I'm not sure if I am the only one feeling this way, but this semester I somewhat feel that I am not being treated like a university student or preservice teacher, but rather a child. This semester, the faculty of education has put in place a new system where we could be sacrificing a grade in a course if we are to miss more then two (I believe).
Personally I am having issues with this new policy and don't feel that I am being treated like a professional or even an adult. I think that all students have earned the right to decide when we can afford to miss class. I am by no means suggesting that we skip on a regular basis because a great deal of our courses are centered around practical application, but when something happens that is out of our control, I don't think that we should be hung out to dry. I also believe that this is something that needs to be earned, and the majority of us have earned this but still fear the "rath" of our profs when we miss class. (At least I do)
Lately I have been having a string of issues with being sick, as well some car issues. I had to miss a PE class because of the car issues, and because it wasn't considered a serious enough of a problem I was looked at like I had done something wrong. I have worked really hard to make it into the faculty and feel that I am capable of deciding if something is important enough to miss class.
I guess my question, or issue is whether or not anyone has been feeling this way. I find that it is somewhat stressful when you wake up with a sore throat, or have something happen out of your control, and you have to stress because you may be approaching that 2 missed class minimum?
Here is a space for us to carry on conversations from class, or for you to raise issues you would like further discussion about.
A place to ponder
14 comments:
I'm not sure what I think about this new policy, yet. However, I have missed one PE class. I injured my neck (reinjured), and was really tired from changes to my sleep patterns because of some medicine that I took and from all of the renovations and moving that my family has been doing, and I didn't think that it was in the best interest of my health to attend. I suppose that I could have gone to observe the class, but I was feeling really frustrated and didn't want to be a downer on the class. I consider missing one class per semester acceptable. I made sure that I spoke to a classmate afterwards to find out what I had missed. If I was a teacher, I would not have felt responsible teaching that day, and I would have called in to take my "personal business" day. However, because illness without doctor's notes and family concerns without counselor's notes are non-discretionary at UVic, I did not contact my teacher before the class. I am willing to take the penalty for that class for the sake of doing well and BEING well the rest of the week. My objection to a policy regarding attendance is not that it offends my sense of judgement, or even my lack of professionalism. I am only opposed to policies when they work to the detriment of the people who are supposed to adhere to them. (NTS: I've written too much, again. Sorry.)
Kendahl, I feel the same way you do. Being a student is very stressful and stress can make us ill. If we are ill, we should not be expected to attend class. This only passes around a bug that never should have been there. Also, with many of us working a lot of hours as well, we just get fatigued. If we feel as though we'll be ok to take a day off, then we should be allowed.
I feel that the faculty should be more lenient. The time when they should start intervening is when our grades start slipping. If we are able to keep up our grades, then there should not be a problem.
Also, we are the ones paying for the classes. It's not like the prof doesn't get paid if we don't go to class. If a student misses a class and takes all efforts to make up missed work, then there definitely isn't a problem.
One more thing. Who deems what is a proper excuse to miss class? I hate being told that the reason wasn't acceptable. For an example, a recall on my car saying that if not fixed could cause injury or death. I needed to get it fixed asap but apparently this wasn't a good enough excuse! I even had the recall letter! Anyways, yes I do feel this is frustrating!
Let's try to view both perspectives when we address these important issues...from student and teacher viewpoints.
As a student I feel the same way that you do about having a right to take a class or perhaps even two off if I deem the reason important. I especially feel this way if I feel like the class does not add much to my growth and I could be using my time better!!
However, as a professional program the instructors are supposed to provide evidence that you are ready to be professionals and I don't believe that grades are sufficient enough - as many of you will agree - it should be your dedication, persistance, and professional attendance... My concern when one of you missed 2 classes, with a possible 3rd hanging in the balance, I have concerns about your practicum attendance. I need to know that if your car breaks down, you will find another way to get to school so that the administration isn't left scrambling to find a sub, (or your mentor teacher is having to plan a last minute lesson), or if you are thinking that you are getting worn down, that you take time off of teaching the class, instead of slowing down in the evenings and weekends on your marking or planning.
I can tell you from first hand experience that the Education dept did NOT want to implement a policy about attendance and only did because of a number of students who were not contacting their instructors to inform them of their absence, or missing too many classes. The instructors started to feel that attendance was not being taken seriously. A policy is not always the best way to solve a problem, but I would rather have this policy than pop quizes or random participation marks being given to determine students' professionalism.
As a teacher who might have students missing classes I would personally be apt to find out how to make my class more engaging and beneficial to the students so that they were more compelled to attend...but that's just me...!
So I am going to be one of those strange bloggers that respond to their own post.
