My views on class attendance made a big change from when I was a student to when I became a teacher. When I was a student, I felt that as long as I mastered the material it shouldn’t matter whether or not I came to class. Now, I was a fairly responsible student who worked pretty hard (I was that rare student who read all the reading assignments) and never missed a class in most courses, but I had no compunction about cutting classes that I felt were not valuable. I especially disliked those where the professor wasn’t interesting, just “read the book” to us, or failed to provide insight. I even had confrontations, which I now regret, with a couple of professors over missing classes. In fact, I met my wife Paulette while cutting class to go home for a five-day weekend (best classes I never attended).

When I became a teacher, I discovered that there was a high correlation between class attendance and performance, and my attitude changed to the point where I did everything I could to encourage it. I tried to make very efficient use of class time, tried to engage the students as much as possible, and tried to present the material in an interesting manner. I avoided “reading the book to students” by using different examples and explanations than those in the text. I even gave little sermonettes stressing that learning math was a communal activity, and that one role of class was to be a place where they could be supportive of each other. I noted that one student’s question might be exactly the question another couldn’t articulate, one student’s answer might give insight to another student, and even one student’s mistake might help other’s see their own faulty reasoning. I could never bring myself to take attendance, but nevertheless I usually had very good attendance. In fact, it was easy for me to remember when a student had missed the previous class and on their return would ask if they were “feeling better”.

In college and for some years after, my attitude towards attending church was similar to my earlier attitude towards attending class. I was a Christian and generally went to church, but I also felt that I could commune with God in the great outdoors or at some other activity, and if I had been a golfer I’m sure I would have thought that the 19th hole would have been a great place to worship. This is partially true, but I was missing the point. Eventually I realized that Church wasn’t just about me and became committed to regular worship. It was some years later that I read Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” I couldn’t help but notice the similarity to the little sermonette I used to give my classes.

Please remember that God loves YOU unconditionally, and often being in church is the best way to feel this love.

Jim