What should I do? Trying to stay on a professor's good side...

[Dadswell]

Any classes I took in university attendance was not mandatory so I see no problem in skipping classes if attendance isnt part of your grade. Handing in assignments late when you skip class a lot is stupid. If you skip class atleast make sure you hand stuff in on time and do a good job on the assignments. Any prof I had never cared if I came or not. I always handed stuff in on time and did a decent enough job.

I wouldn't say anything to him, I wouldn't make it a point to start going to class either. I would just start getting the stuff handed in on time. If attendance or class participation is worth some part of the grade that is the only part where your mark can be docked. So if it's something like 10-15% then you can stil get a good grade by doing well on the assignments/exams.

[Autocratic]

E-mail him, no apology, to ask what is going to be covered so you're at least somewhat on top of it. This makes it seem as if you are at least making attempts, and if you show up to class from now on it'll look good.

[LittleOldLady]

[ QUOTE ]
Any classes I took in university attendance was not mandatory so I see no problem in skipping classes if attendance isnt part of your grade. Handing in assignments late when you skip class a lot is stupid. If you skip class atleast make sure you hand stuff in on time and do a good job on the assignments. Any prof I had never cared if I came or not. I always handed stuff in on time and did a decent enough job.

I wouldn't say anything to him, I wouldn't make it a point to start going to class either. I would just start getting the stuff handed in on time. If attendance or class participation is worth some part of the grade that is the only part where your mark can be docked. So if it's something like 10-15% then you can stil get a good grade by doing well on the assignments/exams.

[/ QUOTE ]

I personally never cared whether students came to class or not--except for the fact that there was university policy requiring me to take attendance and care. If a student cut every class and still did excellent work on the assignments and tests, I would have been cool with that--but I never met a student who could in fact do that.

Judging from my colleagues and myself, your professor does not want to hear your whining and bs excuses for not doing what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it. I would cut zero slack for students who were chronically absent or late. If they couldn't be bothered, neither could I. I felt no responsibility for students who didn't hold up their end of the deal.

I would suggest either turning over a new leaf and attending every class and handing in every future assignment on time and in excellent shape or dropping the class in order to stop wasting your professor's time and energy.

BTW if I were your professor, I'd cancel class on Monday and substitute a library assignment or something similar in which the class time is made up at the student's convenience.

[abarrenfuture]

You're presumably paying a lot for the class, spend the extra $15 and buy a super loud alarm clock.

I agree with whoever said dont bother emailing your teacher in advance, just show up the rest of the semester

[Dadswell]

[ QUOTE ]

I personally never cared whether students came to class or not--except for the fact that there was university policy requiring me to take attendance and care. If a student cut every class and still did excellent work on the assignments and tests, I would have been cool with that--but I never met a student who could in fact do that.


[/ QUOTE ]

I never really understood the whole attendance thing. I found most of the time that going to the classes was a complete waste of time. Why spend 3 hrs listening to the prof ramble on and listen to many useless questions being asked by students when you could spend maybe 30-45 mins on your own covering the same stuff. I guess the classes may be useful for certain programs but mine was tech based(comp sci) and I found almost every class to be a utter waste of time.

[IlliniLou]

ive had this situation before. Email him, tellin him you'll miss class. hand in assignments on time, he might be docking points for assignments handed in late. and go to class, that full percentage of participation will really help out your grade

[Kratzer]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I appreciate it. I'm going to spend the next 4 weeks kickin ass, and if i remember ill post my grade.