reminder from college instructor to parents - [View all]

Spring Break is coming up, and I’m compelled to remind people who have kids in college – don’t assume we’ll make an exception for your kid.

This is something I've said here in the past. I'm going to say it again anyway.

Exams are sometimes scheduled right before a break. Those of us who instruct these students are thus met with requests to take an exam early (or late, after the break) so they can leave for break early. And when the instructor appears reluctant, the student sometimes responds with “but mom and/or dad already bought the airline ticket.”

This isn’t really so much of a problem for me right now. I’m teaching fairly small classes (a graduate seminar and an upper-level class with about 30 students), and so far, the only requests I’ve gotten are legitimate. But for some of my friends, this is causing real problems.

There are students we’re required to accommodate. They might have some sort of learning issue monitored by the institution and allowed extra time, a quiet space, or something like that. Increasingly, scheduling these makeups is on the instructor.

Then there are students with very legitimate reasons to miss a day. They might be bridesmaids in a wedding scheduled months ago. They might have a court date, military obligation, or job interview. Their work schedule might have changed on short notice. Their car might have broken down, or they might have missed the bus. If anything is online, they may have problems with their internet connection. They might be sick, or they’re caring for someone who is. A loved one might have died. They might be leaving for a required field trip in another class. They might be involved with a travelling sports team, either as a member of the team or a member of the marching band.

We help these students, but it’s not always easy. When all is said and done, more than 10 percent of a class might require rescheduling. I’ve seen it as high as 20. I’ve got friends who teach classes with upwards of 500 students. That means finding alternative exam times for 50 or more of them. Each of these students has a busy schedule – other classes, jobs, extracurricular commitments, and whatever other situations life is throwing at them. And the instructor has a busy schedule, too. We might have to find a space for the student to take an exam. We have to make sure we and/or our teaching assistants are available. And we have to make sure scheduled makeups aren’t forgotten or that exams turned in separately from the rest of class aren’t misplaced.

This is why – and although I suspect readers here get it, the problem seems to keep happening – I say we accommodate need. Not convenience.

Leaving early for a spring break vacation is not a need. It’s a convenience.

Please – before you start helping your kid schedule spring break travel, make sure you know what their academic obligations are. Is there an exam on the day they want to leave? Maybe tell them to leave after the exam.

I know instructors who will quite literally tell their students to re-book a flight if their non-essential travel conflicts with an exam. That, or accept a zero on the exam. Not sure I’d be that hard-ass, but I can understand the motivation. Costs money to reschedule? Maybe you should have thought about that before assuming we’d make an exception.

Like I said – I assume most of you get this. But maybe pass it along? Because way too many parents don’t.