My very dear Online Olive,
I appreciate the diligence that you have shown by calling me not once, but four times in an attempt to resolve your technological problems. Yes, I know it is Sunday and that my assignments are due in the morning, and that the help desk is closed. The course has been online for over a week, and the introduction advises you to take the time WELL BEFORE assignments are due to ensure that your computer has the chops to handle the assignments. It also asks you not to call Dr. Picky Historian for technological aid, because I am not the help desk and I haven't got an effing clue about your system. That, my dearest, is what the Help Desk is *for.* That is, if you had bothered to check out your system early.
Yes, Online Olive ... I do expect you to have read the syllabus....and to follow it.
Shocking, I know.
Sincerely,
Picky Historian.
If we don't help students on the weekend, maybe we should be payed only 5/7ths of our salary. I think this behavior is deplorable.
ReplyDeleteI love teaching, and being mean, and I think the best thing to do in these matters is offer the hand of friendship to students, help them with the assignment on Sunday, but then fuck them by changing the assignment without notice.
In my syllabus, I tell students that variations of the Dog Ate My Homework excuse (i.e., ran out of ink; lost internet connection, etc.) is not acceptable. Enforce it one time and never get bothered with technological problems again.
ReplyDelete