It's in there

There is a saying among professors that you can tell how long someone has been teaching by the length of their syllabus. Why? Because our syllabus evolves over the years to try to anticipate every possible scenario that could arise to cause problems during a semester.

Why does this matter to you? Because the syllabus is the class contract. It tells you what we expect, what we grade, how we grade, when we grade. It tells you how to contact us, and when our office hours are. It sets forth classroom rules and procedures, schedules and expectations. AND IT IS BINDING! We have to follow our own rules, and can't implement rules that aren't there! So the policies become more intricate as the years go by. (I once had a student who came to class every day with a full-on lunch spread, who proceeded to leisurely dine throughout my entire noon class period. Very distracting to me and the students nearby. As a result, the "No Food in Class" rule is now part of my syllabus.)

But you don't see the reasoning behind the rules. You just see the rules. One of the reasons I decided to start this blog is to explain the philosophy behind the rules. Why I Do, in addition to What I Do.

So take some time to review the Syllabus. Learn the rules. Especially before you ask a question about the attendance policy.

#Etiquette #ProfessorInsight