Strategies for Handling Student Absences

Our primary goal is to ensure students learn what we intend.  It is true that when students miss a class, particularly one that is activity based, it is not possible to “make up” the experience.  Still, there are legitimate reasons why students may need to be absent: death in the family, illness, sports and arts obligations, etc.  Students should not be penalized for legitimate absences.

As teachers, our question is: what will best support a student’s learning even though s/he cannot be in class? You are the content expert and course designer, so you are the best person to decide what additional assignment would best support students in the case of an absence.  Still, here are a few ideas for your consideration.

Assign the student to:

• review the assigned reading and identify the key points accompanied by an explanation of why those particular points are most important
• organize the course information (up to this point) into a graphic representation…then in a NEW color, add in, and CONNECT the new content (covered when he was absent).
• write a short paper, not to exceed two pages, that summarizes the ideas, relationships, concepts, calculations he missed

Again, our focus needs to be on how to best support students’ learning despite absences. Another idea is to require students, upon return, to meet with another student to review the class content and provide you with a short, written summary of the classes missed.  This would allow you to quickly check to see if s/he missed any major points. Whether an assessment is delivered through a clicker or exam, its purpose is communication: assessments communicate to teachers the degree to which the students are learning what we intend.  This “feedback” informs us about what was difficult for students and needs re-teaching.

Some teachers pre-manage for student absences by adding this statement to the course syllabi: “In case of an excused absence, an alternative assignment that supports your learning will be required.”  Another idea for your consideration is to allow students to “drop” one or two daily grades; we all have things come up…and once in a while we need a “get out of jail card.”  This communicates to students that we understand the complexities of life, yet expect them to come prepared.