this is what i love about my school:
in my biology class last wednesday, we took what would be called a midterm at any other school. it's one of two tests we have the entire quarter, and synthesizes pretty much everything we've covered. it had eight questions and took me two hours.
three guys in my class didn't show up for class last wednesday, and didn't take the exam. they all had different and pretty good excuses, but none of them called the professor to tell her they'd be missing class, and they all assumed they'd be able to make it up later. my professor - who is an awesome and incredible teacher and woman - was offended at the lack of respect for her and the class that they had showed. she told them she didn't want to give them the test to make up, but that she would put it before the class because their responsibility to us had been shirked as well. accordingly, we spent most of an hour today, debating whether it would be fair to us if they were able to take the test, whether it would be fair to them if they couldn't, what the point of the test was, and how they could show us, and the professor, that they were commited to us and to the class, taking into account that not all of them are recieving grades. we talked about traditional versus nontraditional values in terms of who judges whether or not you know something, the fact that jason's claim that he shouldn't have to take a timed, written test is negated by the fact that he knew we would have one and could have contracted not to take it at the beginning. every single person in the class explained their position and opinion. in the end, we decided that, since they'd been present when we reviewed the test, it wouldn't be useful for them to take it, but that they needed to do something to prove that they have an understanding of the information we're supposed to have learned, and that they have the respect they should as self-directed students for the teacher who comes in every day to guide them. i'm not sure what the other two plan to do, but jason is planning to write a song for every chapter we've covered so far, and play them for the class next week. and that will be his midterm.
i'm trying to picture a class debating the value of tests, much less someone playing a song about photosynthesis, at drexel, and i just can't do it.
in my biology class last wednesday, we took what would be called a midterm at any other school. it's one of two tests we have the entire quarter, and synthesizes pretty much everything we've covered. it had eight questions and took me two hours.
three guys in my class didn't show up for class last wednesday, and didn't take the exam. they all had different and pretty good excuses, but none of them called the professor to tell her they'd be missing class, and they all assumed they'd be able to make it up later. my professor - who is an awesome and incredible teacher and woman - was offended at the lack of respect for her and the class that they had showed. she told them she didn't want to give them the test to make up, but that she would put it before the class because their responsibility to us had been shirked as well. accordingly, we spent most of an hour today, debating whether it would be fair to us if they were able to take the test, whether it would be fair to them if they couldn't, what the point of the test was, and how they could show us, and the professor, that they were commited to us and to the class, taking into account that not all of them are recieving grades. we talked about traditional versus nontraditional values in terms of who judges whether or not you know something, the fact that jason's claim that he shouldn't have to take a timed, written test is negated by the fact that he knew we would have one and could have contracted not to take it at the beginning. every single person in the class explained their position and opinion. in the end, we decided that, since they'd been present when we reviewed the test, it wouldn't be useful for them to take it, but that they needed to do something to prove that they have an understanding of the information we're supposed to have learned, and that they have the respect they should as self-directed students for the teacher who comes in every day to guide them. i'm not sure what the other two plan to do, but jason is planning to write a song for every chapter we've covered so far, and play them for the class next week. and that will be his midterm.
i'm trying to picture a class debating the value of tests, much less someone playing a song about photosynthesis, at drexel, and i just can't do it.
