Thread: Allow a late joiner to class or no?

I close my classes after the first night & don't allow drop ins or people to join late/after the first night. For me this just works out better - students bond & have camraderie & I dont have to try & catch someone new up to everyone else, which I think is unfair to them. I have it on my site, no new students are taken after the first night & class is closed, but it never fails there's always at least one person who emails or calls after the first night & asks to be let in. I always say no.

My last session I had one student who came to one class & then for personal reasons had to drop. She asked if I'd credit her & let her come back. I said sure & gave her 6mos to come back to a class.

A new beginning class started this week. In the class is a woman I turned away from the last session because she called the day after class had already started saying she forgot & really wanted to come. I felt bad for her, but I had to say I'm sorry but class is closed. She was upset but she made it into the one that started this week, and is happy now.

The student from last session who has a credit with me - she emailed me last night. She didnt make it to class because she was in a wreck & totalled her car. She's miraculously okay, and asking if she can still come to class next week.

I'm torn. I'm adamant about not letting new students join after we've already started primarily so I dont have to catch up a new person - however, this person has a credit with me, so she's already already paid for class, and she's already taken the first class with me but in another session. she's also had a few lessons with someone else before coming to me, so she's new, but not 100% newbie to bdance. So there's not really any 'catching up' I'd have to do with her, she'd just pick up where we left off basically.

I need to reply to her today, but I'm not sure what to do. I was expecting her this week & was a little surprised not to see her, I'd even mentioned to the class at the start of class I was expecting someone else but if she didnt show up shortly we'd go ahead & start without her (and we did).

The circumstances are a little unusual & a part of me wants to let her in, however I dont know how I'd present it to the rest of the class who I've already told I dont allow late joiners & explained why.

I'd let her in because she was physically unable to attend due to the car accident. Just let her know that she will have to pick up where the class starts in week #2.

I'd let her in. If you feel some explanation to the rest of the class is necessary, just introduce her by saying "This is X. She had class #1 last session and is joining us this week to move forward from there." or something. Keep it short & simple.

You have the right to make exceptions to your own rules. It's good to want to be fair to everyone, and good to have solid reasons for your rules and your exceptions in case anyone asks. But your other students will think about these things much less than you imagine.

IMO her case is a clear "exception" to your stated rules. You don't need to explain to class; out of courtesy, a simple "here is so-and-so that I mentioned last week" is fine. I used to overexplain my rules and concepts to my students, trying desperately to be "fair" and clear at all times. I have come to see that this is an unrealistic view and have modified my methods in my long teaching career. :-) Someone will always find something unfair, but on the whole, simple clarity is fine for me. And if I need to change MY rules upon occasion from necessity, I need to take into consideration the big picture.

I let her know if she can make it to the next class then please come, otherwise she'll need to wait for the next session (next month) to start. I did that because she said she thinks she'll have another car by Tuesday's class, but just in case I wanted to be clear so she wouldn't get the impression it's ok to not come now (in case she doesn't get a vehicle) but ok to join in at the halfway point or later on sometime.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

I'd let her in. If you feel some explanation to the rest of the class is necessary, just introduce her by saying "This is X. She had class #1 last session and is joining us this week to move forward from there." or something. Keep it short & simple.

This sounds perfect to me! *files away for future use*

I think it was good to tell her come to next class and good to clarify that she would have to wait for the next months session if she missed coming class.
Always good to have rules, a little flexibility, and clear communication.