<p>^^^ +1000 to julliet’s response. Nothing would make me strictly follow the “letter of the law” more than than what apprenticeprof advised. It’s not out of revenge or spite. We are instructed to follow policy strictly. Many professors, like myself, describe rigid rules but show flexibility based on the circumstances- believe it or not we are not out to torture students. From what OP wrote, I don’t sense either professor closed the door on discussion and compromise. Work it out, be sincere and even ask if something could be done to change the situation. If not, D can ask that the grade be unchanged in incomplete (if allowable).</p>
<p>OP- chill. Either you don’t believe her that only 4 class were missed due to a legitimate excuse, or you are not reasonable. Perhaps the draconian response is from parents who would consider pulling a student for failing one class under “unusual” circumstances. May be you think the ear infection isn’t the whole story? </p>
<p>I was the first to ask OP about the certainty only those 4 classes were missed. I will assume since the OP said so, that yes, those were the only ones missed. As for me, I’d hate to advise a student to fight this, and help “go to bat” for them and then find out those weren’t the only ones missed.</p>
<p>Similarly, at a place I used to work, we had a specific written attendance policy with “points” given to those that broke attendance riules. One fellow missed a lot, points were adding up. One day, coming into the lot at the start of his shift, he had a car accident, and missed a couple days. Those absences put him over the limit. He was shocked when he was let go. “Just because of one accident?” He asked. “You knew I really had an accident, you could see it from the building. You’ll let me go for that?” H.R. answered “No, it wasn’t for the accident. It was for every other time he had missed before that.”</p>
<p>To directly answer the original question, attendance should never be the basis for a grade. Never ever never and absolutely not. My own alma mater had (they have since changed) within the grading policy that attendance could not be a factor in determining grades. This did not prohibit the grading of activities in the classroom, at whatever weight deemed appropriate by the instructor. So if active participation is crucial to the class, then apply a grade to it and no-shows get a zero. For large lectures where attendance was questionable, pop quizzes were not uncommon. Usually questions like “What is your name?” “What is your favorite color?” but hopefully not “What is the unladen airspeed velocity of a swallow?”</p>
<p>So your D is unfairly failed in a class because of excused absences, and as if that injustice is not enough YOU are going to punish her by making her quit school? Why do I not get this???</p>
<p>It usually never is. it is those things that are attached to one being in class, participation, classwork., pop quizzes, handing in an assignment that day that end up beig the cause for a grade being lowered. It is h ighly unlikely that OP’s D failed simply because of attendance.</p>
<p>" So, she can’t take sophomore theory and my dh and I are considering make her come home next year because of the F."</p>
<p>Is it really just the F or is there more going on? Is this the DD with ADD? If so do you think that a college closer to home would be better for her? My 9th grader has ADD and I’m pretty sure unless things change when the time comes he should go to a college close by or commute to start with… How is she doing in her other classes? </p>
<p>Just to let those of you have posted know what’s going on.
The husband professor contacted dd by email on Sunday and told her that IF she did some levels of an eartraining program that she didn’t do (hence why her grade was a C before the docking) she could pass. She is working on completing them now.</p>
<p>Yes, this is the dd with ADD issues. We’ve had problems in the past with her not turning in things and, therefore, not doing well (while in high school). So this situation is not entirely new. </p>
<p>We’ve decided that regardless of her passing this class, that we will send her back to school. Although the C was because of missing work, the fact is that she would have passed had she not missed classes. </p>
<p>I have been advising her that this screw up, big though it may be, does not have to define her. It is not a true failure unless she gives up. If she learns from the experience and moves forward, it is simply a setback. So we talked about what she learned—sometimes you have to go to class sick and ALWAYS keep copies of correspondence with a teacher until the semester is over and grades are posted (as well as turning things in…) and I hope things will get better.</p>
<p>Yes. She did. The missing work is what led to her having a C instead of an A or B. The absences took her grade from a C to an F. And yes, turning in work is important!</p>
<p>Azcstz… You made this whole post sound like you daughter was being treated so unfairly and them you hit us with "she didn’t do some of the required work. “That was an important part of the situation that should have been revealed. Your daughter obviously still needs help in making sure that she keeps up with her work, and perhaps you can figure out ways to help her. But threatening to make her come home because of the"F” would not be the way that I would go about it!</p>
<p>For what its worth, I think you made a great decision, OP. And I think it was perfectly clear that your D was getting a C in the class, which became an F due to the missed classes. I am glad for all of you that the professors are allowing her to make up work. </p>
<p>It is a difficult dilemma for professors. I have heard that attendance can be a big problem in college classes, so can understand wanting to penalize kids that don’t show up. But to dock a kid a full grade for missing two classes is exceedingly harsh IMHO, IF there is no provision for being sick (doctor/health center note). It makes no sense that a kid doing B-level work gets a C because they caught the flu. </p>
<p>It seems to me most likely that the professor is saving face by allowing her to do the missing work. That way he doesn’t have to admit that his wife excused the absences. Still, it’s a good result, and I wouldn’t complain about it.</p>
<p>I don’t know very much about the requirements for music majors, but it seems to me that ear training would be a critical component of the major, for a serious student of music. </p>
<p>If the student didn’t get around to reaching the right level in the ear training program due to organization issues, and not allowing enough time to work with the program, perhaps she could have find someone at the school who could help her with course work planning (for instance, another student or a grad student, that she could pay for a few hours of assistance with planning out her time allocations). </p>
<p>If she was avoiding the ear training program because she was having difficulty with it, then she ought to either re-think the major, or put a great deal more effort into ear training. It seems to me that the course demands are only likely to increase, from here on out.</p>
<p>I apologize if it seems I was disingenuous. I was not aware of the missing work (though not terribly surprised seeings how it’s been a problem in the past). HOWEVER,the basic facts remain the same. She had a C and ended up with an F because of absences. I am, though, fine with her having to complete the ear training and am not complaining.</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m hopeful that this is all going to work out for the best and that she will be able to put this experience to good use in the future.</p>
<p>Actually…she had an F because of BOTH the missing work and the absences…both things contributed to her failing grade. </p>
<p>Glad the professor is allowing her to make up some of the missed work. </p>
<p>Does she have a plan on file with her school disability office to address her attention issues? This might be with a discussion. </p>
<p>QM, ear training can be a part of music theory, but all music majors I know also take an aural skills course which really deals with ear training and sight singing, in addition to their theory class.</p>
<p>At her school theory and aural skills are one class. And yes, she has a plan on file. I won’t argue the point regarding the missing work vs the absences. The truth is that she should have turned in the work. BUT had she not gotten sick and missed class she would have had a C whether she turned it in or not.</p>
<p>And if she had gone to class and not turned in the assignments, she would also have had a C. </p>
<p>If the aural skills are part of the theory class, it is very important to be IN the classes if possible. Clearly, illness should be an excused absence.</p>
<p>The good news is that the professor has a plan which will enable her to continue the sequence. </p>
<p>As a suggestion…there is some online music theory course that she might want to look into. It is not for college credit, but I know that my daughter accessed it when she was taking AP music theory. It might be a good thing for a review for your daughter this summer that will make second year theory a bit better.</p>