Give *NO* make-up exam *until* the end of the semester.
Make a cumulative exam from H.— l to give to *everyone* who ever missed *any* exam during the semester. Give it once, and if they have a schedule conflict —-> zero!
You look like you “really, really tried” to be helpful, and their failures rest solely on their heads.
I highly recommend essay exams! It’ll be the end of the semester and they will more than likely NEVER ask to see how hard you graded their lame responses!
Likewise, you’ll be super-impressed by the good students who do well.
from The Myth
I like this idea to some extent. If it were a cumulative exam and the ones missed were on sections, I think this would be a legitimate way to make up the work. Of course, it is irrelevant to me. I only have one class with exams and I don’t give make-ups. I suppose if one of my schools required it.
Oops. One of them does.
They allowed someone who skipped the final, had an F in the class anyway, and didn’t call about missing the final for three days to retake the final the next month. Student failed and then put the whole department through h— for not having passed the class. Unfortunately the student could literally not write a correct sentence. Ever. And this was a developmental English course.
Geoteo’s thought on this:
Since my goal is to get the students to learn, I offer them an inducement to avoid the makeup test by dropping the lowest test grade of students who are present in class to take all four exams and earn at least 55%. So far it’s working pretty well.