Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Feloria]

Today a student asked one of my co-instructors if she could take the final exam early so she could attend a pretty famous "boy band" concert in Seoul.
Our Uni is pretty far south and bands don't come here.
Well, my co-worker refused to let her take the exam early, saying that it's a "weak excuse to need to reschedule an exam". I should mention that I was in the office during the entire conversation.
My position is different--I would have let the student take it early.
This is a Freshman English course, and from what my co-teacher said, the young lady is a really good student.
Thoughts?

[edwardcatflap]

If I had to make the decision, it'd depend on how much it would put me out I suppose. Aren't there already rules laid out about this kind of thing? It must have come up before

[Feloria]

It's pretty much up to the instructor. The student only asked to take it a day early. It could have been arranged quite easily. My co-worker just didn't feel it was a good enough excuse. I just know that when I was 20, having the opportunity to see a sold out show of a major band would have meant a lot to me. If she's a great student, why not cut her a break?

[jazzmaster]

Depends what the final exam is and whether the student could potentially tell other students what's in the exam.
My finals are spoken exercises so I would allow the student to do it early, but to tell her to keep it to herself. I'd also remind her how generous I am being by letting her do it early and to make this an exception rather than an expectation.

[tardisrider]

I wouldn't have a problem with letting her take the exam early, but I'd make sure that her exam was different than the regular exam to prevent cheating.

The only real problem might be if loads of other students started asking for the same thing--it's hard to make an exception for one student without doing so for the others. I can understand your colleague refusing her request if that was his concern.

[Feloria]

I see what you're saying, but I just can't see not allowing a 20 year old girl to attend a "chance of a lifetime" concert (apparently it's a majorly popular boy band) due to the minute chance she might decide to cheat or tell everyone about her circumstances. The chances of either happening are extremely unlikely. The teacher herself says that the student is wonderful and doing well in class.
It's rare to hear of students doing much of anything besides studying and drinking, so if they actually want to do something different, geez--help them out.

[tob55]

Basically, it is a decision left up to the professor. I have had students tell me a lot of excuses over the years of university teaching, both here and in the home country when I taught at University there. Some were good, some were not, but in the end I had to make decisions based on the circumstances. I tend to be more lenient concerning the requests I get from students. If it is something that doesn't affect the class on the whole I might be more willing to say yes, but if it is a case of changing everything based on one person's desire to be absent, then the answer would be no.

Your professor colleague made a decision, and right or wrong it was and is their own decision. My two cents on the topic, but I think we all face the same things at different times in our teaching situations.

[cabeza]

I used to base it on how it was back home. And back home you wouldn't have a shit show in hell of getting an exam date changed to attend a concert. Any lecturer would have laughed in my face if i asked that.

I learned pretty quickly that here, university classes seem to be secondary to club meetings, MT, sports days, going home becuase I haven't seen my Mother for a while etc. And English classes are last in line to everything. Which is fine. So like others have said I take each situation as it comes.

But I can certainly understand why your colleague wouldnt accept that as an excuse. It can be frustrating how fantasy land like the universities are here sometimes.

[Feloria]

I received more information about the situation today as it was being discussed in the office, which makes me even stronger in my resolve.
The student simply wanted to take the exam earlier in the day. The teacher has a class at 11 am and 4 pm on that Friday. The exams are all the same. She just wanted to take it during the 11 am class so she could catch a train to Seoul.
This poses no inconvenience to anyone. What kills me is that this same teacher booked tickets for her last vacation when she still had 2 classes to teach. She knew the dates she had to teach, but she asked for permission and booked the tickets anyway and 2 other teachers had to cover her classes. She had no problem doing that to her co-workers, but won't let a student take a test a few hours early.

Side note: I had a couple professors at University of Michigan who had no problem with students wanting to take exams early (up to a week), as long as they (the profs) were notified at least a week in advance. This young lady asked my co-worker a MONTH in advance..But oh well, such is life!

[Smithington]

I refuse to comment on the situation under discussion until the OP changes "university instructors" to "professors". I worked damned hard for my Hons. BA and I won't have it demeaned.

[denverdeath]

Honestly? My lowest of the low-tier places actually has some rules! Acceptable excuses are death(I think of a loved one - with proof), hospitalization(with proof), work(with proof), and army physicals(with proof). Sometimes a student(the superstar one?!?) is allowed an absence to practice early during sports week. But, oh boy, do we have to be flexible. Especially with seniors(and the old students), people who have jobs, and night students. Actually, my school back home would laugh too. Show up when it's scheduled, or take the class again after you FAIL. Anyway, ding her 2 points for being absent, and let it rest. I see what you're saying Feloria, but I also do see what others have said about the Korean lemmings. I had one class that all tried to take the test one week early last semester because one or two wanted to, due to work. I tell 'em on day 1 when the exams are going to be. The ones that try to change things to suit their own needs ARE docked somewhat. Call me cruel. So be it.

[Milwaukiedave]

At my school it is completely at the discretion of the professor. Some accept any reason under the sun for an excuse and some don't accept any. I decided at the beginning of the term the two I was going to accept were hospitalization and military.

On the subject of taking a test early, I would say it really depends on what kind of test it is and how much trouble it's going to be to schedule it outside of class (finding a gap in the student's schedule with mine). If neither were a factor I have no problem with it. Now I would probably tell the student they had to take an absence for the day still, which would affect their grade.

One of my co-workers is giving the final tests next week because he wants to get them out of the way early.

[drcrazy]

[denverdeath]