I don't want anyone to believe that I am looking to get out of all my classes, because I feel my attendance has been good both semesters. This semester not as great because I had already missed a couple classes the first week because I stayed in Alberta. I guess my issue just came up that I was feeling like I didn't have an option in missing a class. It didn't matter if I didn't feel good, or whatever the circumstance, I wasn't to miss class. That just made me feel like it was out of my control and that I was being treated the way I was in elementary.
The Ed. program is designed with professional classes, but I just think that more control should be put in our hands when deciding on attendance.
After reading what everyone has to say, I have taken consideration of both sides of this issue. I can understand why the Ed Department decided to implement the attendance policy because I feel that attendance is important. I also realize that there are implications that if a student isn’t attending class and taking it seriously then this could happen when we go on our practicum.
However, looking at it from a student’s perspective, this policy is extremely frustrating! I value my education and attend as many classes as possible. I feel that if I’m paying for a class I want to take as much out of it as possible. The policy of missing two classes is understandable for those students who don’t attend class, but speaking as one of the students who is always in class I feel as though I’m being punished. I know it isn’t like that, but I’d at least like to have the option if I’m not feeling well that I don’t have to go to class. I think that I can use my own discretion if I need to attend class. If I’m not feeling well I should go home and rest so I can get better faster, rather than stay at school and it take longer for me to recuperate and possibly get other sick.
Is there a way to find a happy-medium for both the Faculty and the students regarding this policy?
Reading these posts I find myself with conflicting thoughts after each sentence! It was nice to hear from a teacher as to why exactly attendence is so important with an answer more extensive then "you can't learn what we learned in class if you're not there" which is a bunch of hooy because we all have friends who are more then willing to provide us with notes and have discussions with us for missed classes as well as texts to read.
It's funny though - as Leanna said, teachers are to provide proof that we are ready to be professionals and worry that poor attendence at school may mean poor attendence in a practicum -I would never think of missing my practicum because I'm sick or really any other less serious manner. I stay home from school so I'm well enough to go to work. If I miss school Im only letting myself down, if I miss work (or my practicum) I am letting alot more people then myself down.
Does anyone else feel this way?
I'm glad to hear about the education department's policy on education. It's too bad that the policy doesn't extend to the other departments. I suppose that I was naive enough to believe that the purpose of the policy was to reflect a pedagogy where community learning was a key goal in education. Without any further comment on my opinion, I can say that I was told by more than one instructor that it was better not to attend class and to get the assignments done, than to attend class unprepared. And that as a teacher, I was once actually ordered to leave because I was ill and the school had a no-illness attendance policy for students and teachers. I'm wondering if some of our excuses and demands are culturally or ethnically based. Any thoughts?
I agree with Leanna that there are two issues. First, when you have your own classroom you will soon discover how disrupting it is when students are missing. You will need to make decisions such as; Do I send the work home? Do I just get them caught up when they return? Can they carry on when they get back and not do the work they missed? Will this depend on what they have missed, how long they have been away, what grade they are in?
Secondly, there are strict rules in teaching about what is an acceptable reason to hire a TOC. When I was teaching, it was not acceptable to stay home if your child was sick. The dilemma became do you take the day off and lose pay, or do you "create" an acceptable reason. I always felt that as professionals we should be given credit for our ability to judge what is an acceptable reason for taking a day off, but that does not seem to be the reality.
I have a hard time with this topic because I believe that at this point in our lives we are students and there should not be much more that is more important than that. What I mean is we were all very aware that this was a full time program and we would be expected to attend full time. Furthermore, while we do have a lot on our plates we are very lucky with our schedule. I think that with this schedule it is very possible to find time to work and all other errands.
It is true we are adults and we are professionals, but I think that this is more of a reason to make attending class a priority, rather than feel you have the right not to.
With that said, when you are sick, your sick. I think we all have the capability to deem when we just can't go to school. But personally I feel embarrassed that the department felt they had to implement this policy, because I have a suspicion the faculty thought that people were abusing the right to not have to attend class.
While I agree with what Leanna brought up about the administrations position on absences in the program, I also feel incredibly frustrated about that stance. I certainly hope that future employers look for more than my degree when hiring me, and I understand that previous jobs and employers might not be acceptable for them to look at, as they are not specific to education per se. At the same time, the reason why I feel frustrated is that I feel that I am in this program not only to learn to be a teacher, but to have documentation that I am allowed to teach. So, as far as that goes, I am in this program in order to be able to say that I am a professionally trained teacher. So far during this year I feel that with all that has been presented to me in the program, that documentation will be the most valuable thing I take away - because bottom line, I will be able to teach. As much as we are now "professionals" in this program, we are still students, paying for a product, and this is not the same as being an employee, being paid to do a job.
