I withdrew from one class in my undergraduate career. Two weeks into the semester, I realized that Conversational Italian 211 was going to take all my brain cells, so I took the W on my transcript instead of a whole semester of mediocre grades in my other classes.
How do you suggest to students that it might be wise for them to withdraw from your class? It is a little touchy, but I truly believe it is better for them to cut their losses than muddle through and fail. The first night of class I go over deadlines for withdrawing but no one really pays attention. Who would need such information? Things will be great, we’ll all be brilliant, the semester is off to a fabulous start.
But around midterms I like to bring up the withdrawal option again. Things change. Maybe your work schedule has shifted and you just can’t get to campus. Family stuff happens, people get sick, babysitters quit. If you can’t get the work done--for whatever reason--you should withdraw. Don’t just give up and wait for an F. Be proactive and fill out the paperwork. Acknowledge that things didn’t work out this time but that you’ll try again.
I hate to tell a student that there is no chance of getting a passing grade. Unfortunately, super-low scores by midway through the semester often mean than even perfection later down the road can’t fix things. Again, I suggest withdrawing. Take what you’ve learned and do better next semester. It seems cruel to tell students to essentially give up, but there are times when a W is the only way to go.
When do you tell students they should withdraw? We have a very short add/drop window at my institution, so that isn’t really an option. Do you open your classes with a warning or caution? Have you ever tried to make a student drop your class?
