Why do teachers care if you attend?

[PoorManQ45]

I was having an argument with my GF the other day.

She is currently attending USF for her Bachelor's degree.

The topic of discussion: Why do professors in Colleges and Universities decrease your grade if you do not attend class?

My thoughts on this are:

Typically you knowledge of the subject matter is tested in the form of either an exam or an essay. If you are able to perform sufficiently well on these to test forms what does it matter if you attend the class other then to take the tests.

Also, you are paying for the classes. This means that you are paying for a portion of time in their class on certain days. You should be able to choose if you want to spend that time in class or not.

What are your thoughts on teachers and professors decreasing grades for not attending class?

[numbnuts240]

they have their reasons. i'll ask my gf later how she feels about it, being that she teaches college courses. personally i've always thought it was stupid. i'm paying for the class, i'll show when i want to. as long as i'm passing, why should you care?

[dusred]

Because it's really annoying when a student who was absent comes to you and asks you to explain something that was already explained in class. And your attendance reflects how seriously you took the class.

[AZhitman]

I was having an argument with my GF the other day.

Well THERE'S a big effin' surprise.

You'd argue with a goddam doorknob.

Which, coincidentally, is what you'll be smooching on if you keep arguing asinine topics with her.

The lesson that no one has shoved all up your face is this:

You ARGUE when you're absolutely right. You DEBATE when you're opinionated and passionate. You STFU when you're uninformed or uncertain.

Come to think of it, if she's willing to endure your mental masturbatlon for more than 10 minutes, you may want to hurry up and put a ring on her finger BEFORE she meets a guy who listens more than he talks.

[RCA]

Yeah, I am on the same boat.

Teachers performance is based on the overall grades that come from the class. I know teachers that have told me they can't give more then one A. University standards force teachers to have all sorts of crazy standards.

I think it's BS though. I pay to play, it should be my choice whether or not I want to play.

[93coupe]

It is disrespectful. You are there to learn and hear what the professor has to offer. You should want to take in and listen to everything he is willing to give to you. Anyone that isn't willing to take ALL information available, especially if they are paying for it, is not the brightest person in the bunch and doesn't deserve to waste a desk in the classroom on days they decide to attend.

[krash]

It is disrespectful. You are there to learn and hear what the professor has to offer. You should want to take in and listen to everything he is willing to give to you. Anyone that isn't willing to take ALL information available, especially if they are paying for it, is not the brightest person in the bunch and doesn't deserve to waste a desk in the classroom on days they decide to attend.

This. And you can also impact their fail rates.

[S13_love]

Because it's really annoying when a student who was absent comes to you and asks you to explain something that was already explained in class. And your attendance reflects how seriously you took the class.

Qft.

When a teacher has a class of 200+ and you have 30+ kids coming to their office or sending emails asking what they missed...then that's a waste of their time.

[Loki]

You're paying hard earned money just for the privilege of being there. Why wouldn't you want to show up? If you have a legitimate reason then the professor won't dock your grade.

I've gotten along perfectly well with teachers with this kind of attitude. The most severe was my public speaking class: 4th unexcused absence = failing grade. I passed just fine, and so did the 20+ others in the class. I don't really get the skipping mentality. If you know the subject matter so well you don't even need to show up for more than several classes then you're in the wrong class level.

[Bubba1]

Well THERE'S a big effin' surprise.

You'd argue with a goddam doorknob.

Which, coincidentally, is what you'll be smooching on if you keep arguing asinine topics with her.

The lesson that no one has shoved all up your face is this:

You ARGUE when you're absolutely right. You DEBATE when you're opinionated and passionate. You STFU when you're uninformed or uncertain.

Come to think of it, if she's willing to endure your mental masturbatlon for more than 10 minutes, you may want to hurry up and put a ring on her finger BEFORE she meets a guy who listens more than he talks.

PMQ, Representing the nation's parents who make sacrifices to pay for their childrens college educations, your argument is ....



Of course, we'd support teachers who decrease grades for non-attendance. they should all do that. What you think you're in school for?

I do recognize, as a former student, that some classes can be downright boring. If you paid 100% of your own education, I'd say do whatever the heck you want. But if your parents are footing that bill, even partially, you owe it to them to attend those classes.

[PoorManQ45]

You ARGUE when you're absolutely right. You DEBATE when you're opinionated and passionate. You STFU when you're uninformed or uncertain.

Thank you for the explanation. We were debating then.

[RCA]

It is disrespectful. You are there to learn and hear what the professor... doesn't deserve to waste a desk in the classroom on days they decide to attend...

Are you serious? Attendance is manditory because my professors are butthurt that I'm not there?

They don't care.

