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sequinedlizard
2010-01-18 03:43 am UTC (link)

That would have been my preferred option, as well. I had some freedom regarding what and how to teach, but unfortunately had to keep attendance and factor it in to the grade. I figure if they don't want to be there, that's just going to make them more likely to text or whatever and be a distraction.

Of course, given that I was used mainly to teach smaller sections and there was a main lecture class that 200 students were supposed to go to, if I hadn't done attendance, I probably would have been spending a few hours by myself each week.

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nevadafighter
2010-01-18 03:52 am UTC (link)

Wow. I only had 17 students, so I was lucky.

I was pretty firm with my rules, but let them know I was reasonable--I am a big believer in case-by-case rather than zero-tolerance. Cell phones off (texting wasn't a big thing then), keep chatter to a minimum, and because the prof can't stand it, no gum chewing. They didn't push it; everyone was very respectful, though I attribute that more to having kids who largely came from Catholic schools. ;)

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sequinedlizard
2010-01-18 03:58 am UTC (link)

For me, I tended to start off kind of hard ass, and then relax as the year progressed. Like my syllabus was very detailed and I was very adamant about deadlines and all that. But I'd also quote Eddie Izzard and stuff in my lectures, and if students came to me personally, was fairly likely to give them some wiggle room. I figured that way if word got out I was a softy, better for them to catch on at the end of the year, rather than the beginning :)

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nevadafighter
2010-01-18 04:03 am UTC (link)

That's the way to go.

I guess I got lucky; only one student flunked (because he just stopped coming to class and doing work) and the rest paid attention and even liked the black and white movie I showed them (we did Stalag 17--the play, then the movie because I couldn't bear to put them through another round of Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams). The fact that many of them came back after the semester asking if I'd be teaching another class they could take was the biggest compliment I could have received.

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