My End-of-Semester Rant, Kinda

On my campus, and probably on most campuses, we’re approaching finals time.

If you’re a parent, it means it’s almost time to send off a final exam care package.

If you’re a faculty member, it means even more. Here are a few of my thoughts as the semester winds down.

Students are stressed because “they are so busy.”

HINT: Yes, I know you feel busy now. And this is great prep for you when you get into the working world. You’ve known all semester that you have these projects due at the same time. In the world of PR, you’ve got to be ready to juggle. And not just juggling scarves or bowling pins; those are too easy. Think juggling knives while walking on a tightrope over flames. (Isn’t that an awesome graphic? It came from mike r baker‘s website. Check out his other stuff!)

Students are coming to me (usually by e-mail, but sometimes in person or Twitter) asking about what their grades are so far.

HINT: I post everything in GeorgiaVIEW, so this is info that you have immediate access to all throughout the semester. Please don’t wait until the end of the semester to check your progress.

Students (not all, but some) are upset about their grades and seem surprised it’s because they left out big parts of their projects/assignments.

HINT: And this one’s a big one. I give detailed assignment guidelines for all major – and most minor – assignments. I even provide a link to the rubrics for most assignments during the semester. What more can I do to ensure that you know how you will what needs to be included and how you will be graded? (That’s a real question, not a rhetorical one.)

Students follow the advice and guidelines they’ve been given and do extremely well on their assignments. These are the kind of students that employers look forward to hiring.

HINT: It does happen every semester. At least a few people in each class “get it,” and make it all worthwhile for me. If you’re one of these people, THANK U! 

 

[NOTE: This post is an updated version from last spring.]