When considering whether or not attendance should be part of a student’s grade, I believe that it should be. There are several reasons why attendance should affect a student’s grade. One reason is that class work on the classroom website , if there is one, only shows a small portion of what is being learned in class. There is a wealth of information taught in the classroom that can help students prepare for future careers, encourage socialization among other students in college, and to promote responsibility.
Students can gain experience that may be integral to their future careers based on classroom experience. By actually being in a classroom, a student can learn firsthand more about the subject rather than what is in a textbook. This could be influential on their decision when choosing a major. It also helps students to gain academic experience and enhances their quality of education. For example, it can help a student to develop written and communication skills. In class, there might be ideas that are introduced by other students that lead to compelling class discussion. The exchanges that go on in class discussions are often applicable to the real world and cannot be found in a textbook. By not attending class, a student is truly missing out.
Making attendance a component of a student’s grade can actually help students become more sociable in college. Social skills are needed in many different careers. For example, most companies want an employee who can attract customers and retain their attention. In class, there are students with different views and perspectives. By communicating with students in class who are culturally diverse, a student’s social skills will improve. Cross-cultural in-person communication can encourage a shy student to make friends with someone that may be outside their normal social circle. The potential to learn from others is an integral part of the classroom experience. Socializing in the classroom is imperative to meeting all types of new people, learning ideas, and participating in discussions that students cannot get anywhere else.
Attending class also helps a student become more responsible by teaching a student the valuable skill of learning time management. If a student wants to pass the class, they should not only to take notes, but also participate in class. When a student fails to attend class, they are not capable of receiving all of the teacher’s instructions. This lack of instruction means that the student does not get the best grade. Research indicates that there is a strong correlation between the grade a student receives and class attendance (Cuseo 1). Going to class is one aspect of being a member of the class. A teacher’s main goal is to prepare students for their future careers. When a student has poor attendance, it is almost like an incomplete because they he or she did not fulfill all requirements of the course. Other students have taken the time to show their dedication. There are unforeseen emergencies and circumstances that come that might occasionally prevent a student from attending class, and a student should not be penalized for forces beyond their control. However, if a student misses class because of laziness or chooses to never show up except on the first day or for tests, this shows that the student unreliable. If people in the real world miss work, they might be docked pay or penalized in some other way. Showing up to class helps to instill responsibility that prepares students for the real world.
Overall, attendance should count toward a student’s grade. It also helps to maximize success students will experience in the classroom. n some instance, an instructor can also look at the student’s attendance record, and if their grade is slipping a little, the student who came to class is more apt to receive help from the instructor than the student who did not. The student who came to class shows that they are dedicated and they are ready and willing to learn. In some instances, if a test grade sinks a student’s overall grade a little bit, attendance towards the total grade in the class can help to pad it for the final outcome of what a student earned that semester. Therefore, attendance should be a component of a student’s final grade.
- Cuseo, Joe. “What All First-year Students Should Know: The Most Potent, research-based
Principles of College Success. Success & Personal Development (2010). Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
