I type up a classroom rules sheet and pass it out to all students - and I keep copies for students coming into the class throughout the semester.
If you have a syllabus that shows your grading method, include 10% for attendence & being on time. Basically, 5 + mintues late (unless they have an excuse the mafia would kill for) is considered tardy. I add up the total number of days for the semester and then figure out the % they earned: example - 50 days (3 absenses & 2 tardies = 90%, which then equals 9% of that portion of the grade). Did that make sense?
Also, whenever a student is giving major attitude I tell them to go home and then I ask the rest of the students "Does anyone else have a problem? If you do, there's the door. No? No one? Are the rest of you ready to work? Good."
Usually one very pissed off, but embarrased student keeps the other in line.
A bit hard-nosed, yes, BUT they know I mean business. And truthfully, the rest of the class time goes by mighty smoothly after something like that. The students still learn and in my class still have some fun and laugh.  |