4.10 | Supportive and Understanding Course Policies
By reframing course policies to be supportive and empathetic towards students, you can help students understand your expectations and feel more motivated in your class. Try to explain the rationale behind your policies and expectations—clearly state what you hope students will gain and how your policies and assignments will help them. Communicate to your students that you want them to succeed and that you are there to support them if they are struggling in or outside of class.
Consider the following ideas:
| Tips for Supportive and Understanding Course Policies |
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Be empathetic toward students in your attendance and assignment policies. For example, if you want attendance to be mandatory, communicate this to students, but also be understanding if students have to miss a class for health, family, or other important reasons. |
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Consider dropping students’ lowest test or assignment scores as this can help reduce stress and help students balance work with other classes. |
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Offer regularly scheduled office hours as well as flexible options for students with conflicting schedules. Explain the purpose of your office hours and what students can gain from connecting with you, especially for students who may not be familiar with the benefits of office hours. |
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Assume students’ best intentions when talking about academic honesty and Cañada College's Academic Integrity policy. Share the information students need to know to comply with Cañada College's policies Links to an external site.. |
Works Cited
- Building an Inclusive Syllabus. Stanford Teaching Commons. Accessed 22 October 2021.
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