy which outlines justifiable absences and their attendant responsibilities. In short: attendance is required, but rewarded only (!) with the success that accrues to those good students who, by my definition above, have some success in pursuing the life of the mind.

Participation
Likewise, aside from the basic respect due all persons, I will not award any kind of special credit to those who, in fulfilling an equally basic and obvious duty as a member of a community of learners/scholars, regularly and effectively participate in classroom discussions and other activities. Even so, since each of my seminars is discussion-intensive, I expect all students to participate fully. Mandatory classroom participation schemes, however, like policies that award credit for mere attendance, are often little more than misguided incentives designed to trick or force (adult) students into acting like adults. In short: participation is required, but rewarded only (!) with the success that accrues to those good students who, by my definition above, have some success in pursuing the life of the mind.

Grading
Despite the heavy financial and opportunity costs which attend post-secondary schooling, no one, independently of one's scholarly performance, has purchased or contracted for a right to a good or passing grade (but merely the opportunity to pursue the life of the mind as a good student). Rather, good grades must in some sense be earned. In an effort to resist the triadic wave of grade inflation, social promotion, and consumerism currently plaguing our educational institutions, I strictly adhere to a traditional understanding of the grades A-F (outstanding-good-acceptable-deficient-abysmal).

Furthermore, I fallibly grade (or, more fashionably, assess) students on their individual performance, not on some species of collectivist “curve.” Our responsibility as teachers is to grade student work, not the students themselves. That is, I do not -- and do not think it fair or right for anyone to -- grade (unqualified) student effort, potential, intelligence, character, goals, needs, or any other feature of students' lives aside from their scholarly products and adherence to course standards/expectations. Nevertheless, I will gladly discuss (and reconsider if warranted) my assessment of each student's work at any point in the semester. In short: please don't expect to receive a grade higher than the one you earn.

Unexcused Absences/Make-ups/Extra Credit/Incompletes and other Nonsensical terms
Aside from officially sanctioned reasons for absence or lateness as outlined identified in the College's policy documents, I will – on principle and in fairness to those who do their work in a timely fashion – strictly enforce all course deadlines. Therefore, I will not offer (undocumented) "incompletes," “makeup exams," “partial credit” for late work, or “extra credit” for those hoping to improve existing grades. In short: please plan to do all of your work on time.

Civility/behavior/electronic distractions
I believe that nothing is more corrosive to our educational success than incivility -- a broad category which includes all manner of inappropriate or disruptive behavior, including incessant joking, chatting, arriving late/leaving early, expressing socially disruptive anger, engaging in personal attacks (we discuss the merits of ideas, theories, and positions here, not persons) and using a cellphone or any other electronic gadget, including laptops. While honest disagreement and debate (along with occasional laughter, frustration, or surprise) are natural and welcome consequences of our inquiries, there is never a call for disruptive, disrespectful, abusive, or intimidating (let alone hateful) words or actions of any sort in our dealings with each other in a classroom setting (virtual or otherwise). For online coursework, always follow the basic rules of "netiquette."  In short: please remain fully considerate of others.

Special Accommodations/Extra-Academic Concerns
If/when other aspects of your life threaten to interfere with your formal education, there is no substitute for open and immediate communication with your professor.  Finally, I will happily honor any officially documented requirements for special accommodations as outlined in the MCLA Student Handbook. Please consult MCLA's "Students with Disabilities" policy statement. MCLA's "Help Directory" usefully outlines all student-related services available on campus.