But I agree, if you don't take the time to go to class, you're probably a doucher, but it isn't up to the university to judge that, it's up to my grade. I shouldn't get punished because I didn't show up to class, I should get punished because I didn't learn in that class.

[PoorManQ45]

Also, I and she paid for our own school. So your statements are incorrect.

What I am getting at is, aren't the tests and exams in place to to test your retention of the information that is being provided in the class?

If you are able to show that you have retained the tested knowledge why does it matter if you weren't in class?

How is it disrespectful to the teacher? Most professors don't care about you. So why should they care if you attend?

And the statement about affecting their fail rate. Wouldn't lowering your grade actually increase the fail rate? It would seem that they are perpetuating the cycle.

[93coupe]

Are you serious? Attendance is manditory because my professors are butthurt that I'm not there?

They don't care.

Beats me. I am not a professor and I don't know any to ask. I was just expressing how I would feel if I were one.

[AppleBonker]

What are your thoughts on teachers and professors decreasing grades for not attending class?

I never had this happen. Most of my professors couldn't care any less if you attended class or not. But, they would do you any favors by re-explaining materials if you were persistently absent. The only classes I really had with an attendance policy were lab courses, but it's difficult to write a report without the experiment taking place (and the TAs who had to read them probably didn't want to spend the time grading a 20-40 page report written by someone who has no experience with the material).

[breadbox]

Some schools factor in attendance into the grade just so someone will be in class when the teacher gets there. If attendance counts I goto class regardless of how crap I feel.

If they don't care, I do what i need to to get a 90% or better and just chill.

However, I care about my education and stopped attending school when the teachers cared less about my furthering of education and more of just getting by.

I had a teacher who is a DR. So you have to give them 15mins to get to class as per student handbook, dude was 10mins late every class.

50 minute class. 15minutes spent setting up his computer which he in most cases doesn't need. Leaving 25minutes to even cover anything. Every project is a group project because he plays the numbers. if everyone is responsible for one assignment then not everyone is gonna do it and it reflects on him. So if 6 people to one assignment more people pass.

Another teach refuses hand turned in assignments. Regardless of what it is, it has to be emailed to him. I later find out he doesn't read them at all. they are grammatically graded through a computer program and he looks at it only if the computer suggests it.

So I feel teachers should be respecting my time more than the other way around. Those who want to be there, Teach them. Those that skip can suck it.

[RCA]

Beats me. I am not a professor and I don't know any to ask. I was just expressing how I would feel if I were one.

Well most university professors I have had have doctorates, they are actively involved in there field, writing books, attending speeches, flying to conferences etc. They do not spend time dealing with nonsense. They are WAY to busy to catch feelings but they should keep attendance to cover their own arse and they use it to determine close grades.

[Ajax]

I would suppose it always depends on the teacher and the class. I used the mentality that I'm paying for the class- if I have something that is more worth my time than that one class period, then I could skip. I rarely found that I had something more worthwhile.I imagine its gotta be frustrating to have studied a subject so thoroughly that you are considered a professor and now teach that subject to college-level students (yes I've had some teachers that maybe shouldn't have been teaching that level, too) and the students don't think what you have to offer is important enough for them to show.Also, the really excellent professors I had wanted to hear your input because thats a valuable resource for them. Even if they know a subject, its helpful to see how others learn to become a more effective teacher.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Well THERE'S a big effin' surprise.

You'd argue with a goddam doorknob.

Which, coincidentally, is what you'll be smooching on if you keep arguing asinine topics with her.

The lesson that no one has shoved all up your face is this:

You ARGUE when you're absolutely right. You DEBATE when you're opinionated and passionate. You STFU when you're uninformed or uncertain.

Come to think of it, if she's willing to endure your mental masturbatlon for more than 10 minutes, you may want to hurry up and put a ring on her finger BEFORE she meets a guy who listens more than he talks.

Christ...your wife withhold sex last night?

[C-Kwik]

And the statement about affecting their fail rate. Wouldn't lowering your grade actually increase the fail rate? It would seem that they are perpetuating the cycle.

It could but when attendance is required, then more people tend to show. If more people pass the class or get better grades as a result, then it helps the professor's performance reviews. Its possible it could go the other way, but that's not likely in most classes. At the very least, if they take role and attendance is still poor and grades are low, then they at least have something to fall back on. If students didn't show and failed or performed poorly, then the professor could not be held responsible.

[bobotech]

Accreditation might also be part of it.

A university has to go though accreditation every few years (well the individual schools in a university do). If a school loses its accreditation its like a Nissan only dealership being revoked of its Nissan sponsorship or whatever Nissan does to allow the dealership to sell Nissans.

