baseball scaled

by Kelly Beischel PhD, RN, CNE

When my husband and I recently attended a Cincinnati Reds game I watched the umpires give the coaches their ground rules.

Now mind you over the past 10 years the Cincinnati Reds have played approximately 400 games at the Great American Ballpark.

The foul lines are clearly chalked and the foul pole in the outfield is neon yellow.

Surely they know what’s in play and what’s a foul.

Yet, the other night I clearly saw the umpires giving both coaches the ground rules. I couldn’t help but think, ‘Really? Like they don’t know where the foul line is?’

Since then, I learned that there are universal ground rules and ballpark ground rules. Universal ground rules are to be used in all Major League ballparks whereas ballpark ground rules are individualized to each park.

So, yes the opposing team needed the ground rules.

This got me thinking about how similar ground rules are to a course syllabus.

There are universal rules of the game for all college students yet each course has it’s own ground rules found in the course syllabus. In fact, the success of a course is dependent on a syllabus with explicit ground rules.

A course syllabus is your contract with the student.

While thinking of it as a contract might be intimidating, there’s a sense of freedom that comes with a syllabus where boundaries are clearly marked.

A good syllabus provides boundaries

  • Telling students what constitutes a foul ball
  • What we will tolerate and what we won’t

The objectives of the course,

clearly outlined on the syllabus, are like the rules of the game that indicate what the player must do to win. Objectives articulate what students will be accountable for learning by the end of the course.

Using these objectives is critical when you create assessments, plan teaching strategies and construct student assignments.

Setting clear boundaries buys freedom from fatigue

Imagine a baseball field with no foul lines or foul poles. Each time a batter hits the ball he looks to the umpire to determine if the ball is in play or foul. The absence of boundaries would be taxing to both the players and umpire.

Similarly, rather than making procedural decisions at the beginning of the semester, imagine yourself being asked to make procedural decisions about:

  • Graded course requirements
  • Assignment due dates
  • Policies on attendance
  • Academic integrity
  • Missed exams
  • Late or missed assignments through the whole semester

No doubt you would experience what social psychologist, Roy F. Baumeister calls decision fatigue or ego depletion. We don’t make good decisions from this sort of fatigue.

Being transparent with your students can buy you a drama-free classroom

For instance, you may have an aversion to phones in class as I do. So why shouldn’t you tell your students up front in the syllabus that you prohibit the use of cell phones in your classroom?

This is my ground rule about cell phones in class: The first time students use their phone in class (think here: texting and visiting social media sites) they must bring cookies for their classmates the following class. The second offense? They’re asked to leave class. The student must petition to be permitted back in.

Students may not agree with this policy but it’s clear. They know the consequences. There’s no drama. I simply inform them they’re to bring cookies. They know why.

Transparency works

Keeping class drama free with set boundaries buys me freedom to relax and teach and students the freedom to learn. Creating a syllabus with transparent boundaries buys freedom for both students and faculty.

It’s a win – win for sure

Do you have a syllabus with clear boundaries?

How might it buy you some freedom?

Reply below. Tell us about your boundaries, the ground rules you have set in your syllabus.