Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Feedback on being a better professor (ridiculously long)
That student really needs to learn not to confuse "effort" with accomplishment.
or in runner terms....
"Dear BAA:
I missed the qualifying time by a couple of minutes, but I tried really, really hard and didn't cut any corners like I saw someone else do.
Plus, my Garmin says the course was long, and my aptitude for running is akin to that of a real BQ'er.
Therefore, you should let me in.
Sincerely,
Close but no Cigar Runner"
old woman w/hobby
That student really needs to learn not to confuse "effort" with accomplishment. or in runner terms.... "Dear BAA: I missed the qualifying time by a couple of minutes, but I tried really, really hard and didn't cut any corners like I saw someone else do. Plus, my Garmin says the course was long, and my aptitude for running is akin to that of a real BQ'er. Therefore, you should let me in. Sincerely, Close but no Cigar Runner"
steph
I think if you're upfront with students about rules and expectations, and you've lived up to your end, then it's up to them to perform and earn anything awarded to them. I think the student shows that he or she cares about the grade, and that should be acknowledged.
The title of the thread says you want feedback on being a better professor. Here's all I have for you:
I'm not sure if it was part of the upfront agreement that you'd be publishing any private correspondence from your students on the web. Even though you're keeping it anonymous, you're still publishing it for the world to see. If you're not up front about that, perhaps you should be. I'm not sure I'd want my professor to be doing that. If so, I'd like to know before I send them a private email.
I think if you're upfront with students about rules and expectations, and you've lived up to your end, then it's up to them to perform and earn anything awarded to them. I think the student shows that he or she cares about the grade, and that should be acknowledged. The title of the thread says you want feedback on being a better professor. Here's all I have for you: I'm not sure if it was part of the upfront agreement that you'd be publishing any private correspondence from your students on the web. Even though you're keeping it anonymous, you're still publishing it for the world to see. If you're not up front about that, perhaps you should be. I'm not sure I'd want my professor to be doing that. If so, I'd like to know before I send them a private email.
I think you have a point. However, once you send an email, you have no idea how far it'll end. Plus, I think the anonymous nature of the post is sufficient to protect the identity. Syllabuses don't cover conversations professors may have about students (Written or oral).
Good Bad & The Monkey
Tell her that if she had put for as much effort studying for the exam as she did writing that email, she would have gotten another point or two and earned her A.
I had the same thought. And I am a bit of a softie, tho I too am tenured.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
I think you have a point. However, once you send an email, you have no idea how far it'll end.
That is so true. Number one rule of cyberspace: once you push "send" or "submit", it's out of your control. Any sense of privacy or intimacy on the web is an illusion.
Mechanical Engineering students are not quite that bad. While a visiting assistant professor, I had a student not show up for most of the quarter. He called me at home on the last day of finals week and wanted to hand in the third project assignment. I told him that he had missed both the oral and written portions of the second project, and the oral portion of the third project, so there was no point in handing in the written portion of the third project late. Also, that I had already submitted the class grades.
He wanted to know what grade he got. "You flunked". "But sir, if I don't pass this class, they will take my student visa". "Why were you not in class" (expecting an excuse including the word hospital). "I went to California". "Sorry, you're too late". And I hung up.
I also had a professor who was a strict grader. 89.8% was a B+, 90.06% was an A. The B+ was mine, the A a friend. I knew better than to waste time begging for a better grade.
As we learned in Freshman physics with the block on the inclined plane: it doesn't matter how hard you push on the block, if the block doesn't move, no work is done.
Queen of 3rd Place
Got a call from the Dean today. There's a parent involved and I'm gettting some heat. Good times.
Ex runner
Sorry to hear that.
It's a sad situation when a college student has to run to Mommy and Daddy when things don't go their way.
Hopefully, the Dean will strongly support you as an educator.
That's funny! (Gonna have to remember that one)
Feeling the growl again
Well, if forced to re-evaluate her grade, make it clear that you must also take into consideration the fact that she cheated on one of the assignments. Grade adjustments go both ways.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
It's a sad situation when a college student has to run to Mommy and Daddy when things don't go their way. Hopefully, the Dean will strongly support you as an educator.
+1.
Unbelievable!
This happens at the school I used to work at. Unfortunately, the administration almost always took the side of the student. There are certainly times when a student has a valid concern/complaint and there provisions outlined in the student handbook about how to dispute grades, but that almost never happened.
One of my colleagues basically told the academic dean that she was standing by the grade she gave, after a student called the president of the college to complain, and if the dean wanted to change the grade or give the student more opportunity to complete assignments that she (the dean) would have to do it. I don't know what happened with the student, but I know my friend didn't change the grade.
"You NEED to do this" - Shara