I have mixed feelings about such pleas. On the one hand, I am as appalled as you at the "chutzpah." On the other hand, despite my reputation as being "tough," I'm really an old softie and if someone tells me "I was sick," "I was in a car accident," my aunt died," etc. I almost always fall for it. So why should I punish those kids who are being honest with me, saying they just didn't get the studying done) when I reward other excuses, many of which are certainly lies?
My solution: I will include on my syllabus, or otherwise inform the students that ANY missed exams will be made up 2 weeks before the end of the semester (or during finals week, or during the semester break, or in the first week of the next semester, etc..... it really doesn't matter when.). Very few students take me up on this. On the one hand it represents a penalty because they have a lot of time to forget the material and (depending on when the make up exam is scheduled) and may or may not occur at a "better" time for them. On the other hand, I'm giving them exactly what they asked for, i.e., more time to study. This (or any) strategy is more effective if you include the policy in your syllabus. My experience in almost all of these cases is that the students do not take me up on the offer of a make-up and that if they do, they rarely score better than one would predict from their previous performances (usually a 'D' or 'F'). Ed P.S., if they miss the final I'll usually give an incomplete and allow them o make up the exam in the first few weeks of the next semester. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Edward I. Pollak, Ph.D. Graduate Coordinator, Holocaust and Genocide Studies http://www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/holocaust/ Department of Psychology, West Chester Univ. of Pennsylvania ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Cogito ergo spud: I think therefore I yam. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-------------------------------------------- -------------------------- > Subject: Welcome to University? Fw: Test??? > From: "Michael Lee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 01:12:24 -0800 > X-Message-Number: 1 > > Good morning, > > Well, thought I must share this with everyone, for > your end of the week enjoyment. Speaking of > unmitigated gal! While I contemplate my own reaction, > I wonder what some of you might say or do in > this situation! > > From an unnamed student e-mailing me the night before an exam.... > > > Hi! We are writing concerning the test on Nov 1. We > > and our friends have had a very hectic week with exams > > in the science department, biology on monday, and > > chemistry on tuesday, only leaving wednesday and > > tonight to study. One of us had a political paper due > > on Oct 31, so really one of us only had tonight to > > study. Although our friends and we were well aware of > > the test date, we could have studied the week before, > > only we were studying for our science exams and > > writing our papers for other courses. This is really > > stressful to complete all these things and feel > > satisfied having enough time to fully prepare for a > > test. We were wondering if it would be possible to > > write the test on Monday, Nov 4. We personally don't > > feel satisfied having enough time to study for this > > test, and equally we don't feel were going to do as > > well. > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
