What should I do?

I guess the proper answer is putting the onus of responsibility on him. 3 out of 20 is not even close to enough.

However, I would take into account his willingness or likelihood of him actually turning himself around.

Is it likely that this is a real turning point for him? Or is he simply desperate and postponing something inevitable that he's not ready to deal with yet?

Well, given his past track record, I'd say that it doesn't matter so I may as well say, "sure! you could pass, but you have a ton of this work to make up, like 1000 points worth of work which includes 3 compositions of at least 1500, including one on a book you never bothered to read!" because I don't think he'll actually do anything.

I can't remember if I passed him during the last semester (we do a full-year's course in 20 weeks... so every 10 weeks you get a full semester grade). But if he didn't, he still needs to repeat this course. I'm the only teacher of the course and I will be reteaching it in the Spring. So....

I would probably say no, but I am a hardass. I would probably also have a talk with him about the benefit of attending school even without the pass, but I can see why he wouldn`t. It is generally much easier to keep a student in school than to get him back once he`s left, if you want to take that into consideration in your make-up work. Would you be able to assign enough make-up so that it`s fair to the other students who did show up? Again, hardass, but the vast majority of my students do not graduate.

Well, and if he has to retake I would definitely stress how this would be a benefit for him if he were to be familiar with the material for the second go-round, but I can see why this would not appeal.

Again, hardass, but the vast majority of my students do not graduate.

Me too!

I said, the only way of passing is to make up all the work assigned, attend tutoring every day it is offered after school (it's a 5th period that is mandatory for failing 10th graders and technically I'm in the 10th grade academy though I only teach 12th graders) and attend all of the remaining classes then you have a slim chance of passing.

So I can make it onerous enough that it's a punishment while still giving him (false?) hope.

So I can make it onerous enough that it's a punishment while still giving him (false?) hope.

I don't think it's false hope. You're offering him a fair chance, that requires a shit-ton of work to make up for what he's blown off.

Odds are he won't, but it's there if he's willing.

That seems very fair to me.

yeah, it comes in the tough but fair category

Odds are he won't, but it's there if he's willing.

Really, it's more than fair. No, he won't do it. But you are giving him a chance.

The good news? Even though I got off the plane only 10 minutes before my next flight, I managed to run to the gate just as they were starting to board.

The bad news? All of a sudden, the pilot got word that the weather in SF means they won't let us depart.

Clear up San Francisco!

Clear up San Francisco!

It's raining here. Pretty steady. Though it does seem to be lessening.