tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post535479311877857921..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: It Used to Be Part of Our Jobs. Now It's Rude. Or Disrespectful. Or Humiliating.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-14607890458442910542012-06-20T14:44:56.992-04:002012-06-20T14:44:56.992-04:00I just got an email like this froma student- who k...I just got an email like this froma student- who kindly provided me with his (unsolicited) personal evaluation of my class- is opened with "I just want to be heard" and he blathered on and on about how he should have been allowed to have as much airtime in class as I did- because his opinions are important too. No. No they are not, sorry Snowflake.Academic Charlotte Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06617435890922621735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-58784584059858489422012-06-04T03:10:28.705-04:002012-06-04T03:10:28.705-04:00* Waking them up by name in the middle of class.
...* Waking them up by name in the middle of class.<br /><br />* Suggesting (privately) that they might do better on assignments if they took advantage of our (remedial -- wait, that's "developmental") reading program.<br /><br />* Telling them it was unacceptable to run out of the room, buy lunch, and return to class eating it.Electra Towniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15024494438400092125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-80339021313568795732012-06-02T23:11:50.889-04:002012-06-02T23:11:50.889-04:00Hmm... Annie, thanks for the reminder. I remembe...Hmm... Annie, thanks for the reminder. I remember, once upon a time, trying the "talk-quietly" technique. It worked wonders, and then I forgot all about it.<br /><br />You've just added one extra tool to this hologram's arsenal.Emergency Mathematical Hologramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15873569623797587860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-30024223512609067192012-06-02T23:09:02.936-04:002012-06-02T23:09:02.936-04:00I collected the exam when time was up, and threate...I collected the exam when time was up, and threatened to give everyone zeros if they didn't turn it in before I left the room.Emergency Mathematical Hologramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15873569623797587860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-24301390996592518232012-05-30T08:30:21.482-04:002012-05-30T08:30:21.482-04:00If they think clearly, it's because they'v...If they think clearly, it's because they've had it modeled. And clear thinking is modeled through clear writing, so they've had clear writing modeled as well. <br /><br />No excuses.introvert.profhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09042783611716432247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-63933162800420730722012-05-30T07:24:19.230-04:002012-05-30T07:24:19.230-04:00Well, my school is assuring that this doesn't ...Well, my school is assuring that this doesn't happen very much any more. If you have a PhD, regardless of which field the PhD is in, you can teach MA-level classes in any field. An MA is enough to teach any field. Indeed, you can even be chair of a department with only a BA in the field in question, as long as you have a PhD in something. <br /><br />There is a branch of natural science whereAdjunctSlavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17025851491072402087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-64250817619823511342012-05-29T23:12:06.417-04:002012-05-29T23:12:06.417-04:00I've got a couple of yappers like that, too. I...I've got a couple of yappers like that, too. I've started to begin class despite them--but I talk veryvery quietly so that only those closest to me can hear. The rest of the class turns on them and tells them to shut up. It's pretty much eliminated the problem.Annie Oakleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02396950355961607377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-20026995465747203802012-05-29T21:02:19.279-04:002012-05-29T21:02:19.279-04:00Here's a new one that just happened. After cla...Here's a new one that just happened. After class I find a new email. A student sitting in the class emailed a question on the topic we were discussing when the email was sent. But wait ... there's more. The student gets in my face in the next class because I didn't respond to the email.Sarcastic Bastardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01407507896787403097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-4101334565538434942012-05-29T18:24:09.188-04:002012-05-29T18:24:09.188-04:00Be sure to include a time limit on when they are s...Be sure to include a time limit on when they are supposed to end their conversation:<br /><br />"When class starts, you are expected to end conversations (immediately) (within 2 minutes) (etc) and turn your attention to your instructor."watercathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12592663814187083645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-56137312648750059142012-05-29T16:54:33.888-04:002012-05-29T16:54:33.888-04:00The ones to blame are the parents. Up until they ...The ones to blame are the parents. Up until they get to your class there has never been a clear or strict standard. Everything is negotiable. "Because I say so" has passed into disuse.<br /><br />Parents have also told them they're brilliant, so if they can't master something on the first (half-hearted) attempt there's something wrong. It certainly can't be them. <Garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331203839723194193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-72051220621086337002012-05-29T15:50:58.563-04:002012-05-29T15:50:58.563-04:00No question, introvert.prof, that a lot of bad wri...No question, introvert.prof, that a lot of bad writing comes from not really wanting to say much.<br /><br />I've had students who were fairly quick and effective thinkers but who were very poor writers, technically. Sometimes it's anxiety and trying too hard; sometimes it's just that they got so far being briefly glib that they never learned sustained argumentation; sometimes it'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-77163552921123254882012-05-29T11:21:40.495-04:002012-05-29T11:21:40.495-04:00Expecting to stop talking when class starts.
