Search
Close this search box.

First Exam of the Semester: A Wake-up Call for Students

This weekend I discovered a “memo to students who are disappointed with their last test grade.” What a great idea! I wasn’t surprised when I found out it was more of Rich Felder’s good work. Students are terribly optimistic about their grades, especially at the beginning of a course. Then comes the first exam, many of us giving it early on in an attempt to dislodge these convictions that success will come easily and with little or no effort. If we return the exams during class, disappointment hangs heavy in the air. In those moments of despair there’s an opportunity to confront students with what they might have done (or not done) that caused (or is at least related to) that disappointing score.

To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber. Please log in or sign up for full access.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

I have two loves: teaching and learning. Although I love them for different reasons, I’ve been passionate about...
Like millions of people, I play Wordle each day in The New York Times. If you are unfamiliar,...
During my third year of college, another student that many of my friends interacted with, who tutored some...
If you have ever taught (or taken) an online class, you may have fallen into the trap of...
Exit tickets are simple diagnostic assessments given to students at the end of a class. The “ticket” in...
In one of the most memorable courtroom scenes in cinematic history, Tom Cruise is Lieutenant Junior Grade Kaffee...
I don’t usually gasp while reading how-to books for new professors. But then, I don’t often encounter revelations...

Are you signed up for free weekly Teaching Professor updates?

You'll get notified of the newest articles.