Students who have Letters of Accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact me as early in the semester as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. For those without Letters of Accommodation, assistance is available to eligible students through the Disability Resource Center. Please contact Jodi Litchfield, the ADA Coordinator, for more information at litchfie@middlebury.eduor 802-443-5936. All discussions will remain confidential.
Excused Absences granted by college deans (otherwise known as Dean’s Excuses) are intended to support students through substantial obstacles while providing input to faculty that is in line with an official, equitable, and consistent process for assessing student concerns. A Dean’s Excuse is essentially an official note from a Dean indicating a student’s circumstance warrants giving special consideration to how that student is graded when it comes to an absence(s), or to an extension on an assignment. Dean’s excuses are given for extenuating personal or medical circumstances, or for observance of major religious holidays/events.
All assignments for this class must include the Middlebury College honor code pledge: “I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment.” As a reminder, here is the college’s honor code.
I ask that (with some exceptions) you not use laptops and cellphones in class for several reasons. See these good recent articles here, which we will discuss:
- “The Lowdown on Longhand: How Writing by Hand Benefits the Brain.” Anissa Ramirez. Edutopia. August 6, 2014.
- “Why I’m Asking You Not to Use Laptops.” Anne Curzan. The Chronicle of Higher Education. August 25, 2014.
- “Today’s Lesson: Life in the Classroom before Cellphones.” Louise Katz. The Chronicle of Higher Education. August 25, 2014.
- “How to Teach in an Age of Distraction.” Sherry Turkle. The Chronicle of Higher Education. October 2, 2015.
- “Laptops Are Great. But Not During a Lecture or a Meeting.” The New York Times. November 22, 2017