tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post1605668142809770788..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: Mortimer Brewster Has Come To Us For Career Advice, Because We All Clearly Have Made The Right Choices.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-60567577898422909832015-04-10T18:55:04.778-04:002015-04-10T18:55:04.778-04:00I had a prof for whom I TA'd who would ignore ...I had a prof for whom I TA'd who would ignore my grades, and just assign a final grade to the student based on what he "felt" the student earned. I still had to grade everything and pass it back to the students even though the prof never even looked at them......Middle-Aged and Morosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046076243513948921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-65886679597265765722015-04-10T15:30:08.227-04:002015-04-10T15:30:08.227-04:00At our Uni the TAs are unionized, and the TA contr...At our Uni the TAs are unionized, and the TA contract is based on a set number of hours. The union is strong, so the TAs who know their contractual rights, and assert them, will state something to the effect of "These added assignments will put me over my allotted number of hours for my TA contract." Some sort of mollifying statements would have to be uttered... "Did you want me Prof Poopieheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00997969128824319914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-51774479362402863462015-04-10T13:31:05.771-04:002015-04-10T13:31:05.771-04:00Well, consider it as training for how not to manag...Well, consider it as training for how not to manage people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-77274909788044922672015-04-10T11:30:44.559-04:002015-04-10T11:30:44.559-04:00Thanks! Actually, we had some of this discussion ...Thanks! Actually, we had some of this discussion between semesters ("I'd like to be more helpful to you") but things haven't really changed. I know I can't correct as well on content--it's not my area--though I have now heard the lectures and done the readings three times. <br /><br />Part of the problem is that X really demands absolute precision of ideas from the Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10218085079223895140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-35430803340815743202015-04-10T11:15:35.288-04:002015-04-10T11:15:35.288-04:00Haha, I know! Just complaining, really... but it&#...Haha, I know! Just complaining, really... but it's hard to understand why X wants a TA, in this case (and X does).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10218085079223895140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-60401054094263708172015-04-10T11:12:06.571-04:002015-04-10T11:12:06.571-04:001. We sign once a year, and a replacement could be...1. We sign once a year, and a replacement could be found if I had to back out.<br />2. We've actually talked about this. I couched it in the most nonthreatening way I could ("I want to be helpful to you") but I know it will not change. We actually worked together already--this is my second semester with X. I know I can't change it--I just needed to vent to people who haven'Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10218085079223895140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-48430735944946304612015-04-10T11:07:52.517-04:002015-04-10T11:07:52.517-04:00I like this answer! I know nothing can/will change...I like this answer! I know nothing can/will change about the situation, but this is something I could actually do. I've been lucky--I've worked with seven other faculty members over the years and this is really the first time I've had this problem.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10218085079223895140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-87059639927094850612015-04-10T11:03:48.308-04:002015-04-10T11:03:48.308-04:00Thanks for all these thoughts! I had written a lon...Thanks for all these thoughts! I had written a longer reply, but it disappeared when I tried to post it. Ah well! Anyway, I was mostly just venting, and not looking for advice, but I'm happy to have the advice. I'll add that there is some ongoing animosity between X and the department head (not sure why, but have seen them butt heads several times) and I won't add to it. The Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10218085079223895140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-69689162853341863422015-04-10T10:42:26.115-04:002015-04-10T10:42:26.115-04:00My suggested conversation talking points:
a) Hey, ...My suggested conversation talking points:<br />a) Hey, Dr. X, I noticed that you are regrading and adding lots of comments on all the assignments I've been grading this semester. Do you have specific concerns about how I'm grading these assignments? <br /><br />*Listen* Dr. X may have some good points ( they need a specific spread on the grades, they are worried about enough feedback, Madame Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03777676382203865143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-9772557659341200262015-04-10T10:12:21.608-04:002015-04-10T10:12:21.608-04:00If this conversation goes well, maybe you've s...If this conversation goes well, maybe you've solved your problem, and can find a way to work with X for another year. If not, then I'd move on to talking with the department head, and let hir know that you're having problems working with X, have tried to resolve them, but still feel that they're bad enough that they're interfering with your degree work, and that you're Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-68259574054127103902015-04-10T10:12:04.809-04:002015-04-10T10:12:04.809-04:00Caveats: it's been a very, very long time sinc...Caveats: it's been a very, very long time since I was a TA; I was almost entirely unsupervised/unmentored when I was one, and I've never supervised a TA. <br /><br />That said, it seems to me that you have two things to consider:<br /><br />--Would renewing your contract to TA for X aid or impede your progress toward the degree?<br /><br />--What if anything do you hope to get out of Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-77533595934362914322015-04-10T09:35:58.763-04:002015-04-10T09:35:58.763-04:00Something they don't teach us in grad school i...Something they don't teach us in grad school is how to deal with academics. This kind of professor is pretty par for the field; I know at least half a dozen at my current institution. <br /><br />In light of that, I suggest you find a way to reduce your hours. You already know that the grades will be regraded. Half-ass it a little more, while taking care to disguise your half-assing behavior.Academic Monkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07086078244493768565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-54182236827352683062015-04-10T08:30:19.579-04:002015-04-10T08:30:19.579-04:001. Do you sign a TA contract while you finish your...1. Do you sign a TA contract while you finish your dissertation?<br /><br />Yes. I can't think of a good reason why you shouldn't. Your boss may be a jerk. Get over it, get paid, and graduate.<br /><br />2. What's up with your boss?<br /><br />You're not new to teaching but you are new to this particular job. Maybe your boss doesn't fully appreciate your experience.<br /><br Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-53963959476244973252015-04-10T08:19:19.186-04:002015-04-10T08:19:19.186-04:00I'd say this is how X does it. If you don'...I'd say this is how X does it. If you don't want to do it, don't, but you can forget any kind of advice you'd offer him changing his methods.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com