Because "you" screwed up and carelessly lost their exams. So you take full
responsibility and let them understand that you know and appreciate that you
are imposing on them unfairly but it is unclear what else you can do and
still assess their learning correctly. Somebody is going to be
inconvenienced on account of something they did not do and for which they
are not responsible. Let them suggest that the other 40 folks should have to
sit for another exam since they have to (they won't). Try to do something
non-grade related to make up for the inconvenience you are causing them.
Hence the pizza and the apologies. Maybe a voucher for a CD or a DVD.
Perhaps the other 40 will think it is unfair for them to be unable to be
inconvenienced. So I guess you let them take the extra exam, too, and take
the grade they get in lieu of their earlier grade?
And ask them to tell you whether they think that you have handled this as
fairly as possible, given that the exams were irretrievable. Be responsive
to their insights.
And maybe let them know that, having had this experience for the first time
in ____ years of teaching, you are now going to be far more understanding of
students who screw up and leave their books or papers on the train or
whatever.
I wold think that except for the occasional j___, students will understand
that these things happen if it is clear that you are sharing the burden of
the mistake you made, taking responsiblity, and requiring no more of them
than what is necessary.
And probably you'll never do this again. I think this models how mature
professioals take responsibility for their errors. Fortunately, they are
unlikely to sue you for malpractice, so it should be safe to admit fault
(the lawyer thought).
Ginny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steven E Abraham" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 11:14 AM
Subject: Re: Lost Bluebooks
> Why should those 20 people have to study for a second exam while the
> other 40 don't?
>
> On Fri, 28 Oct 2005, Ginny Maurer wrote:
>
>>
>> Give another exam, possibly only to those whose exams you lost. With it,
>> serve
>> plenty of pizza, mea culpas, and crow. Pay for it yourself.
>>
>> Ginny
>>
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> David Opderbeck <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent by: "Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB)
>> Talk"
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>> 10/28/2005 10:49 AM AST
>>
>> ___________________________________________________________________________________________
>> Please respond to "Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB)
>> Talk"
>>
>> ___________________________________________________________________________________________
>>
>>
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> To
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> [log in to unmask]
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> cc
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> bcc
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> Subject
>> [ecblank.gif]
>> Re: Lost Bluebooks
>> [ecblank.gif] [ecblank.gif]
>>
>> Ok, what's the least unfair thing to do?
>>
>>
>> -----"Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk"
>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote: -----
>>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> From: "Steven E. Abraham" <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent by: "Academy of Legal Studies in Business (ALSB) Talk"
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: 10/28/2005 10:35AM
>> Subject: Re: Lost Bluebooks
>>
>> How can you say giving another exam is "fair?" Your students studied for
>> the first exam. Now, they'd have to study for a "do-over" because you
>> lost the first one. How is that fair to them?
>>
>> David Opderbeck wrote:
>>
>> > Last night I gave a mid-term to a class of about 60 students. I left
>> > 20 of the bluebooks on the train on the way home (moron!). I'm hoping
>> > they will turn up in NJ Transit's lost and found today. If they
>> > don't, has anyone had to deal with a situation like this before, and
>> > how do you handle it? I'm thinking that if the missing bluebooks
>> > aren't found, the only fair thing to do is to write a new mid-term and
>> > give a "do-over."
>>
>>
>>
>
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