Type the title of your course at the top of the document. You can follow this by (next to or underneath) the semester, year, and section number of the course. You can include your office phone number if you have one, but don’t give out your cell phone. You might write “English 102—World Literature / Mr. Jones, mjones@school. edu / Room 214, Period D / Fall 2022”
Note what kind of assignments students will complete (i. e. quizzes, discussion boards, or lab assignments). You might write: “Welcome to American History. This course will cover major American events, starting with the American Revolutionary War, and concluding with The Cold War and the downfall of the Soviet Union. Students will be required to read key texts, tackle complex ideas, and compose argumentative essays. . . ”
You can say something like, “In Composition 2, students will continue to improve upon the practices and skills they developed in Composition 1. Students will learn how to craft sentences that empower the students in the classroom and their community…”
If you’re teaching a mandatory class for middle or high school students, or you’re teaching a survey course with no prerequisites, feel free to skip this section. Just include a list of the required courses, like, “A grade of ‘C’ or better in Reading 125, English 100, English 101, and a reading and writing placement test score of 60 or better. ”
Provide students with the name, author, year, and International Standard Book Number (“ISBN”) of the textbooks, novels, or coursebooks students will need. You don’t need to list materials required by every class, such as notebooks, paper, or pens if you’re teaching a high school or college class. A good rule of thumb is to include any materials not common to other classes, such as a scientific calculator, software, or drafting tools.
Mention how the course is taught (through lectures, labs, or online video lectures). Depending on your style and/or the customs of your institution, you may want to include this in your course description. [7] X Research source You might write, “This course will meet three days a week (MWF) for 16 weeks. Monday and Wednesday will be lectures in Scott Hall, room 415. Friday, students will meet in small groups with their assigned TA for labs at Grant Hall, in rooms 212, 214, and 218. ”
Many institutions have specific rules about what should be included in this section, so check with the administrator or department for guidelines on what must be included. Include your grading scale. For instance, an A equates to a 90% to 100%, a B equates to an 80% to 89%, and so on and so forth. Provide a statement about any other grade policies, such as if you drop the lowest test or quiz grade. You might say: “Tests – 40%, quizzes – 20%, homework – 20%, attendance – 20%. ”
Include an explicit statement about makeup exams for sick days or emergencies. You could say, “Students will have one 24-hour grace period to turn in late assignments with a 10% penalty. After that, I will not accept your work. In the event of an emergency or if there are extenuating circumstances, email me within 24 hours of the missing assignment to discuss it. ”
Many colleges and universities have specific policies and statements that must be included in this section of the syllabus, so check with the appropriate educational institution for guidelines. Attendance policy. Most educational institutions have a school-wide attendance policy which you may want to include in your syllabus. Class participation policy. Describe exactly how students should participate and what their participation will mean to their grade. Classroom etiquette. Be sure to spell out the policy on eating and drinking in class, using a cell phone or laptop during class, talking to other students while the instructor is speaking, etc. [11] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Include the dates of key assignments and final exams if you have them. If it’s your first time teaching this class, you may not have completed unit or lesson plans. In that case, talk to your department head. They likely won’t require a schedule.
Your institution might require you to include language about learning support services, but check with your administrators. You might write, “I am always here to support you. If you need help connecting with Ms. Tate in the learning support office, or Mr. Rodgers in the tutoring center, please let me know. ”
You could say, “This syllabus is subject to change at any time and without notice. ” Teachers often put this line at the very bottom of the syllabus, but you can put it anywhere you’d like.
Include the last day they can drop your course without penalty. Include any other relevant information about your institution’s add/drop or withdrawal policy. Just copy and paste this from another teacher’s syllabus, or pull it directly from the student handbook.
They may even provide you with a boilerplate section to add to your syllabus. Schools often have a concrete honor policy that you can’t change, but if you do want to add to it, include that info in your classroom policies section.
What to do in the event of a lockdown. Procedures in case there is a bomb threat. Instructions on what to do if there is a fire.
You may want to add language letting your students know that their right to observe religious holidays is protected. Check with your administration to see how/if they’d like you to address this. This material is often covered in the student handbook, so you may be asked to not include this in your syllabus.
Very often, students need to register with counseling or a disability resource center. Students should provide documentation of a recognized disability to the institution during the enrollment process or shortly thereafter. [20] X Trustworthy Source US Department of Labor Federal department responsible for promoting the wellbeing of workers Go to source Many schools will put this information in the student handbook, so check with your administration to see if you need to include it in your syllabus.
FERPA states that instructors and others at a postsecondary institution cannot discuss a student’s grades, status, or attendance with anyone without their expressed written permission. FERPA applies to any student 18 or older, or any student attending a postsecondary institution. For students under the age of 18 at secondary institutions, FERPA rights lie with their parents or legal guardians.
