Hi Achim,
Welcome back from vacation(?).
I include a statement on my syllabus as
follows: “All scheduled topics and dates are estimates, and may be
changed as deemed appropriate by the instructor.” This allows me the
flexibility to model some of the course presentation to the needs of the
students, the developments of the times, and unforeseen crises. On the other
hand, when I taught more sequential courses, there was a real need to finish certain
topics, because instructors in subsequent courses would assume the students
were familiar with the material.
The syllabus serves another very important
purpose: it notifies the students of our expectations as faculty. I believe
that many of them have little or no idea what we want them to do, let alone how
they should be doing it. The syllabus helps convey this information. Thus it
serves not as a set of inflexible rules, but rather as a set of guidelines.
I recently received a comment from a
student, objecting to my administration of quizzes in addition to the exam, on
days when an exam was scheduled (he or she said this was not fair). I also
have been doing some research on what students consider fair in terms of “cutting
them some slack” on attendance and handing papers in on time. It would
appear that students expect us to be flexible in applying the rules to them,
but, based on this one student comment, would apply the rules more strictly to
us. I’m not sure this is surprising, but still interesting.
As for the 8AM class – I suspect the
issue is more the class standing of the students than the number of them or the
time when it is given. I think seniors should be (and hopefully are) more
ready to meet their responsibilities as mature thinking adults than freshmen.
Maybe this is a topic for a future TB.
Bob
From: Teaching
Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Achim Koeddermann
Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005
8:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Getting Your Syllabi
Ready? - Posted to TB List by Jim Greenberg
Dear Jim
and all syllabus-users:
when I came long time ago from far shores, the addiction to syllabei struck me
- we didn't need them in old
Indeed, they give the flase impression that all is written in stone - and thus
prevent true dialogue, that allows for changes due to needs of both parties;
but mutual TRUST is required - and somehow this legalized society trusts only
what could stand the ordeal of a hearing or a court of law.
Syllabus distribution is good, I believe today, because it serves as an
outline; if it nails rules on walls, it is less good: it ommitts the dialogue
function of teaching, which in a socratic method means that all and everything
can be questioned - even the wisom of the professor.... And with 78 students in
my 8 a.m intro, I am not ready to enter into such open dialogue. Any
suggestions?
your Achim