Your university loses its accreditation, then its degrees lose a lot of their respect.

The accreditation process has a lot to do with the kind of work the students put out. I remember the nursing program here was going through the accreditation process last year and they had to show lots of work that the students did and they had to allow the accreditation team to monitor classes and stuff.

I imagine if the university allowed the students to come and go as they pleased, that would not make the school seem nearly as serious. Heck, a that point, you might as well become a diploma mill and not even offer classes.

[AZhitman]

Christ...your wife withhold sex last night?

1) No.

2) Are you the GF he was arguing with?

[Jesda]

Professors DO care. They'll call you at home and ask you why you havent been attending. I go to a small school with tiny classes though, and they genuinely seem to give a damn whether you are learning.

[AZhitman]

I imagine if the university allowed the students to come and go as they pleased, that would not make the school seem nearly as serious. Heck, a that point, you might as well become a diploma mill and not even offer classes.

This is definitely a consideration. Federal funding, in certain instances, is also based on attendance.

Instead of arguing a topic with little to no empirical evidence, perhaps young Brien should have done some research, such as reading the following studies:

http://www.psychologicalscienc...=2121

http://www.springerlink.com/co...h6104/

Most of the stuff I read shows there is a direct correlation between classroom attendance and academic success (duh), but it's also imprtant to note that many classes stresss interactive participation and individual contributions to the learning experience - These are the skills that will be required in the workplace (unless you're locked in a lab by yourself). Not attending deprives the professor of that resource and teaching methodology, and deprives the other students of Brien's oh-so-valuable contributions.

I guess it's easier to sit in the corner and lob spitwads and snide comments than it is to actually push this youngster to use his head for something other than a hat rack.

[Razi]

Also, some schools, there are attendance policies where the teacher is required to give you a penalty for missing class.

[dusred]

I guess it's easier to sit in the corner and lob spitwads and snide comments than it is to actually push this youngster to use his head for something other than an air tank.

FTFY

[nissangirl74]

The topic of discussion: Why do professors in Colleges and Universities decrease your grade if you do not attend class?

Sometimes it is university policy. Sometimes the type of class necessitates it. I have had professors that would give you a syllabus at the beginning of the semester and flat out tell you that the only classes you have to attend to pass their class are the quizzes, the mid-term and the final. I have also had professors that told us, if you do not come to class, you will fail. All of the material you will be tested on will be discussed in class.

Personally, I feel that if I am going to invest $40K in my education, I'm gonna get my money's worth. I'm going to collect as much information as possible so I can retain it for future reference.

However, I am a big believer in comp testing. If you feel you are knowledgeable enough on a subject to pass the test, go for it. Don't waste your time, the teacher's time, and a s*** ton more money to take the course.

Also, you should probably go to class more often.....

Typically you knowledge of the subject matter is tested in the form of either an exam or an essay.

"you" should be "your"

If you are able to perform sufficiently well on these to test forms what does it matter if you attend the class other then to take the tests

This sentence needs to be proofread and re-written.

Also, I and she paid for our own school.

"I and she" should be "she and I"

What I am getting at is, aren't the tests and exams in place to to test your retention of the information that is being provided in the class?

If you are able to show that you have retained the tested knowledge why does it matter if you weren't in class?

In the first sentence, you typed the word "to" twice. The second statement contradicts the first. How can you do well on a test that is based on retained knowledge from the class, if you don't go to said class?

And the statement about affecting their fail rate.

This is an incomplete statement.

To the OP - I am curious as to what your GF's stand was on this argument?

[ProudNissanFreak]

Becky wins

[PoorManQ45]

Most of the stuff I read shows there is a direct correlation between classroom attendance and academic success (duh), but it's also imprtant to note that many classes stresss interactive participation and individual contributions to the learning experience - These are the skills that will be required in the workplace (unless you're locked in a lab by yourself). Not attending deprives the professor of that resource and teaching methodology, and deprives the other students of Brien's oh-so-valuable contributions.

The problem with that is that you are treating everyone the same. In this instance there is no reason for that.

I am the type of person that doesn't need to hear an instructor tell me the information to be able to retain it. I can read the text book and pass the test.

What is wrong with that?

[r34 gtr]

Because its effing disrespectful to no-show on a class all the time. Your teacher would probably like to be somewhere else too, but you know what? He/she is there and dammit you should be too.

The above does not apply to classes of more than 40 people. If its a big class, showing up is like handing in your man card. There is a reason Universities have big "lecture classes," and that reason is so you can add a 4.0 into your floundering GPA for the semester while getting drunk every night and having unprotected sex with multiple partners.

Ask me about my 9am Personal Finance class and how many times I have shown up in the past month.