Creating Welcoming Spaces

Ideas

Idea #7: Balancing Flexibility with Rigor

"But here's the key: we should have always had these considerations–wellness, illness, grief, access, resources, money, time–in mind. And our job is not simply to teach content but to teach people. That requires inventive thinking about how to meet our students in the messy circumstances of their lives…" —Catherine J. Denial

Learning Intentions

Leaning into empathy and flexibility while providing structure and clear criteria for success allows students the confidence to share their struggles and ask questions. With the trust you build, while making allowances for real-life complications, you may be able to push students to do deeper or more complex work.

Strategies

  • Flexibility Statement: Let students know that you will modify practices and the syllabus as needed to meet their needs.
  • Basis of Trust: Share that you will assume the best of students and trust them to want to be successful.
  • Late work: Be clear what you need by due dates and may be accepted late. Think about and share why some things may be essential for the progression of their learning or for your grading process and why some things could be turned in late without penalty.
  • Quiz/Assignment Redos: Grade work fairly but consider providing the option for resubmission or offer a quiz "retake" with the ability to boost their quiz grade.
  • Test Notes: Students create and bring a half sheet or 3x5 card to an exam with all the details they can fit to help them take the assessment.
  • Grade Advocacy: Allow for self-assessment or a structure for students to question and advocate for their grade on certain assignments.
  • Support: Offer organization strategies, assistive technology support, and a collection of campus or online resources to support them socially, personally, and academically.

Attendance and Participation

  • Flexible Participation: Allow participation to take multiple forms (written, online, in-class, peer-to-peer, in groups); use a rubric to show what made up their grade.
  • Accountability with forgiveness: Track attendance as part of course grade with a certain number of free absences (no excuse required).
  • Makeup Work: Students submit an alternative activity, having reviewed what was missed, to make up lost attendance points.
  • In-class Counts: Instead of taking attendance, grade in-class activities such as submitting discussion notes or taking a poll.

Resources