They missed a few.
Student: “I have As in all my other classes.”
Me: No, you don’t. Even if you did, what does that matter? You don’t have an A in this class.
Student: “I don’t understand my homework average. I turned in all the homework.”
Me: No, you didn’t. You have 20 zeros. Work in class counts in the homework average and you were absent four times. That would guarantee you zeros for those days and the homework due those days. But you didn’t do work on other days as well. Plus, this is the third (or fourth depending on which class) time I have given out homework grades. Yes, your grade is trending downward. That is because you are turning in fewer and fewer papers.
Student: “Here is my documentation for missing class.”
Me: I am sorry you missed class because you were in the hospital/jail/another city. There are two free skips. They don’t count against you.
Student: “But you give bonus points to people who were here every day.”
Me: Yes.
Student: “So can’t I get the bonus points?”
Me: Were you here?
Student: “No.”
Me: No.
Student: “But I have documentation.”
Note: Documentation is useful when something catastrophic happens to a good or semi-good student who then misses a few classes in a row and works hard to make up any missed work. Documentation is not a “get out of jail free” card. Nor is it a “pretend you were in class and turned in the homework” card.
I am sure there are others I missed.
Found because I regularly read Siobhan Curious‘s Classroom as Microcosm.