The course work in college is only one part of the education. No matter how well you do on the material, you'll probably forget most of it anyway. What's just as important are the work habits and learning skills one develops and uses for the rest of their life.
It's not really a distraction. If I or someone else comes in late usually no one even looks...
According to whom? I guarantee you, the person in front of the room notices when someone comes in late. Others in the room notice as well, even if you don't think so.
Showing up, being prepared, and having consideration for others are half the battle. If you can't at least do that much, why bother?
What's harsh or an embarassment in college is a disaster in the real world. Many people I know lock the doors when the meeting starts. Show up unprepared and be sent away. People are depending on you to do the minimum. That's the least anyone could learn in college.
What's harsh is failing cause you miss the class, come in late, or not do your homework. You don't have to add to that harshness.
Though in the OP's case he did make up for the harshness by allowing some missed homeworks.
Classes are different from meetings. They shouldn't simulate real world meetings. People pay for classes and if they want to come in late, they reap the consequences. Otherwise why pay? When you work for someone it becomes your duty to perform the job, attending meetings on time is one such duty.
That being said there's no need for college professors to try and simulate what you'll face in the real world by being harsh. A little leniency goes a long way and frankly in college people have the understanding that you know how to manage your time and automatically have a good reason for being late.
George bush locks people out of meetings if they're late. I highly doubt Obama does that. So it's not necessarily real life. Some people are understanding in real life too.
The point of class is not to teach you how harsh the real world is. The point of class is to teach you the material, whether or not you'll remember it a year later.
It's not really a distraction. If I or someone else comes in late usually no one even looks...
According to whom? I guarantee you, the person in front of the room notices when someone comes in late. Others in the room notice as well, even if you don't think so.
Showing up, being prepared, and having consideration for others are half the battle. If you can't at least do that much, why bother?
What's harsh or an embarassment in college is a disaster in the real world. Many people I know lock the doors when the meeting starts. Show up unprepared and be sent away. People are depending on you to do the minimum. That's the least anyone could learn in college.