We're a week into a two week online class. I am relying heavily on the text for this class, and informed students two weeks before the class started that the textbook is required. Today, I received an email from a student complaining that he can't complete an assignment. Why? He can't complete it because he doesn't have the book, and the assignment requires him to respond to a case study in the text. What else can he do to complete the assignment?
Really? I'm required to respond to this stupid email. I did the best I could to be polite, but what I really wanted to say was "Get the damn book you fucking idiot, and don't email me with stupid questions like this again."
Instead, I told him to see if our library has a copy he can borrow.
How he thinks he'll manage to get through the course with a passing grade without doing the readings is beyond me.
I NEVER accept this as an excuse. Unless the university contacts me and tells me that students did not recieve copies because they were out of print, etc. It is a big effing TO BAD. Your an adult, welcome to the real world sunshine. Now sink or swim!
ReplyDeleteFML: How are you a university teacher when you don't know the difference between "to" and "too", or between "your" and "you're"?
ReplyDeleteMy prediction: When the assignment is due, the student will show up without it, then claim that the library didn't have it--and since "check the library" was the only answer you gave him, he'll feel entitled to a free pass on this assignment.
ReplyDeleteThis will occur regardless of whether the library actually has the book.
Just shoot the bastard.
ReplyDeleteTell him the registrar's system relies on a code in the back of each sold copy of the book. The default grade is an F and you're locked out of changing it without that code. If he doesn't believe that, say "Oh, well, there's an over-ride code in the instructor's manual, but I didn't get that."
ReplyDeleteI hate when the student offers a painful finance-related explanation. I was a very poor undergrad student who made do with lots of wrong edition textbooks myself (or borrowing from friends), so I have a terrible soft spot for a student who simply can't afford the $140 main text.
ReplyDeleteOf course if that same student is texting on an iPhone 4, then I recalibrate my sympathy.
Don't you have financial aid at your school Reg?
ReplyDeleteReg,
ReplyDeleteI mentioned my concern about book prices to my program head (at a CC) and she mentioned that the bookstore has special half-edition copies sold by the publisher for students who don't need a two-semester book for a one-semester class. I also talked to a bookstore manager who described the options available to my students (half-edition, rental, used) and the forms of financial aid that my students may apply to the book purchase. (Of course, I better be make sure that the half-edition is not actually the 45% division before recommending it to students!)
In such cases, consider talking to your supervisor/chair/head and the people at the bookstore.
Wayne, yes that's right turn on ppl like a ray in cage. *eye roll*. If it makes you feel better I posted that on my phone so I was typing quickly, not paying attention to auto correct, oh and that's right NOT CARING about grammar because this is a blog. Get a grip, seriously.
ReplyDeleteFML: Nice excuses. It's no wonder that students are mentally lazy when they have role models like you.
ReplyDelete