Funky Pizza, Late Delivery Drivers, and Other Bad Student Excuses. But mostly, why they don’t even matter.
We’ve heard it all
Got a flat on the way to class.
Ate a sandwich made with old expired mayonnaise.
Came down with any and all illnesses.
Some are even bold enough to share the raw truth—they were just way too hungover to make it to campus.
The excuses we hear from students are countless. Some are so far-fetched they feel as though they aren’t even based in reality. What motivates students to come up with such exhaustive reasoning for unfulfilled course expectations? If a course’s requirements are so rigid that a student feels the only reasonable option is to dramatize their excuse to nothing short of a soap opera script, those requirements could probably use some revision.
In a world where unlimited time off, flexible work schedules, and at-home offices have become the norm, preparing students for the professional sphere looks a lot different. If working professionals expect employers to allow grace for mid-day student-teacher conferences and email replies sent from the salon chair, it only makes sense to offer that same flexibility to students who, despite being students, are also faced with the occasional life challenge. In requiring such strict attendance guidelines, are we even realistic with the lessons we insist students learn?
As we continue to ebb and flow in the wake of the pandemic, what used to be failproof policies can be rewritten to include many more pivot points, allowing students to spend more time considering the value of a course and its learning outcomes, rather than how to outsmart it’s most basic requirements.
Enter the Flexible Syllabi
This new era calls for faculty to take a step back and carefully consider the pieces of their syllabi that are of most significance to today’s students. Throwing the attendance policy out the window may not mean that no one is learning anything. It can mean that you are providing students with an opportunity to self-regulate and recognize the amount of effort they need to put forth to earn the best outcomes in your course. Student motivations will always vary, so make the choice regarding what to prioritize in class theirs to make. Are they working hard to maintain a 4.0 GPA, or are they in a place where they simply need to just get through the semester? Some questions to consider:
– Which requirements are completely non-negotiable for you as an instructor?
– Which elements of your course could function in the same way, or even better, if delivered more flexibly?
– Which core elements could contribute to a more student-centered approach, and which would take away from that?
– Are there things you previously expected of students that no longer feel relevant or necessary?
There are ways in which a more flexible approach will also benefit you as an instructor. Having to weigh all of your students’ excuses against each other can be emotionally exhausting, especially when trying to maintain objective fairness. Research shows that a learning environment that is respectful of students’ ever-shrinking availability is one that prioritizes approachability and mutual respect, leading to a more engaged student. If students begin their semester with a specific allowance, you are creating a space that grants students equity, and there’ll be no reason for you to hear any excuses at all.
Just A Little Room to Breathe
Relinquishing control of the classroom may feel somewhat risky, but reducing the hierarchy between student and teacher alleviates any sense of shame or guilt a student may experience when putting together their reasoning for falling out of line. No one wants to perpetuate an impression that they are lazy or destined for failure, but the more strict you are with policies, the more likely students will imagine themselves as your biggest burden.
Learning how to manage life’s daily challenges among one’s core responsibilities is peak adulting, and what better lesson to provide your students, especially in an environment built for learning. Even when things feel entirely impossible, knowing that their professors will support them in managing life’s curveballs will help remind students that school is possible.
Providing students with more flexibility sets the precedent that you understand life isn’t going to stop because they happen to be enrolled in classes. Giving students latitude regarding some policies doesn’t mean that you can’t be more strict with others. For example, suppose you are considering an open attendance policy. In that case, you can be very clear with your expectations surrounding communication and how your students can adopt policies to best suit their needs.
They’re Human, and So Are You
Bottom line, we all deal with life things and creating a rulebook for your classroom that ignores that reality isn’t fair to you or your students. If the ultimate goal is to prepare students to live whole lives filled with passion and purpose, your classroom must be rooted in the real world of today. Taking time to reflect on the lessons that warrant lasting impact will help prioritize the most significant learning outcomes and help your students respect you and the value of their education.
When your students witness you recognize them as human beings with everchanging needs, they’ll want to be in the classroom and will want to put in the work.