It s...Expecting to stop talking when class starts.<br /><br />It seems to be happening with more regularity. I come into the classroom and announce the start of class. Most students settle down and turn their attention toward me. But 2 students continue their conversation. At first I thought they were just oblivious. But now I think that they think that the class should wait for them to finish their Karen Ackoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01527412523732265688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-92208266159431520332012-05-29T09:38:33.910-04:002012-05-29T09:38:33.910-04:00Oh, and -- the e-mail I got yesterday asking if it...Oh, and -- the e-mail I got yesterday asking if it was OK to write a creative paper. Yes, I said, but the risk is that I won't see its creativity as I am not qualified to judge creative writing. So can I still do it? Yes, if you understand the risks. I guess I shouldn't do it then.<br /><br />Can't wait for the eval commenting on how I squelched her creativity.Frog and Toadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06377542172335502858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-6870070828857330002012-05-29T09:06:51.892-04:002012-05-29T09:06:51.892-04:00"she's so full of herself""she's so full of herself"Lucy, Countess of Bedfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07181713706519539554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-445461960625143402012-05-29T09:05:57.287-04:002012-05-29T09:05:57.287-04:00Green, as in GO get better at this!Green, as in GO get better at this!Lucy, Countess of Bedfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07181713706519539554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-11365125914755936992012-05-29T08:18:52.251-04:002012-05-29T08:18:52.251-04:00@ ahistoricality: Our language is sloppy because o...@ ahistoricality: Our language is sloppy because our thinking is sloppy. But sloppy language decreases our ability to think clearly. (George Orwell, paraphrase)<br /><br />I have never seen one of those mythical beasts, the clear thinker who writes poorly. And I live in the sciences, where you would most expect to find it.introvert.profhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09042783611716432247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-49014398556561918432012-05-29T05:02:08.880-04:002012-05-29T05:02:08.880-04:00The hand raising thing isn't an issue if you t...The hand raising thing isn't an issue if you teach something that doesn't require participation. My philosophy is they should be able to show up, sit down, scribble what I'm saying, and leave. Pass the test and I could give a crap whether or not I know what your voice sounds like.InvertedSquarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04704558162599421719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-1406425340153898792012-05-29T01:35:13.519-04:002012-05-29T01:35:13.519-04:00I really don't read comments on student evalua...I really don't read comments on student evaluations. I have not done so for years. Reading through these stories, I am reassured that this is the right decision.Merely Academichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00452389428113097744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-27208622534548103732012-05-29T01:32:20.321-04:002012-05-29T01:32:20.321-04:00Wow. Just ... wow.Wow. Just ... wow.Merely Academichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00452389428113097744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-34595509110684414032012-05-29T00:37:02.765-04:002012-05-29T00:37:02.765-04:00I thought that was my job....I thought that was my job....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-5736164781908533872012-05-29T00:34:58.465-04:002012-05-29T00:34:58.465-04:00I could forgive the grammar and spelling, if they ...I could forgive the grammar and spelling, if they were being deployed in the service of coherent arguments bolstered with substantial quantities of actual facts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-16699391038601483982012-05-29T00:10:51.883-04:002012-05-29T00:10:51.883-04:00But Cynic, families are complicated these days. So...But Cynic, families are complicated these days. Some of them probably do have 5 grandmas (but most likely of varying ages and other qualities, so, yes, barring a tragedy -- or a series of murders -- on a family cruise which you cruelly insisted that the student skip in order to come to class, five of them dying in a month seems excessive. And having five willing to board a boat together also Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-17351265970153067842012-05-29T00:07:18.390-04:002012-05-29T00:07:18.390-04:00And now I've just seen something similar to th...And now I've just seen something similar to the discussion problem in an online class. The students are doing a workshop-type exercise that is designed to clarify a concept, as well as move a larger project forward (so they all have to do it, and all of their work is on display, to each other and to me). I expect some of them to make some mistakes in the project-related work, and the workshopContingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-83255491283629545362012-05-28T23:37:11.224-04:002012-05-28T23:37:11.224-04:00Not being sympathetic enough when the 5th grandma ...Not being sympathetic enough when the 5th grandma has died in the last month...The Contemplative Cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088570661592922436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-6888974946373492962012-05-28T23:35:23.986-04:002012-05-28T23:35:23.986-04:00Or grammar! Asking them to use standard grammar se...Or grammar! Asking them to use standard grammar seems to also be a way to restrain their "creativity."The Contemplative Cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088570661592922436noreply@blogger.com