Policy On Children In Class
Currently, the college does not have a formal policy on children in the classroom. The policy described here is just a reflection of my own beliefs and commitments to student parents:
- There are times where you may have your camera/microphone on, or are simply in class participating in an activity, and your child(ren) need(s) you for whatever reason. No need to apologize, simply click the Away status button 🕓 in Zoom in case anyone in the class needs your attention. You can also mute your camera/microphone for your own privacy and to minimize distractions for other students.
- If you need to leave for any reason, you can directly message me in the Zoom chat to give me a heads up or simply logoff, and handle the more important situation. We can always reconnect after class.
Finally, I understand that often the largest barrier to completing your coursework once you become a parent is the tiredness many parents feel in the evening once children have finally gone to sleep. While I maintain the same high expectations for all students in my classes regardless of parenting status, I am happy to problem-solve with you in a way that makes you feel supported as you strive for school-parenting balance. Keep in mind, this is exactly why our grading and deadline policies are what they are!
Attendance
Note that if you do not interact with the course in first week of class you may be dropped from the course. MiraCosta’s policy for attendance “in an online environment, nonparticipation in class activities will be interpreted as nonattendance.” That means, not participating in the first week’s activities like discussion board posts and labs.
Each week I’ll be checking everyone’s progress, if you’re missing all (or some) activities by the end of the week you can expect me to reach out (through our communication platform, email, Canvas message, etc.) to check-in and see how you’re doing. It’s very easy to fall behind, in an online class especially, trust me I’ve been there as a student and faculty! My job this semester is to support you the way you need to keep you on pace to the finish line.
By having a conversation, we can figure out the best way to support you so you can succeed in the class! Do not assume, however, that you will be automatically dropped if you are not active in the class. I will reach out multiple times to check-in, but ultimately it is your responsibility to withdraw from class in SURF before the appropriate academic deadline.