Document Actions
Communication with Students
- How do I use office hours most effectively?
- Should I impose boundaries on email communication?
- What information is useful to include in a section website or a course management system?
- How should I deal with difficult students?
- How should I handle requests for homework and exam solutions and re-grading?
Professor:
Make sure you know what my policy is for providing solutions and answers. Depending upon the course, I may let you decide. Whatever you decide to do, put it in writing in your section syllabus and explain your policy during the first section meeting. Then when students ask, you can refer them to the syllabus.
Re-grading can be trickier. If it is a course-wide assignment or exam, then the student should be asking me for the re-grade. If it is a section assignment, then follow the policy you outlined in your section syllabus.
TA:
Usually, you are the one that decides on writing up solutions or not. No matter what your policy is, announce it clearly during the first meeting with the students and don’t attempt to change it later. If you set up the right expectations and live up to them, your students will respect your rules and appreciate your time.
Ask the professor about their re-grade policy. Some professors let you change a homework grade if you deem it necessary without consulting with them. Almost all professors want you to send the students asking you to re-grade an exam directly to them.
