Dr. Wanderer,
I apologize for missing the first week of
classes. My parents took me on a cruise as a surprise and booked it over a year
ago before I knew when classes would start. I will meet with friends that i have
in your class to help catch me up on anything I've missed. If you have anything
else you would really like me to know that you've said in class, then I can meet
with you in your office, or you could just email it.
Thank you again, and I
will introduce myself in class.
Cruising Student
I am working at a SLAC with a relatively low median income. It is not uncommon to have a student register 1-2 weeks late because their funding did not come through in time.
ReplyDeleteI get emails that sound like this in tenor. My answer about notes is usually this: "Ask one of your colleagues for their notes."
My lecture is done when it is done. It teaches them to critically examine their peers and to network.
*shrug* The student isn't demanding special treatment and had the courtesy to contact you. Fair enough, sez I.
ReplyDelete"Did I miss anything important?"
ReplyDeleteOverall, this email is pretty low on the snowflake scale. Sure, the student asked you to send lecture notes, which you might not do, but it wasn't a demand.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cruise, some parents are like this. Parents who did not go to college might not understand the importance of showing up to campus on time. Some kids don't feel comfortable standing up to their parents about missing school, even if they want to. That's not to say that the student shouldn't be penalized appropriately or that he isn't at fault. Just don't take it personally or assume that it means the student is an idiot. If he is an idiot, that will become obvious soon enough.