Both of these statements about attendance came out of actual course syllabi:
"Student attendance in this course is expected and is mandatory. A pop-quiz may be given at the beginning of class. If you are not here, you will not receive credit for the quiz."
And…
"In order to be successful in this course, I believe it is important for all of us to be here and to learn together. To make the best use of our class time, please be ready to learn when class begins. I may reward you for doing this by giving a quiz during the first five minutes of class. If you aren't able to be here that day, please contact me to discuss how you might earn those points."
As a student, knowing nothing else about the course or who is teaching it, which course would you rather take?
The tone and language we use in our syllabi sends a message to our students.
The syllabus for a course serves many purposes, besides outlining course requirements, policies, and consequences, including:
1. Helps learners understand who is teaching the course and the teacher's passion for the material
2. Orients students to the organization of the course
3. Is transparent so students understand the rationale for what they will be doing in the course
We used to conceptualize the syllabus as a contract between the teacher and the students, but current authors discourage that mindset. The "contract approach" leads to a lot of legalese and negative language if the syllabus. It leads to a formal writing style, such as, “Students will…” While students do need to understand how issues such as attendance, plagiarism, and lateness will be handled, this should not be the emphasis of the document.
Here are some tips for how to “warm up” your syllabus and create a more inviting tone for students:
1. Use “you” and “I” instead of the “student” and “teacher/faculty”
a. Example: I believe it is important for you to be prepared for class.
2. Write statements in a positive tone rather than a negative tone.
a. Example: I expect you to attend class, because our time together is important for learning.
3. Be compassionate
a. Example: While I expect you to attend class, I know that sometimes illness or emergencies happen. Please communicate with me if you can’t be in class so I know you are okay and can help you get caught up.
4. Include the rationale for assignments
a. Example: In order to reward you for being prepared for class, I will give quizzes at the beginning of class that are based on the reading material for that day.
5. Replace “office hours” with something more inviting, since that phrase can be interpreted as time when you are working and students would disrupt you. Consider holding office hours in a lounge or coffee shop instead.
a. Example: Time for student meetings; Drop in hours for students
For more tips, please see this website from Montclair State University:
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