Thread by @katherinegould

I want to share an experience this year from my #NoDeadlines class set-up, an example of a student who succeeded because they were able to manage their own deadlines. 🧵1/
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This student started the semester behind schedule. She was taking 5 classes, plus raising toddlers, plus pregnant. (Details shared with her permission.) She reached out to me and to the dean.

I really didn't think she would make it. 2/
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In my classes there is never a penalty for turning in work late. I focus on learning, not when the learning happens. Deadlines are "best by" dates.

When I started this policy, I worried students would flake and put everything off to the end. 3/
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My experience after 6 semesters/intersessions is they don't slack. Many turn in a few assignments a day or three late. Many need an extra day on a test or two. 4/
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At the end of the semester, there are 2-3 people scrambling to complete a ton of assignments at the last minute. This is as successful as you might expect.

It makes me sad but it's a MUCH BETTER outcome than I ever had with strict deadlines. 5/
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Here's the thing: I teach Human Anatomy, a beast of a class with an across-the-board drop rate of 50%

That stat had long bothered me and I spent a lot of time figuring out how to fix it while making sure students learned what they need to learn. 6/
#NoDeadlines #AcademicChatter

The solution came to me after reading GRADING FOR EQUITY by Joe Feldman
The book lays out all the problems with normal grading and classroom policies and presents alternatives that focus on learning. 7/
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bookshop.org/books/grading-…

Taking away points for missing deadlines focuses students on gaming the system, not on learning.

I added lots of practice quizzes, revise-and-resubmit for all assignments, and no deadline penalties. 8/
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The results were awesome and immediate: student success soared. Not just grades, but learning and understanding. I dealt with almost no "what can I do to improve my grade" emails. I didn't argue about this or that point taken off on an assignment. 9/
#NoDeadlines #AcademicChatter

Students, it turns out, have been training to manage their time for 13 years by the time they get to college. They're really good at it. Sometimes that means one thing doesn't get done so another, more important thing does get done. 10/
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My new policies enabled students to manage my class around all their other classes and responsibilities.

If they got sick, or had a bad breakup, or got called in to work extra hours, they could catch up on my class later. One day didn't matter. 11/
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My drop/fail rate decreased from 50% to 10%.

My students thanked me.

And that student I started this thread with? After her toddler got over being sick, that student caught up on everything.

And she earned an A. 12/
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At some point, all of my students will be in a program that can't be as forgiving as my class.

Actually, they're already in those programs, because none of their other classes are as forgiving. 13/

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For one class, my students were able to focus on learning, not on turning in half-assed work by the arbitrary deadline so they at least get some points.

They were able to take that anatomy quiz the next day and take care of a sick kid today. 14/
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The whole setup is better for me, better for my students, and produces better learning. My class became MORE rigorous, because students learn from mistakes.
I'm never going back to the old ways /fin
#NoDeadlines #AcademicChatter