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Tip #11| When's There's Just No Way to Pass It's week 11 and no amount of make-up work or brilliant bursts of creativity will enable that student to pass. What is a teacher to do? It is distressing when students fail. Even experienced teachers with clear boundaries and watertight evaluation systems sometimes wonder: Was there anything else I could have done to help that student? It is sometimes tempting to spend extra time with failing students late in the semester, charting out elaborate schedules of work to be turned in. Those of us who have done this know that these students are unlikely to turn up to class again, much less pass. The ARC gets many referrals from teachers at this time of the semester regarding such students. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions: What do I do with a student who can't pass? Inform the student of his standing. Progress grades give teachers a good starting place for this conversation. For a borderline student, be prepared to concisely list what the student needs to do in order to pass the class, but do not negotiate the points. Ask the student what he or she plans to do. A student may continue to come to class and work anyway. If a subject is particularly difficult for a student, the added time will only help when she repeats the class next semester. Students who are concerned about their GPAs for reasons of scholarships or academic probation may opt to drop your class in order to focus on improving grades in their other classes. Refer students to the ARC and insist that they go. ARC coaches have extensive experience working with students who are failing or at risk of failing. Coaches can help students make the best decisions about where to focus their energy and assist them with time management plans for the remainder of the semester. Shouldn't a failing student drop the class to get a refund & avoid an F? Dropping at this point makes no difference to a student's GPA or refund. Any student who drops a class after attending the fourth week receives a "WF." A WF is the same as an "F" when calculated into a student's GPA. Refunds are prorated according to how many weeks into the semester the student attended class. After the tenth week, students may drop, but do not receive any refund. Can I tell the student he has to drop my class if he is failing anyway? If there are behavioral reasons that you would like to have the student expelled from your class, talk to your Director. You cannot insist that a student leave your class simply because his grades are not up to standard. What if I am not sure whether or not he can pass? Take all of your records along with examples of the student's work to your Director so that he or she can help you make an accurate assessment of the student's potential to pass. Your notes, grades, and written feedback are great assets in helping determine whether a student just needs to make up work or cut his or her losses. Should I issue the student an incomplete ("I") grade? No, "Incompletes" are reserved for unforeseeable and generally dire circumstances at the very end of the semester (weeks 14 or 15) that prevent the student from completing the last week or two worth of work. Your Director must approve any Incompletes that are issued, and the student must turn in the missing work by week 2 of the next semester. Develop the classroom community Resources: |