Many have already said that missing class for them is quite different from missing work - for one thing, when your livelihood depends on it, you are much more likely to do something, even if there are circumstances that are incredibly detrimental in your way. I'm sure the faculty would like of us to think of our classes as contributing to our livelihoods, but personally, at this point, they're not. My paying job is. As an institution that runs stictly as a business, I find it odd that this isn't understood better. On the other hand, as I mentioned before, I understand that our profs need to be able to speak on our professionalism and dedication - I'm just concenrned about how they will do so when they have trouble distinguishing us from one another. I suppose this is where unofficial transcripts come in. Once again, while I am able to see it from the position of the administration in "cracking down" on certain attendance issues, I still feel that if we are considered professionals in their eyes, shouldn't we be able to make the choice ouurselves about whether or not we need to be in class on a certain day, and at the end of the day, once it's all said and done, if some of us have high amounts of absences, well then couldn't the administration let them speak for themselves?
I would like to say that it makes complete sense to me that the department would like to ensure we are acting as professionals. I have found that as long as you are attending class regularly the profs won't penalize you for being sick. I dont really agree with having to get doctor's note though, I personally don't run to the doctor everytime Im sick as most illness's just need to run their course. It also costs money to get a doctor's note, something most of us can't really afford.
I tend to go to school and not go to work when I am sick as school is my priorty. However, recently I got very sick and took both school and work off. I dont feel I was penalized by any of my profs which I was happy about because I was fairly worried about. That brings me to agree with what Kendahl was saying. I don't really feel that it is fair to be sitting at home genuinely ill and be worried about "being in trouble" for not going to class. That is the part where we are treated like children. As a professional on the occasion you get sick and call a TOC I dont feel that many bosses are going to be angrily awaiting a doctor's note to prove your illness. I feel that treatment like that is unfair and unprofessional in itself. Now, I dont feel I was treated that way but I do know of people in our program who have been treated that way. Anyway, thats just my two cents...
After reading everything that has been said on the topic of attendance I have stepped back and looked at the situation from both sides because after all, eventually we will be on the other side of the coin while at the same time knowing how our students feel because we were once there as well.
What I have taken from the faculty’s introduction of the new policy is that there are always those few people who ruin it for everyone else. Personally I believe that everyone is human (including our instructors) and they understand if you miss a class, they may be disappointed but there is nothing anyone can do. One or two missed classes a semester is understandable and I don’t think a professor will hunt you down for it. I believe that it is my choice to miss a class because although we are looked at as professionals the bottom line is that we are paying to be there, therefore we are still students. If I miss a class and something important was discussed or completed I only have myself to blame! It is unfortunate that the faculty had to implement such a regulation, but it shows that there are always going to be people who abuse their rights.
When I first found out about the two missed class rule I thought it was harsh but I wasn't super concerned. However, it is now the end of the semester and there are some courses that I have missed no classes in and I am at my limit in one of them. I think that this policy has put way more stress on me, and by the sounds of it everyone else too, than is necessary. I was sick a couple weeks ago and sat in my basement reading the line "If you miss more than two classes you will not be eligible to write the final" over and over again. I was thinking to myself this will be the last class I can miss in this course. But then the question was what if something else happens that requires me to miss class what will I do? Thinking about this stressed me out to the point of insanity. This policy should not be so strict that when I am sick I can't sleep, relax and get better for fear that I am now one accident, illness, or family emergency away from failing out of a class. Brandie brought up the point about having to pay for doctors notes. However, we are not the only ones who pay for doctor's notes. The taxpayers are paying for us to go in and say to a doctor, I'm sick but it is not something that antibiotics can cure so if I could get a note that would be great. I don't know about everyone else but usually when I get sick I just get the flu or a virus which cannot be solved with antibiotics. So, why are we going to the doctor to diagnose ourselves? This is a policy I have never really understood.
I agree with Rachel (Grey) on this one. I have been in some interesting circumstances this year and it is difficult to balance everything when you are working and going to school, and doing homework.
I realize our schedule is open so that we can include group projects and errands, however, working almost full time and going to school full time is difficult load to balance and for most of us is NOT optional.
I think that at this point in my life (as with every other point in my life) work is the priority. My paid job will always be the priority becuase it contributes to my livelihood.
I think that the two absences rule is absolutely ridiculous. In ALL other faculties there is no such rule becuase it is implicit that if you miss classes it will reflect in your grades. If it doesn't then obviously the course work is too easy, or that student works best with self-directed studying.
I feel like I have every right in the world to miss classes that I pay for. That is not to say that I will take advantage of that and skip class all the time, but I pay good money for my credentials and the learning that I am doing here.
There are however some days when I feel like the lectures are a waste of my time. I am sure other people feel this way as well. If I feel terrible, or I get called into work, or I have an opportunity to attend a professional development workshop, I am going take those opportunities, and work those shifts because my committment is to work first, and this program second.
When I am a full-blown teacher, my committment will be to that WORK first, and other HOBBIES/COURSES second.
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