Welcome to the Tuesday Teaching Tip, an easy-to-implement tool that you can use immediately in your classroom teaching.
TUESDAY TEACHING TIP: Adjusting Expectations at the End of the Term
As the term winds down, students may be feeling overwhelmed with final exams, papers, and projects. It's okay to adjust your expectations and provide support while maintaining academic rigor. Here’s an actionable strategy to help you navigate the end-of-term pressure:
Here are some ways to do it:
- Prioritize key learning objectives. Reflect on your core learning goals and highlight those areas critical for student success. Can you scale back on some material or adjust the depth of coverage for complex topics, and possibly drop assignments all together?
- Offer flexible assessment opportunities. Students may struggle to manage multiple assignments and deadlines. Consider offering flexibility where possible—whether that’s allowing for late submissions with partial credit, providing alternative assignment formats, or giving extended deadlines for certain tasks. If feasible, offer students a choice between different types of final assessments (e.g., a take-home exam, a project, or a written reflection). This empowers students to select the option that aligns best with their strengths and available time.
- Encourage open communication. Students may be stressed and less likely to reach out for help without prompting. Consider holding additional office hours or virtual check-ins or provide a brief “checkpoint” survey asking students about their workload, understanding of key concepts, and any challenges they may be facing. This can guide your support while also reassuring students that you are there to help.
- Manage grading expectations. Be transparent about how you will manage grading and provide feedback as the term wraps up. If your grading load is heavy, consider giving yourself some grace and pace feedback throughout the final weeks.
By modifying expectations you can reduce student stress and maintain a supportive learning environment while still holding students to high academic standards.
DID YOU DO IT?
Let us know how it went. We would love to hear your feedback about how you implemented today’s Tuesday Teaching Tip in your classroom. Click here to fill out our 3-question survey. The survey is anonymous, but if you choose to enter your name, you’ll be entered in a drawing at the end of the quarter to win a new book from Faculty Development!
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Come to our final CAFE of the quarter on Tuesday, March 11 and learn more about how faculty are using the Community Reads book in their classes. Sign up here.
- Get your end-of-quarter work done while in community with others at the upcoming Grading Retreat & Grading Happy Hour on March 20, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM Varsi 222, then unwind at Happy Hour from 3:00-5:00 PM. Come for any portion of the day and stay as long as you like.
- If you’re one of those people who are working all through spring break anyway, come join your colleagues for a supported Course Prep Working Session on March 26, 1:00-4:00 PM.
WANT TO READ A LITTLE MORE?
This week’s Tuesday Teaching Tip was prepared by Amy Lueck and Patti Simone on behalf of the Faculty Collaborative.
Missed a teaching tip? Read them all here. Don’t forget to check out our Faculty Associates office hours here.
And check out our full calendar of CAFEs and other Faculty Development and Faculty Collaborative events.
