Recently, I wrote about my attempt to battle the zombie virus infecting students by adopting a new policy: students will be called on and those that haven’t read will have points deducted from their final grade. Penalties for absences were ratcheted up as well, putting students in a double-bind if they were planning not to be present and prepared each day for class.
I have a very happy first report to make! In both classes, discussion was animated, and I think I ended up calling on people that would not have contributed otherwise, but had valuable things to say. I announced I would call on them in order of who had “the deadest stare,” and some actually thought that was funny.
In truth, to keep things fair, I have adopted a seating chart for each class, and will be marking not only demerits next to each student but also marking who I’ve called on, so that I can make sure to give everyone a chance (to do well, or not…).
I have also discovered that (at least when it comes to being called on) my students are not liars. Every single one that hadn’t read, admitted it. And there were several. Five in one class. I just kept calling on them until one could answer. And the answers, when they came, were by and large intelligent.
Another very wonderful by-product: my course rolls in these classes has reduced by thirty percent. I went from a combination of 57 students in both classes, to 40. In one class, the roll dropped in one week from 30 to 19. And that includes students that have added the course while others dropped, and students that haven't shown up or accessed blackboard to begin with.
I have unwittingly separated the wheat, or wheat wanna-bes, from the chaff. I expect more will slough off by the first test, and that I will enter the second two-thirds of the semester with a core of students who truly take the class seriously, whether they want to or not.
I think it will be good for them. I already know it will be very, very good for me.
Kingsfield? Is that you ?
ReplyDeleteNice for you, but not really do-able for those of us whose departments look first and foremost at class numbers when deciding who to hire as adjuncts each semester. "X attracted 120 students for Intro to Basketweaving, and retained 100 of them. Y attracted 190 students and retained 150, the year he taught it. And Z only had 100 enrolments and 40 of them dropped in the first three weeks. We aren't hiring Z again; get Y if you can."
ReplyDeleteYou've invented the first year of law school! Might I suggest that you also base students' grades on one cumulative exam?
ReplyDeleteSounds as though I would like to be in your class. It's always most fun when people contribute. For me, anyway.
ReplyDelete/opinion from youngster
Well good for you, Stella. I did something similar last semester and the results were incredible - probably 95% of the students did all the reading and got involved and accepted the consequences when they screwed up. Stick to your guns!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Stela! I give'em name-cards to use as tickets. They give'em to me when they arrive. I accept cards from punctual people. I sample with replacement from the stack of cards throughout the session and give them back at the end. No muss, no fuss, and they read. Yes, partially inspired by law/med school. Good to know others do this too.
ReplyDeleteI should also note that I wish I had this experience in college more often. Thankfully I had three whole classes that featured cold calling and mandatory attendance.
ReplyDeleteAlso you you might try publicly calling out students who skip class as they will likely never miss a class again. This works best when there are 75 plus students present. It certainly worked for me! I never missed a class again (yet...)!
Congratulations!
ReplyDelete@rachel--
ReplyDeleteThis is why we need completely replace adjuncts with ft lines, and protect tenure. Because teachers shouldn't be judged by how many butts they keep in seats.